East Carolina University is mourning the death of Jeff Charles, one of the most well-known figures in the athletic program. Charles was the longtime play-by-play announcer for the Pirates football and basketball teams.
In a release on the school’s athletic website on Friday night, ECU announced that “Jeff Charles, East Carolina’s long time ‘Voice of the Pirates’ passed away unexpectedly Friday in New Orleans while accompanying the men’s basketball team.”
“Charles, who has been the Pirates broadcaster for 30-plus years, called some of ECU’s most memorable games on the gridiron and hardwood, including 15 bowls and over 1,000 basketball contests,” the annoncement added. “He began his radio career at East Carolina in 1988 after previously serving in the same capacity at Virginia Tech, Illinois, and Furman. Charles earned North Carolina Sportscaster-of-the-Year honors from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 2000 and 2014, and most recently, was recognized as an honorary alumnus by ECU in the fall of 2015.”
Saturday’s mens basketball game between Tulane and East Carolina will not be played as scheduled.
“The American Athletic Conference and Tulane University extends its condolences to the Charles family and to the East Carolina and Greenville communities,” the statement on Tulane’s Athletic Website said. “Rescheduling information for the game is yet to be determined.”
Charles was 70.
[ECUPirates.com, TulaneGreenWave.com Photo Credit: ECU Athletics on YouTube]
