Pat Sumerrall is flown to Fla. for a liver transplant.

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Here' s the story:

Posted on Fri, Apr. 02, 2004
Broadcaster Summerall awaits liver transplant
By Clarence E. Hill Jr.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Longtime pro football announcer Pat Summerall, once considered the voice of the NFL, was flown from a Dallas hospital to Florida on Thursday in preparation for a possible liver transplant surgery, a source said. Summerall, 73, had been hospitalized in the intensive-care unit at Methodist Medical Center since early this week, a hospital spokesman said.

A source close to the family said that Summerall had been on a waiting list for a donor liver. The transplant surgery, which became necessary after years of alcohol abuse, is expected to take place this weekend at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Before retiring from Fox last spring, Summerall had been a part of the NFL as a player or broadcaster for 51 years. He worked 21 memorable years alongside fellow broadcasting legend John Madden, the duo calling dozens of Cowboys games.

The pair, while at CBS and Fox, called eight Super Bowls -- more than any other network broadcast team. In total, Summerall has worked 15 Super Bowls on network television. Summerall worked Cowboys games for Fox with Brian Baldinger in 2002. After his retirement last spring, he did some work on the Cowboys' radio broadcasts and weekly TV broadcasts in 2003. Summerall resides in Southlake with his wife, Cheri.

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In better days:


Pat Summerall is a retired American Football play-by-play announcer for CBS and Fox. He was also a kicker for the New York Giants. For many years his broadcast partner was John Madden. The last game that they called together was Super Bowl XXXVI. After that game Summerall announced his retirement and Madden was signed by ABC for their Monday night broadcasts of the NFL. Summerall was lured out of retirement and resigned with Fox for the 2002 NFL season. Summerall would only call Dallas Cowboys home games, from his home in Southlake, Texas.

NFL Teams: Chicago Cardinals (1952-57), New York Giants (1958-61)

Important Notes: He was drafted in the fourth round by Detroit in 1952, but was traded to the Chicago Cardinals before ever playing for the Lions...he played in the 1958, 1959 and 1961 NFL Championship games, scoring five points in the legendary 1958 overtime game (a 23-17 loss to Baltimore) and ten points in the 1959 game, also a loss to Baltimore (31-16)...Considered by most critics and fans alike to be the premier play-by-play man for network coverage of the National Football League, has been broadcasting since 1961....In April 1994, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and in July 1994, he received the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award...in April of 1997, he earned yet another honor for his broadcasting skills when he was inducted into the NFL Alumni's prestigious Order of the Leather Helmet in recognition for his contributions to professional football...called his 1,000th NFL game as a broadcaster on October 27, 2002 in Dallas.

Important Stats: Summerall learned the ways of the NFL as a placekicker and tight end with the Chicago Cardinals and the New York Giants, scoring 567 career points on 101 field goals, 258 extra points and one touchdown.

Arkansas Notes: Lettered in 1949, '50 & '51...elected to the U of A Letterman's Association Hall of Honor in 1993...on the Arkansas All-Century Team and All-Decade Team of the 50's.