ESPN names Dick Vitale recipient of 2022 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance
Dick Vitale battled and eventually defeated cancer over the past year. The iconic ESPN figure rung the bell last month, completing his chemotherapy after a long battle that began in October. Now, ESPN has announced that Vitale will be honored with the 2022 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the upcoming ESPYs in July.
“When I received the call from Jimmy Pitaro about receiving this award, I was absolutely blown away,” Vitale said, via ESPN. “I remember that day almost 30 years ago, when I stood on stage at the first ESPYS, introduced Jimmy V and witnessed him give that incredible speech we all remember. I reflected on his speech many times during my seven month battle – ‘don’t give up, don’t ever give up Dickie V’ – and I remembered my mother and father, who taught me never to believe in ‘can’t’. Jimmy V was special and his legacy lives on. I am so grateful to receive this tremendous award in his honor.”
In Pitaro’s eyes, Vitale is a perfect person to be honored with this year’s award in honor of Jimmy V.
“Dick is one of a kind,” said Pitaro. “He has embodied the spirit of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance his entire career, and his fight against cancer has been no different. He has taken his struggle as an opportunity to help others, to help people to understand the challenges and to remove the stigmas and false assumptions. It’s fitting that we will present this award to him almost 30 years after he stood by Jimmy V’s side on the ESPYS stage, and it is an honor to add Dick to the distinguished list of winners of this award.”
Vitale joined ESPN more than 40 years ago
When ESPN kicked off its college basketball coverage back in 1979, Vitale was on the call. He has been with the network ever since, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in all of sports.
Vitale had to step away from calling games around January due to damage to his vocal cords. He rested up to get back to full strength, and he was later honored at the SEC basketball tournament. Prior to Selection Sunday, Vitale’s scans came back clear with no cancer, and he then finished up his chemo and is now in remission.
Even though Vitale wasn’t calling games as he usually does throughout this season, the college basketball world rallied around him. And when he went into remission, he made sure to send a special message to Jimmy V, who he will now be honored after at the ESPYs.