Detroiter has had bond with broadcaster Dick Vitale for 50 years

Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·8 min read
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Before there was ESPN, a future on-air personality who would one day play a major role in making the network “the worldwide leader in sports” arrived in Detroit.

The year was 1973 and the arrival from the East Coast was Dick Vitale, who had been hired to coach the men’s basketball team at the University of Detroit.

It would be several more years before Vitale became recognized by millions of ESPN viewers across the country, but a 17-year-old Detroiter was quickly becoming familiar with Vitale’s distinctive voice and mannerisms, as the coach found a second home of sorts roughly 3.5 miles from the University of Detroit campus at the famed St. Cecilia’s gym, 6340 Stearns, off Livernois.

Between building a successful men's basketball program at the University of Detroit and embarking on a broadcasting career that led to his enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Dick Vitale coached the Detroit Pistons. Three players--Terry Tyler, John Long and Dennis Boyd--that played for Vitale at the University of Detroit received playing time during the Pistons' 1978-79 season coached by Vitale.

“I’m thinking, 'Who is this funny-looking guy?' Because back then he (Vitale) had the big glasses and a comb over, with that North Jersey accent,” Sam Washington Jr. recalled as he described the first time he witnessed Vitale work his way up some stairs and through a crowd en route to the entrance of the St. Cecilia gym, where Washington Jr. waited with his father, the late Sam Washington Sr., whose concern for the safety of children led him to open the St. Cecilia gym to youth across Detroit in 1967. “Dick was very aggressive and energetic, as he is today. But he also had done his homework and someone told him to go to ‘The Saint’ and meet Sam Washington Sr. because Dick knew from (the) jump that he was going to need talent.”

As the now 67-year-old Washington Jr. spoke on Nov. 13, he was enthusiastically going back-and-forth mimicking how Vitale sounded at the St. Cecilia gym 50 years ago, and how Vitale has sounded on the ESPN airwaves while calling college basketball games since Dec. 5, 1979.

When Dick Vitale began coaching the men’s basketball team at the University of Detroit, he quickly found a new friend and supporter just down the street from campus in Sam Washington Sr., right, who launched the legendary basketball program at St. Cecilia’s gym.
When Dick Vitale began coaching the men’s basketball team at the University of Detroit, he quickly found a new friend and supporter just down the street from campus in Sam Washington Sr., right, who launched the legendary basketball program at St. Cecilia’s gym.

But later in the day, the mood of Washington Jr., who has maintained communication with Vitale since meeting him as a teen, was tempered after he read a story posted at 5:33 p.m. on ESPN.com which reported that the Hall of Fame sportscaster’s return to the broadcasting booth for his 45th season of college basketball with ESPN will be delayed until a yet-to-be-determined date while the 84-year-old Vitale continues to address his health needs. In a statement within the story, Vitale, who announced in July that he had been diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, is quoted as saying: “The cancer is gone, which is amazing news, yet the impact of the treatments has taken its toll on my voice and requires more healing.”

For Washington Jr., who says that his recent communication with Vitale has been carried out exclusively through text messages — about twice monthly since the time Vitale has dealt with serious health issues — the news that Vitale’s return to broadcasting will be delayed provides an opportunity. Washington can now try to match the enthusiasm and positivity of a man who will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of college basketball fans, especially in Detroit.

Sam Washington Jr. says he and his father were proud to welcome Dick Vitale to the fabled St. Cecilia's gym, when Vitale became the men's basketball coach at the University of Detroit in 1973. And 50 years later, the 67-year-old Washington is still proud to call Vitale a friend.
Sam Washington Jr. says he and his father were proud to welcome Dick Vitale to the fabled St. Cecilia's gym, when Vitale became the men's basketball coach at the University of Detroit in 1973. And 50 years later, the 67-year-old Washington is still proud to call Vitale a friend.

“I always had Dick’s contact information and no matter how big he has become, or how busy he may be, he was always the type of person that if you called him, that call would be returned within 24 hours,” said Washington Jr. He pointed out that Vitale also has been one of the longest supporters of the nonprofit Sam Washington Sr. Foundation, which the younger Washington established in 2014 to honor his father’s legacy through mentoring and other programming that enriches Detroit youth. “So, instead of a call, I have been sending Dick words of encouragement through texts. I send love and support from my family, and just let him know that he’s got this!”

With each message Washington Jr. sends Vitale, he says he will be reminded of days when the man who gave the world descriptive hoops lingo like “diaper dandy” (an outstanding freshman player) and “PTPer” (prime-time performer/player) used much simpler terminology during his early visits to St. Cecilia, which at the time Vitale coached, was already regarded as one of the nation’s top proving grounds for basketball players at all levels of the game.

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“Everyone in the gym used to call my dad ‘Wash,’ so Dick picked up on that as well and you could hear him at the gym saying: ‘Hey, Wash, what about this player?’ or ‘Hey, Wash, what about that player?’ explained Washington Jr., who says those queries helped to bring standout local basketball talent to the University of Detroit campus at Livernois and McNichols, including Terry Tyler, John Long, the late Terry Duerod, Wilbert McCormick and Earl “The Twirl” Cureton. “Dick and my dad hit it off from the beginning, and then my dad introduced Dick to another great coach who worked with him, (the late David) "Smokey" Gaines, so all of their talks helped to make big things happen when Dick coached U of D.”

University of Detroit basketball coach Dick Vitale yells energetically from the sidelines on February 18, 1977.
University of Detroit basketball coach Dick Vitale yells energetically from the sidelines on February 18, 1977.

The “big things” that Washington Jr. was referring to when Vitale coached the University of Detroit Titans included a 78-30 overall record; advancement to the Sweet 16 in the 1977 NCAA Tournament, which led to a much talked about showdown with the University of Michigan; and a vibrant, festive atmosphere at home games played at Calihan Hall.

And Washington Jr. says he plans to have his own form of celebration when Vitale calls his next game.

“At the first moment that I see Dick back on the air, I’m going to say, ‘God is good,’" Washington Jr. revealed.  “This is a man who has made his life through his voice and everyone recognizes that voice. And he has done so much good with that voice beyond basketball as a great motivational speaker and fundraiser for important causes like the V Foundation (for cancer research founded by the late, legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano). Just like Jim Valvano said: ‘Don’t give up! Don’t ever give up!’

"Dick is that way too, and I know he will never give up.”

Prime-time Detroit performers on the college and professional stages

Washington Jr. prides himself on being a witness to “the best of the best” basketball talent in Detroit through his deep connection to the fabled St. Cecilia basketball program launched by his father. Through the years, Washington Jr. also has enjoyed watching Detroit talent shine in nationally televised college basketball games, particularly games announced by the legendary Dick Vitale, who called the first major NCAA basketball game broadcasted by ESPN on Dec. 5, 1979.

Sam Washington Jr, left, stood with Dick Vitale on Dec. 5, 2011 when the court inside Calihan Hall on the University of Detroit Mercy campus was formally named after Vitale during a dedication ceremony. And today, Washington sends Vitale encouraging text messages, as he looks forward to the day when his friend since 1973 is healthy enough to return to broadcasting.

The following are some of Washington Jr.’s all-time favorite college basketball players from Detroit during Dick Vitale’s broadcasting career listed in alphabetical order.

  • B.J. Armstrong: The Brother Rice product was a skilled Big Ten point guard at Iowa before being selected in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft.

  • Derrick Coleman: The Detroit Northern All-American played often on national TV as a collegian, which included leading Syracuse to the national championship game in 1987.

  • Howard Eisley: “Steady” was a word often used to describe the Detroit Southwestern product who helped guide Boston College to a win versus No. 1 North Carolina in 1994.

  • Antonio Gates: Before becoming a stellar NFL tight end, the Detroit Central product led the Kent State basketball team to the “Elite 8” in the 2002 NCAA Tournament.

  • Willie Green: The Detroit Cooley product stayed home to play college ball at the University of Detroit Mercy, where he was a part of four winning seasons (1999-2003).

  • Anderson Hunt: The Detroit Southwestern product help lead the University of Nevada-Las Vegas to a national championship in 1990.

  • Voshon Lenard: Another Detroit Southwestern product (Class 0f 1991) who shined on the collegiate level, with Lenard making his mark at the University of Minnesota before starring in the NBA.

  • Jalen Rose: The Detroit Southwestern All American (Class of 1991) joined Chris Webber and three other celebrated recruits in college to form Michigan’s “Fab Five.”

  • Steve Smith: A standout for four seasons at Michigan State out of Detroit Pershing, the 1991 NBA Draft lottery pick’s impact is still felt today at MSU through the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center named after Smith’s mother.

  • Roy Tarpley: The smooth big man out of Detroit Cooley was a standout at Michigan, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors for the 1984-85 season.

  • Maurice Taylor: The big man from Detroit Henry Ford played well enough at Michigan to be the 14th overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.

  • Robert Traylor: The “Tractor” was “Mr. Basketball" at Detroit Murray-Wright, but he also shined when Michigan won the first Big Ten Tournament in 1998.

  • Chris Webber: His production for the University of Michigan’s celebrated “Fab Five” teams was good enough to make him the first overall selection in the 1993 NBA Draft.

  • Kevin Willis: The big man from Detroit Pershing improved at every level of basketball, which led to him being the 11th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft out of Michigan State.

  • Cassius Winston:  The highly touted guard out of U-D Jesuit lived up to his billing at Michigan State, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors for the 2018-19 season.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bond with Dick Vitale remains strong for Detroiter Sam Washington Jr.