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{{short description|American basketball coach and announcer (born 1939)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Dick Vitale
| image = Dick Vitale.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Vitale in 2011
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1939|6|9}}
| birth_place = [[Passaic, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| high_school = [[East Rutherford High School|East Rutherford]]<br/>([[East Rutherford, New Jersey]])
| college = [[Seton Hall University|Seton Hall]]<!-- did not play college basketball -->
| coach_start = 1963
| coach_end = 1979
| cyears1 = 1963–1964
| cteam1 = [[Garfield High School (New Jersey)|Garfield HS]]
| cyears2 = 1964–1971
| cteam2 = [[East Rutherford High School|East Rutherford HS]]
| cyears3 = 1971–1973
| cteam3 = [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball|Rutgers]] (assistant)
| cyears4 = 1973–1977
| cteam4 = [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball|Detroit]]
| cyears5 = 1978–1979
| cteam5 = [[Detroit Pistons]]
| cstats_league1  = NCAA
| cwin1           = 79
| closs1          = 29
| cstats_league2 = NBA
| cwin2 = 34
| closs2 = 60
| HOF = dick-vitale
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2008
}}
'''Richard John Vitale''' ({{IPAc-en|v|aɪ|ˈ|t|æ|l}}; born June 9, 1939), also known as "'''Dickie V'''", is an American [[basketball]] [[sportscaster]]. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known for his tenure since 1979 as a college basketball broadcaster for [[ESPN]]. He is known for catchphrases such as "This is awesome, baby!" and "diaper dandy" (outstanding freshman player), as well as his enthusiastic and colorful remarks during games. He has also written fourteen books and appeared in several films.

==Early life==
Vitale was born in [[Passaic, New Jersey]], and grew up in [[Garfield, New Jersey]]. He moved to East Paterson (now [[Elmwood Park, New Jersey|Elmwood Park]]) {{citation needed span|date=October 2024|in his freshman year of high school.}} His father, John, was a piecework clothing press operator and had a second job as a security guard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/71/Dick-Vitale.html|title=Dick Vitale Biography (1939–)|website=www.filmreference.com}}</ref> His mother, Mae, worked in a factory as a seamstress and sewed coats until she suffered a stroke.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/dickvitale/news/story?id=3566939|title=Hall call is simply awesome|last=Vitale|first=Dick|date=September 6, 2008|publisher=ESPN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908121836/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/dickvitale/news/story?id=3566939|archive-date=September 8, 2008|access-date=March 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Education ==
Vitale graduated from [[East Rutherford High School]] in 1958.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lombardi |first=Matt |date=2023-11-05 |title=Here's Dick Vitale's High School Yearbook Senior Photo |url=https://thespun.com/news/dick-vitale-high-school-yearbook-photo |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=[[The Spun]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dick Vitale |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/vitale_dick/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S. |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Vitale-ESPN-bio-2004">{{cite web |title=V-File: Dick Vitale bio |url=http://www.espn.com/dickvitale/vfile/index.html |website=ESPN |access-date=15 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226212124/http://www.espn.com/dickvitale/vfile/index.html |archive-date=December 26, 2019 |date=November 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He attended [[Seton Hall University]] and graduated with a degree in business administration in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dick Vitale Coaching Record |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/dick-vitale-1.html |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=University |first=Seton Hall |date=2020-01-30 |title=Alumnus Dick Vitale Celebrates 40 Years at ESPN |url=https://www.shu.edu/alumni/news/dick-vitale-celebrates-40-years-at-espn.cfm |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=Seton Hall University |language=en}}</ref> As the first in his family to attend college, he is a [[First-generation college students in the United States|first-generation college student]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dick Vitale |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/vitale_dick/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S. |language=en-US}}</ref> He later earned a master's degree in education from [[William Paterson University]], formerly known as Paterson State College.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zimmer |first=David M. |title=Born and raised in North Jersey, Dick Vitale is college basketball's most famous personality |url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2020/02/18/njs-dick-vitale-college-basketballs-most-famous-personality/2742876001/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=North Jersey Media Group |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zimmer |first=David M. |title=Born and raised in North Jersey, Dick Vitale is college basketball's most famous personality |url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2020/02/18/njs-dick-vitale-college-basketballs-most-famous-personality/2742876001/ |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=North Jersey Media Group |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Mike Rosenstein {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2021-04-01 |title=Awesome, baby! ESPN analyst and N.J. native Dick Vitale lands contract extension |url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2021/04/awesome-baby-espn-analyst-and-nj-native-dick-vitale-lands-contract-extension.html |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=nj |language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching==

===High school coaching===
Vitale took his first job as a coach at an elementary school in [[Garfield, New Jersey]] in 1958.  Eventually he moved up to the high school level to become head coach at [[Garfield High School (New Jersey)|Garfield High School]] for one season, and then at [[East Rutherford High School]] (his [[alma mater]]), where he had a record of 131–47 from 1964 to 1971 and led his teams to two New Jersey state championships.<ref>Moran, Malcolm. [https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/01/archives/dick-vitale-frustrated-but-still-trying.html "Dick Vitale: Frustrated But Still"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 1, 1979. Accessed January 9, 2018. "He won two New Jersey state championships at East Rutherford High School, and had a career record of 131‐47."</ref>

===College coaching===
In 1971, Vitale moved to [[Rutgers University]] as an assistant coach under head coach Dick Lloyd. He was named head coach at the [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball|University of Detroit]] (now Detroit Mercy) on March 31, 1973.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/01/archives/rutgers-aide-is-named-to-coach-detroit-five.html "Rutgers Aide Is Named To Coach Detroit Five," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Saturday, March 31, 1973.] Retrieved March 18, 2023.</ref> He took the Titans to the 32-team NCAA tournament in [[1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1977]]. Vitale had a 78–30 record during his tenure at Detroit, which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1977 season. During that streak the Titans defeated the eventual champion [[1976–77 Marquette Warriors men's basketball team|Marquette]], [[UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena|on the road]], in [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]]. Following the 1977 season, his fourth as Detroit head coach, Vitale was named the university's [[athletic director]].

===NBA coaching===
Vitale left the Titans to become head coach of the [[Detroit Pistons]] on May 1, 1978, succeeding [[Bob Kauffman]] who had served as an interim following the dismissal of [[Herb Brown]] {{frac|4|1|2}} months prior on December 15, 1977. He signed a 3‐year contract with a $100,000 annual salary and a new [[Cadillac]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/02/archives/new-coach-of-pistons-vitale-a-super-salesman-waited-16-years-unseld.html Goldaper, Sam. "New Coach of Pistons: Vitale, a Super Salesman," ''The New York Times'', Tuesday, May 2, 1978.] Retrieved March 18, 2023.</ref> The [[1978&ndash;79 Detroit Pistons season|Pistons]] finished with a 30&ndash;52 (.366) record in 1978&ndash;79.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pistons Coaching Records |website=[[NBA.com]] |url=http://www.nba.com/pistons/history/alltime_coaching_records.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202135250/http://www.nba.com/pistons/history/alltime_coaching_records.html |archive-date=2009-12-02 }}</ref> Vitale was hospitalized with stress related stomach issues during his first season on the bench in Detroit as the team struggled.  In his second year, on November 8, 1979, Pistons owner [[Bill Davidson (businessman)|Bill Davidson]] came to Vitale's house and told him that the Pistons were making a coaching change. It was twelve games into the [[1979–80 Detroit Pistons season]], and with the Pistons off to a 4–8 start, Vitale was fired on November 8, 1979, with assistant coach [[Richie Adubato]] promoted to replace him on an interim basis.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/09/archives/slumping-pistons-dismiss-vitale-as-coach-they-didnt-want-me.html Goldaper, Sam. "Slumping Pistons Dismiss Vitale as Coach," ''The New York Times'', Friday, November 9, 1979.] Retrieved March 18, 2023.</ref>

A significant reason for Vitale's downfall with the Pistons was the maneuver that brought [[Bob McAdoo]] to Detroit. [[M.L. Carr]]'s decision to sign with [[Boston Celtics|Boston]] as a free agent in 1979 spawned a transaction in which the Pistons, with Vitale in charge of player personnel, entitled to compensation for Carr, demanded McAdoo, whom the Celtics were looking to unload due to injuries. The Pistons sent two 1980 first-round draft picks (in addition to Carr) to the Celtics in exchange for McAdoo in a combination free agent signing/trade. The Pistons would have the worst season in franchise history in 1979–80, and their pick would become the first overall pick in the [[1980 NBA Draft|1980 draft]]. Boston then traded the two picks to the [[Golden State Warriors|Warriors]] (who selected [[Joe Barry Carroll]] with the number 1 pick and [[Rickey Brown]] with the number 13 pick) in exchange for [[Robert Parish]] and the number 3 pick ([[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pistonpowered.com/2021/01/20/worst-team-detroit-pistons-history-dick-vitale/3/ | title=Dick Vitale and the worst team in Detroit Pistons history | date=January 20, 2021 }}</ref>

==Head coaching record==

===College===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Detroit Titans men's basketball|Detroit Titans]]
 | conference = [[NCAA Division I independent schools|NCAA Division I independent]]
 | startyear  = 1973
 | endyear    = 1977
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1973–74]]
 | name         = Detroit
 | overall      = 17–9
 | conference   =
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1974–75 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1974–75]]
 | name         = Detroit
 | overall      = 17–9
 | conference   =
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1975–76]]
 | name         = Detroit
 | overall      = 19–8
 | conference   =
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1976–77 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1976–77]]
 | name         = [[1976–77 Detroit Titans men's basketball team|Detroit]]
 | overall      = 26–3
 | conference   =
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = [[1977 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament|NCAA Division I Sweet 16]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Detroit
 | overall    = 79–29 ({{winpct|79|29}})
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End 
 | overall = 79–29 ({{winpct|79|29}})
 | legend  = no
}}

===NBA===
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1978–79 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1978}}
| 82||30||52||{{Winning percentage|30|52}}|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in [[Central Division (NBA)|Central]]||—||—||—||—
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979–80 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1979}}
| 12||4||8||{{Winning percentage|4|8}}|| style="text-align:center;"|(fired)||—||—||—||—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 94||34||60||{{Winning percentage|34|60}}||&nbsp;||—||—||—||—||&nbsp;
{{s-end}}

==Broadcasting==
Following his departure as coach of the [[Detroit Pistons]], Scotty Connal gave Vitale his first TV opportunity at [[ESPN]] cable network. His first reaction to the job of broadcaster was "Absolutely no way. I know nothing about TV. I want to get back to where I belong and my spirit belongs." He was reluctant to accept the position but his wife Lorraine told him to "go on TV and have some fun", so Vitale accepted on a temporary basis until another coaching job became available. He called ESPN's first [[college basketball]] game on December 5, 1979, when [[DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball|DePaul]] defeated [[Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball|Wisconsin]] 90–77.<ref>{{cite web | title = Vitale's first broadcast| url = http://www.jsonline.com/sports/39534602.html}}</ref> His first play-by-play partner was Joe Boyle.

Vitale was not a natural at first for broadcasting. He missed his first-ever production meeting when he was walking the streets of [[Chicago]]. Also, he would talk while the producers were talking to him through his earpiece, during commercials, and while the play-by-play man was talking. Vitale himself was not sure if broadcasting would fit him. Connal, who had hired him, told him, "You have a quality we can't teach." Vitale did not understand this until many people wanted his autograph at the 1983 Final Four. He credits a lot of his success to working with [[Jim Simpson (sportscaster)|Jim Simpson]] at the beginning of his career.

In 1985, after the [[American Broadcasting Company]] acquired ESPN, Vitale also began doing broadcasts on the ABC network.

In 1999, Vitale was featured in a series of thirty-second promo shorts for "Hoops Malone".  The shorts, which aired in heavy rotation on ESPN, were presented as a sitcom featuring Vitale, [[George Gervin]] and others, including a puppet called "O'Hoolix".  ESPN promoted "Hoops" with banners and other marketing premiums, with the idea of generating buzz about the show, but no actual episodes were ever produced.  Though this led to an offer for Vitale to do an actual sitcom, he turned down the opportunity.

In December 2002, Vitale called a [[St. Vincent - St. Mary High School|St. Vincent – St. Mary's]]–[[Oak Hill Academy (Virginia)|Oak Hill Academy]] prep game, featuring then high school phenom [[LeBron James]]. He announced the game with [[Dan Shulman]] and NBA great [[Bill Walton]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://usatoday.com/sports/columnist/martzke/2002-12-04-martzke_x.htm | work=USA Today | title=Packer vexed at Vitale for doing prep star's game | date=December 4, 2002 | access-date=May 1, 2010}}</ref>

By the 2004–05 season, Vitale was doing approximately 40 games a year.<ref>{{cite web| title=TV/RADIO: Hoops boosts Vitale's vitality| url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031205/spo_18198829.shtml| access-date=2009-03-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706091318/http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031205/spo_18198829.shtml| archive-date=2015-07-06| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Vitale is signed with ESPN through the 2023–24 college basketball season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dick Vitale agrees to contract extension with ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13044327/dick-vitale-agrees-contract-extension-espn|website=ESPN.com|access-date=9 June 2015|date=2015-06-09}}</ref>

In February 2015, ESPN removed Vitale from covering [[Duke Blue Devils men's basketball|Duke]]-[[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|UNC]] basketball. He had covered every Duke-UNC game televised by ESPN since 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.diehardsport.com/college-basketball/espn-taken-dick-vitale-off-broadcast-unc-duke-game/|title=ESPN Has Taken Dick Vitale Off Broadcast Of UNC-Duke Game|date=February 16, 2015}}</ref>

Vitale is a voter on the [[Associated Press|AP]] Top 25 men's basketball polls, the annual [[Naismith College Player of the Year|Naismith Award]] and the [[John Wooden Award]].

Vitale called his first NBA game on television since the 1984 NBA playoffs, along with [[Dan Shulman]], on January 7, 2009, when the Miami Heat played the Denver Nuggets as ESPN swapped its NBA and NCAA crews. During ESPN's first incarnation covering the NBA, he regularly covered games.

In January 2022, Vitale announced that he would take the remainder of the season off to rest his voice before undergoing planned vocal surgery and would not commentate any more college basketball games that season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=2022-01-25 |title=ESPN's Dick Vitale To Take Remainder Of Basketball Season Off To Rest Up For Vocal Surgery |url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/dick-vitale-ends-season-vocal-surgery-espn-college-basketball-1234919069/ |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> He returned to broadcasting in November to provide coverage for the 2022 [[Champions Classic]] game between Kentucky and Michigan State.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Jackson |first=Wilton |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Dick Vitale Makes Broadcast Return In Kentucky—Michigan State Game |url=https://www.si.com/college/2022/11/16/dick-vitale-makes-broadcast-return-in-kentucky-michigan-state-game |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>

On May 5, 2025, ESPN announced they had signed Vitale to a two-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Audilet |first1=Matt |title=ESPN Makes Major Dick Vitale Announcement on Sunday |url=https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/espn-makes-major-dick-vitale-announcement-on-sunday |website=athlonsports.com |date=May 5, 2025 |publisher=The Arena Group |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref>

===Broadcasting partners===
As of 2009, Vitale had called close to a thousand games. Vitale, a [[color commentator]], is primarily paired with play-by-play announcers [[Mike Patrick]], primarily those in the [[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] games; and [[Dan Shulman]] for [[Saturday Primetime]] and other non-ACC games. During the postseason, he appears as an in-studio analyst with host [[Rece Davis]] and fellow analysts [[Jay Bilas]], [[Digger Phelps]], [[Hubert Davis]], and [[Bob Knight]]. Previously, he has been paired with [[Keith Jackson]], [[Roger Twibell]], and [[Brent Musburger]] for [[College Basketball on ABC|ABC]] as well as [[Jim Simpson (sportscaster)|Jim Simpson]], [[Tim Brando]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/03/19/you-said-a-mouthful-dick-baby/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121202230801/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1142535/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=December 2, 2012 |work=CNN |title=You Said A Mouthful, Dick, Baby |date=March 19, 1990 |access-date=May 1, 2010 }}</ref> [[Mike Tirico]], [[Dave O'Brien (sportscaster)|Dave O'Brien]], [[Sean McDonough]] and [[Brad Nessler]]. He worked in the studio with [[Bob Ley]], [[John Saunders (journalist)|John Saunders]], Tirico, and [[Chris Fowler]] as well as [[Jim Valvano]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/dickvitale/news/story?id=3566939 |title=Hall call is simply Awesome |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=2008-09-06 |access-date=2013-12-27}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
'''Basketball'''
*University of Detroit named their basketball court "Dick Vitale Court" in his honor (2011).

'''Broadcasting'''
*2019 [[Sports Emmy Award]] – [[Sports Lifetime Achievement Award|Lifetime Achievement]]<ref>[http://theemmys.tv/sports-40th-nominations 40th Sports emmy Award nominations – The Emmys.tv]</ref>

'''[[ESPY Awards]]'''
*2022 [[Jimmy V Award]]

'''[[Halls of Fame]]'''
*[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] inductee (class of 2008) 
*[[College Basketball Hall of Fame]] inductee (class of 2008)
*[[Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum|Little League Museum]] Hall of Excellence inductee (class of 2012)<ref>{{cite news |last=Lembo |first=John |title=Dick Vitale honored by Little League hall induction |url=http://www.bradenton.com/2012/08/04/4142748/dick-vitale-honored-by-little.html |newspaper=Bradenton Herald |date=August 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805052422/http://www.bradenton.com/2012/08/04/4142748/dick-vitale-honored-by-little.html |archive-date=2012-08-05 }}</ref>
*[[National Sports Media Association#Hall of Fame|NSMA Hall of Fame]] (class of 2013)
*[[New Jersey Hall of Fame]] inductee (class of 2016)
*[[Italian American Sports Hall of Fame]] (class of 2020)<ref>[http://naishf.org/inductees-dick-vitale Dick Vitale – National Italian-American Sports HOF]{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Appearances in other media==
===Video games===
Dick Vitale lent his name, voice and likeness to the 1994 [[Sega Genesis]] college basketball video game ''[[Dick Vitale's "Awesome, Baby!" College Hoops]]'', developed and sold by [[Time Warner Interactive]] and only released in the United States.<ref name="GamePro">{{cite magazine|author=Athletic Supporter|title=Dick Vitale's Almost-Awesome Hoops|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/61/GamePro_US_063.pdf|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=63|publisher=[[International Data Group]]|date=October 1994|page=112}}</ref> Later, Vitale and [[Brad Nessler]] provided the commentator voices for [[EA Sports]]' [[NCAA Basketball series|NCAA Basketball]] (formerly NCAA March Madness) video game series until its 2010 discontinuation.

===Books===
In 2004, Vitale released a descriptive autobiography co-written with Dick Weiss, entitled ''Living a Dream''. The book has several thoughts and comments on his days with the Pistons and ESPN, and memories of former NC State basketball Coach [[Jim Valvano]].

===Product endorsements===
Vitale has appeared in commercials for [[DiGiorno]] pizza, [[Oberto Sausage Company|Oberto]] beef jerky, the Airborne Athletics basketball training device Dr. Dish, [[GEICO]] and [[Hooters]] restaurants.
Appearing in early 1990s Taco Bell TV ads promoting the 7-layer burrito, Vitale exclaimed, "It's 'Sevendipity,' baby !!

===Films and television===
In 1988, Vitale had a cameo appearance as a baseball color commentator, sharing the crowded broadcast booth with [[Curt Gowdy]], [[Jim Palmer]], [[Dick Enberg]], [[Mel Allen]], [[Tim McCarver]] and [[Joyce Brothers]] in ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]''. He guest starred on ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' along with friend [[Jim Valvano]] as furniture movers in the eighth-season episode ''[[List of The Cosby Show episodes#Season 8: 1991–1992|The Getaway]]''. Other film appearances have generally been Vitale playing himself and commentating the fictional games occurring in those films.

====Film roles====
*''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' (1988) – Baseball Announcer #1
*''[[Blue Chips]]'' (1994) – Himself
*''[[Jury Duty (film)|Jury Duty]]'' (1995) – Hal Gibson
*''[[The Sixth Man]]'' (1997) – Himself
*''[[He Got Game]]'' (1998) – Himself
*''[[Love & Basketball]]'' (2000) – Himself
*''Complete Guide to Guys'' (2005) – Himself
*''[[Home of the Giants]]'' (2007) – Himself
*''[[Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil]]''  (2012) – Viking Mayor

==Personal life==
Vitale married Lorraine McGrath in 1971. The couple have two daughters, Terri and Sherri,<ref>{{cite web |title=To honor of Dick Vitale's 80th birthday, here's eight things to know about 'Dickie V' |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019/06/07/to-honor-of-dick-vitales-80th-birthday-heres-eight-things-to-know-about-dickie-v/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> and five grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dick Vitale |url=https://www.facebook.com/therealdickvitale/photos/my-5-grandchildren-pose-for-pic-after-dinner-atthe-utc-mall/1831389863550746/  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/163183527038063/1831389863550746 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|website=Facebook |access-date=18 February 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He has lived in [[Lakewood Ranch, Florida]], in the greater [[Tampa Bay area]] since the 1990s and has become a well-known fan of the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], [[Tampa Bay Lightning|Lightning]], and [[Tampa Bay Rays|Rays]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/rays/2020/10/20/world-series-dick-vitale-revels-tampa-bays-recent-sports-surge/3712173001/|title=Dick Vitale, Tampa Bay super fan, revels in city's current pro sports surge|first=Scott|last=Gleeson|website=USA TODAY}}</ref> He is a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=DickieV|first=Dick|last=Vitale|number=1467514210087227398|title=Chemotherapy was tough this weekend & but I have a streak of over 25 years of receiving in our Catholic Religion communion weekly .A tip u can call ur parish & they will serve your needs . Deacon Jack of our Lady of Angels LWR said Mass & gave us Communion. 🙏🙏🙏 mean so much .|access-date=8 December 2021}}</ref>

In August 2021, Vitale announced that he was undergoing treatment to remove [[melanoma]] that had been discovered by doctors. In October of the same year, Vitale also announced that his doctors had diagnosed him with [[lymphoma]] which he would seek treatment to combat.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brady|first=W. G.|date=2021-10-18|title=Legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale makes sad announcement|url=https://detroitsportsnation.com/?p=260025|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Detroit Sports Nation|language=en-us}}</ref> In December 2021, he was diagnosed with pre-cancerous [[dysplasia]] and [[Contact granuloma|ulcerous lesions]] on his vocal cords, and lost his voice for four months after undergoing surgeries.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Dana Hunsinger |last=Benbow |access-date=July 13, 2023 |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Dick Vitale, cancer-free, makes college basketball announcing comeback in Indy tonight |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2022/11/15/dick-vitale-is-in-indy-for-his-cancer-comeback-at-champions-classic/69635974007/ |work=Indy Star}}</ref> In August 2022, Vitale announced that his doctors had officially declared him "cancer free".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Williams |first=Madison |date=August 17, 2022 |title=ESPN Legend Dick Vitale Announces He Is Now 'Cancer Free' |url=https://www.si.com/media/2022/08/17/espn-legend-dick-vitale-announces-he-is-now-cancer-free |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> In July 2023, he announced that he had been diagnosed with [[laryngeal cancer]] and would undergo six weeks of [[radiation therapy]].<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=July 13, 2023 |date=July 13, 2023|title=ESPN's Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time |url=https://apnews.com/article/dick-vitale-cancer-vocal-cord-2023-70c3f646739d14e3d8c14c4c59bd7e25 |work=Associated Press}}</ref> In December 2023, Vitale once again announced that he was cancer free and held a clean bill of health.<ref name="p412">{{cite web | last=Morik | first=Ryan | title=Legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale says he is cancer-free: 'Santa Claus came early' | website=Fox News | date=2023-12-15 | url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/legendary-broadcaster-dick-vitale-cancer-free-santa-claus-came-early.amp | access-date=2025-01-25}}</ref> On June 28, 2024, Vitale announced he had been diagnosed with lymph node cancer and would undergo surgery.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kasabian |first1=Paul |title=Dick Vitale Announces Lymph Node Cancer Diagnosis After Testing; Will Undergo Surgery |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10126514-dick-vitale-announces-lymph-node-cancer-diagnosis-after-testing-will-undergo-surgery |work=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=June 28, 2024}}</ref> On December 13, Vitale announced he was again cancer free.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/dick-vitale-cancer-free-235cb208742d0a430f10cd3ae0d560da|title=Dick Vitale says he's cancer-free after 4th bout with the disease in just over 3 years|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=December 13, 2024|accessdate=December 15, 2024}}</ref>

==Publications==
Vitale has authored fourteen books, including:

* ''Dickie V's ABCs and 1-2-3s'', Ascend Books (October 2010)
* ''Living a Dream: Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat'', Champaign, IL Sports Publishing LLC (January 1, 2003)
* ''Dick Vitale's Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball: From the Best Seat in the House During My 30 Years at ESPN'', Ascend Books (October 6, 2008)
* ''Time Out Baby!'', Berkley (December 1, 1992)
* ''Vitale'', Simon and Schuster; 1st Edition (1988)
* ''Dickie V's Top 40 All-Everything Teams'', Masters Press (June 1994)
* ''Tourney Time: It's Awesome Baby!'', Masters Press (December 1993)
* ''Holding Court: Reflections on the Game I Love'', Masters Press (November 1995)
* ''Campus Chaos: Why the Game I Love Is Breaking My Heart'', Sideline Sports Publishing (December 1999)
* ''Getting a W in the Game of Life: Using My T.E.A.M. Model to Motivate, Elevate, and Be Great'' (Oct. 2012)
*''Dick Vitale's Mount Rushmores'' ''of College Basketball''; Nico 11 Publishing (2018)
* ''The Lost Season: A Look at What the Journey to the 2020 National Championship Could Have Been'' (June 2020)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dickvitaleonline.com/ Dick Vitale Online]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20021228024841/http://espn.go.com/dickvitale/vfile/ Vitale's "V-File" at ESPN.com]
* {{Basketballhof|dick-vitale|Dick Vitale}}

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