PITTSBURGH (AP) — Stan Savran, who spent nearly five years in sports broadcasting and documented Pittsburgh’s rise as the “City of Champions,” has died. He is 76 years old.
WTAE-TV, where Savran was a sports anchor in the 1980s, announced Savran’s death on Monday. No official cause of death was given, but Safran, who lives in Upper St. Clair, on the city’s southern suburbs, has been open about his battle with lung cancer in recent years.
Affectionately known as the “Godfather” of Pittsburgh sports, the Cleveland native arrived in his second city in 1976 and hasn’t left since. He started his career on radio in Pittsburgh, then moved into television and even worked as an occasional newspaper columnist.
Savran is best known for his nightly “SportsBeat” show, which he co-hosts with Guy Junker on regional cable. The show, which aired from 1991 to 2009, asked fans of the city to watch its professional sports teams. Callers typically start their conversations with “Stan, Guy, love this show,” a phrase Savran lovingly carries with him after the show’s long break.
“You couldn’t ask for a better person, he’s been so helpful to people like me and so many others, he’s willing to take the time, he’s always kind enough to help young people get into our industry,” Long Said Bob Pompini, KDKA TV sports anchor.
Savran’s combination of a tireless work ethic and nearly exhaustive knowledge of the sport with an opinionated but straightforward delivery has made him one of the most trusted voices in a crowded media marketplace.
His versatility has seen him wear multiple hats, including serving as a pregame host for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates, as well as multiple iterations of the radio show of the same name.
“We love the show, but more importantly, Stan, we love you,” the Pittsburgh Pirates tweeted.
Savran has also served in several roles with the Pittsburgh Steelers, both on their broadcast network and as a contributor to the team’s honor committee.
“A gentleman in every way, he served our city and Western Pennsylvania with honest candor and knowledge of all sports locally and nationally,” Steelers president Atruni II said in a statement. The state has contributed a lot.”
Savran’s near-photographic memory allows him to work without a teleprompter, which is a rarity.
“He’s just an old school guy,” producer Roger Len Hart told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. “I was like, ‘How can he remember all of this without a ‘prompter?'”
That’s just Stan being Stan. Savran remains a regular at Steelers home games while still doing halftime and postgame shows for the Penguins in his 70s. His daily radio show continued until his health deteriorated earlier this year, though that didn’t stop him from being a guest on other shows, many of which were hosted by celebrities he coached earlier in his career.
“Not just a Pittsburgh media icon, but a Pittsburgh icon,” tweeted Pittsburgh sports radio host Mark Madden, who regularly had Safran on his roster as recently as this spring. programme. “A great friend, true peer and downright nice guy. It was an honor to know him (and) work with him. ‘Love this show’ will be long remembered. Stan did it right.”
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