John Saunders, the longtime ESPN anchor and host of the roundtable discussion show The Sports Reporters, has died. He was 61 years old.
Neither his family nor ESPN has announced a cause of death.
He originally joined the network in 1986 as a SportsCenter anchor. He eventually became one of the most recognizable faces in sports broadcasting.
The Canadian-born broadcaster worked for the network nearly 30 years as a commentator for college football, hockey, and basketball.
“John was an extraordinary talent and his friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades,” ESPN President John Skipper said in a media release. “His wide range of accomplishments across numerous sports and championship events is among the most impressive this industry has ever seen. More importantly, John was a beloved and devoted family man who cared deeply about people and causes, as evidenced by his long-standing efforts as a passionate board member for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.”
He was a founding member of the V Foundation and a close friend of legendary North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, for whom the foundation is named.
Saunders played hockey at Western Michigan University and excelled as a junior league player in his native Canada. He enthusiastically voiced his passion for the game and hosted the Stanley Cup Playoffs from 1993 to 2004.
He also called NCAA basketball games for ABC beginning in 1990 and reported for the network’sWide World of Sports.
He is survived by his wife Wanda, and daughters, Aleah and Jenna.
– Newschannel 6
