Former Broadcaster Fleming Dead At 77

Jack Fleming, a one-time WTAE announcer and host of the game show "Bowling For Dollars," died at his Pittsburgh home Wednesday at the age of 77, according to West Virginia University sports information director Shelly Poe.

The Dominion Post newspaper in Morgantown, W.Va., reported that Fleming died from a stroke.

Fleming's colorful descriptions of Jerry West as a collegian during 42 years of broadcasting West Virginia University football and basketball earned him a reputation among his peers as one of the best play-by-play men ever.

Myron Cope Remembers Jack Fleming Remembering Jack Fleming Listen To The Famous Call

Fleming announced four Super Bowls, numerous college bowl games, the 1960 Rome Olympics, NCAA Final Fours and even some of West's high school games in a career that spanned more than 50 years.

Fleming got his start as play-by-play man for Mountaineers football and basketball from 1947 to 1959 -- the year a West Virginia squad led by West lost to California 71-70 in the NCAA basketball finals.

Yet except for his often-replayed call of Franco Harris's 1972 "Immaculate Reception," Fleming has never gained national notoriety.

Fleming's call of Franco Harris' miraculous TD catch in a 1972 Steelers-Raiders playoff game has been described by NFL Films as the most replayed in pro football history.

"Hold onto your hats, here come the Steelers out of the huddle," he said. "It's down to one big play, fourth down and 10 yards to go. Bradshaw's running out of the pocket, looking for somebody to throw to. ... He fires it downfield, and there's a collision! And it's caught out of the air! The ball is pulled in by Franco Harris! Harris is going for a touchdown for Pittsburgh!"

Fleming was a Steelers announcer for 28 years -- at that time the longest such tenure in the NFL.

Fleming was also known as the "Voice of the Mountaineers." He was a Morgantown native who graduated from Morgantown High School with actor Don Knotts.

Don Nehlen, who retired last week as West Virginia's football coach after 21 seasons, said that Fleming's voice was "absolutely made for radio. You recognized it immediately."

"I came here in 1980 and he was literally 'Mr. Mountaineer,'" Nehlen said from his home Wednesday night. "He was a great, great announcer for us in both football and basketball. Everybody in this state identified with Jack Fleming.

"He was just was something so special. He's really going to be missed. A lot of people identified West Virginia University athletics with Jack Fleming."

West Virginia basketball coach Gale Catlett learned of Fleming's death after the team's Big East opener against Georgetown on Wednesday night.

"He's been a guy that has meant a lot to West Virginia University athletics through the years and was a very important person of our generation," Catlett said.

"He was great fun to be around. He loved the gold and blue. He was so dedicated, such a great human being and such a great, high-quality announcer."

Fleming got his start as a play-by-play man for the West Virginia University football and basketball teams from 1947-59.

After WAJR regained the WVU broadcast rights in 1962, Fleming served again until 1969.

Fleming was also frequently called one of the best basketball play-by-play men ever by other announcers. He described West before his Lakers days and the Chicago Bulls before Michael Jordan. He was the Bulls' announcer in the early 1970s.

But even in Pittsburgh, Fleming achieved neither the celebrity status nor the popularity of the late Pirates announcer Bob Prince or even his own Steelers' partner, Myron Cope.

Cope said that is typical of the professional Fleming, who was content to let the limelight fall elsewhere.

A former free-lance sportswriter, Cope had virtually no broadcast experience when he was hired in 1970 to join Fleming, who had been the Steelers' radio announcer since 1957.

"I didn't have the first idea what that was all about," Cope, who is still the team's radio commentator, said Wednesday about his early years with Fleming.

"So here I am, joining up with Jack, the consummate pro. You had to feel sorry for him having me being foisted upon him," Cope said.

"Sometimes when we'd get to a commercial break, he'd storm out of the booth," Cope said, "trying to tolerate my mistakes."

Former Steelers publicist Joe Gordon once said that Fleming had "an amazing, God-given gift ... I truly believe he was put here to broadcast football and basketball.

"I believe most announcers are like athletes in that they can't go on forever and do it well. Jack is the exception. He's the George Blanda of the broadcast booth," Gordon said.

Fleming scoffed when told of Gordon's praise.

"I'm no legend, I don't believe all that stuff," he said.

Related Links:

• 4 Forum: Share Your Fleming Thoughts, Memories
• From West Virginia University: A 1999 look at Jack Fleming's career