Broadcaster, Loras College Graduate Greg Gumbel Dead at 78

A legendary sportscaster, who obtained an education and enjoyed his salad days in the town of Dubuque, IA, has sadly passed away. For years, his name was synonymous with college basketball coverage, and he was also the first African-American announcer to call play-by-play of a major sports championship in the United States when he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS in 2001.

That man was Greg Gumbel, who passed away at the age of 78 on December 27th, 2024. His death was made aware via a statement from the Gumbel family, including his news and sportscaster brother Bryant Gumbel, released by CBS Sports PR.

The statement from the Gumbel family, specifically Marcy and Michelle Gumbel, read:

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity - Marcy and Michelle Gumbel, per CBS Sports PR

Marcy and Michelle Gumbel added that Greg left behind "a legacy of love, inspiration, and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry." It's hard to argue otherwise. Gumbel was a consummate professional. His origins story also includes Dubuque, IA.

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A native to New Orleans, LA, Gumbel grew up on Chicago's South Side, where he graduated from De La Salle Institute. Furthermore, he graduated with a BA in English from Loras College, where he also played on the school's basketball team.

A graduate of Loras Class of 1967, he was inducted into the Loras College Duhawks Hall of Fame in 2023:

Gumbel, a 1967 graduate of Loras and former Duhawk baseball player, is perhaps the college's most famous alumnus and has enjoyed a legendary sportscasting career since his days in Dubuque. He has been employed by many high-profile broadcasting companies such as ESPN, Madison Square Garden Network, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports. At various times, he's been the voice of five professional sports teams, in addition to hosting programs that cover prominent sporting events like the Olympics, the Daytona 500, and the World Figure Skating Championships[....] - per Loras College's website

Upon graduating from Loras College, Gumbel was selling hospital supplies when his brother, Bryant, told him about a weekend sportscaster opening at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. He auditioned, and got the job, then moved onto ESPN in 1981. The rest is sports history.

Gumbel's death is a tremendous loss not only for Loras College, but the sports world as a whole. Read more about the life and legacy of Greg Gumbel on his Wikipedia page, as well as on Loras College's website.