Legendary broadcaster Dick Enberg retired last fall, not that too many people really noticed. The baseball world was too busy celebrating Vin Scully to properly say goodbye to Enberg, and college sports fans have been distracted by bidding farewell to Verne Lundquist and Brent Musberger.
But during Thursday’s game between UCLA and Oregon, the crowd at Pauley Pavilion got a chance to recognize Enberg’s brilliant career in a halftime ceremony that featured former Bruins superstar and current ESPN analyst Bill Walton, as well as ex-Bruin Jamaal Wilkes. Enberg got a framed jersey with his name on it and a rousing ovation from the fans, who wore shirts with his “Oh My” catchphrase printed on them.
There was certainly something poetic about Enberg being honored at UCLA at the end of his career. More than 50 years ago, the Michigan native got one of his first big breaks when he was hired to call Bruins games for KTLA in Los Angeles. He spent a decade as the voice of UCLA basketball, narrating the dominant John Wooden-coached Bruins teams of Walton and Lew Alcindor.
Enberg was then hired at NBC and later made his way to CBS and ESPN, before winding down his career as the voice of the San Diego Padres back in Southern California. Along the way, he called Super Bowls, Final Fours, World Series and Wimbledons.
After Thursday’s Oregon-UCLA game was over, Walton bragged that Enberg had signed his “Oh My” shirt.
Bill Walton and the students supporting Chippewa Alum, Dick Enberg tonight!!! #FireUp pic.twitter.com/SX4ZCZJMkB
— Adam Jaksa (@AdamJaksa) February 10, 2017
Pretty cool.
