Dan Hicks, longtime NBC sportscaster, dies at 64

Dan Hicks, a prominent play-by-play voice for NBC Sports who spent more than 30 years narrating some of the sports world’s biggest moments, died Wednesday, his wife, Hannah Storm, said in a statement. He was 64. The New York Times reported that Storm described his death as “sudden and unexpected,” though she did not say where he died.

Hicks joined NBC Sports in 1992 after a short stint with CNN. He served as play-by-play commentator for Notre Dame football, contributed to NFL coverage, was a sideline reporter on “NBA on NBC,” and played a key role in the network’s golf and Olympics coverage, including five Winter Games in which he called speed skating and alpine skiing. He also called eight consecutive Summer Games since 1996.

Hicks became NBC’s lead play-by-play golf announcer in 2000. His most famous golf call came when Tiger Woods sunk a 12-foot putt to force a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. “Expect anything different?” Hicks calmly voiced after waiting for the crowd to erupt. The PGA Tour called Hicks’ work with commentator Johnny Miller “one of golf television’s defining broadcast partnerships.”

At the Olympics, Hicks called memorable moments including the U.S. comeback in the 4×100 freestyle relay at the 2008 Beijing Games, which secured Michael Phelps’ eighth gold medal of the Games. Hicks yelled, “Here comes Lezak! Unbelievable at the end! He’s done it!” as Jason Lezak passed France’s Alain Bernard on the final leg.

Hicks was due to call Notre Dame’s game Saturday against Boston College, according to an NBC schedule released earlier this week. He and Storm had been married since 1994. Storm said in her statement Thursday that “Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around.” NBC News said Hicks was “an extraordinary colleague, friend and person.”