Jim Donovan, the beloved radio play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Browns and a TV sports activities fixture for greater than 4 many years, died Saturday. He was 68.
Donovan retired from his broadcast profession earlier this yr and stepped away from his game-day duties with the group earlier than this season whereas battling most cancers. Donovan introduced his retirement from WKYC on Could 30 and labored his ultimate broadcast as a sports activities anchor on June 10. He had referred to as Cleveland’s video games because the group’s growth rebirth in 1999.
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“This is an incredibly difficult day for us and the entire Cleveland Browns organization,” Browns house owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam mentioned in an announcement. “His impression because the Voice of the Browns for 25 years is immeasurable as he touched the lives of our followers every Sunday together with his love for the Browns and his brilliance at his craft.
“He will be greatly missed, but he cemented a legacy that will live on forever. The only thing that outweighed his love for this city and this team was the love he had for his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Cheryl, his daughter, Meghan, and everyone who was fortunate enough to call Jimmy family or friend.”
A Boston native identified to everybody as “Jimmy,” Donovan endeared himself to Cleveland followers together with his ardour, humorousness and professionalism. He was a stickler for element, spending numerous hours getting ready for recreation broadcasts.
Donovan had lately been inducted into the Browns’ Legends Membership and the Better Cleveland Sports activities Corridor of Fame. He had been too unwell to attend the occasions.
When he was compelled to step down in August, Donovan wrote a letter to Browns followers expressing his gratitude for his or her assist.
“I have called Browns games for 25 years. Not a day has gone by when I haven’t paused and been so proud to be ‘The Voice of the Browns,’” he wrote. “Cheryl, Meghan and I thank you for all the love, support and prayers during my rough patches. It’s like having a huge family around us. And that’s what makes the Cleveland Browns so special. You do.”
Donovan needed to step away as sports activities director at WKYC-TV final fall for a number of months to bear therapy for leukemia. He returned to the printed sales space in time to name the group’s late-season run to the playoffs.
Donovan was first recognized with persistent lymphocytic leukemia, a pressure of the illness that begins in white blood cells and impacts bone marrow, in 2000. He underwent a bone marrow surgical procedure in 2011.
A graduate of Boston College, Donovan received to Cleveland in 1985. Together with doing native reporting of the town’s three skilled sports activities franchises, Donovan additionally had a number of nationwide community assignments and was a part of NBC’s protection group on the 1992 and 1996 Summer season Olympics.
