Legendary sports broadcaster, Fred Hickman, one of the pioneers of CNN sports has kicked the bucket, according to recent reports.
His distraught wife confirmed the news of his death with the CNN network, as he had been battling liver cancer for a while.
Hickman was one of the first anchors on CNN. On June 1, 1980, the network’s first day on the air, he and Nick Charles were the first hosts of “Sports Tonight,” the 11 pm ET sports news.
He helped to build healthy competition in the sports media space, as Sports Tonight competed with ESPN SportsCenter.
After the news was announced, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough tweeted:
“Hard to explain the magic of Fred Hickman and Nick Charles on CNN’s Sports Tonight in the 1980s. Two incredible broadcasters with beautiful chemistry. The program’s pacing was pitch perfect. Revolutionary.”
The wife of Nick Charles, a Co-anchor of Sports Tonight wrote:
“Fred truly succeeded at everything he did and was adored by his colleagues in front of the camera and behind the scenes.” Charles died in 2011.
“Fred and my late husband were known as Nick & Hick. I have so many memories over the past 30 years of him, not only as Nick’s partner, but as a dear friend and brother.”
“The two of them were not only incredible on the air but so hysterical off camera together.”
Hickman was the first anchor of New York’s regional YES Network in 2002 and stayed with CNN Sports for almost 21 years before moving to ESPN.
YES Broadcaster, Michael Kay also had something good to say about Fred.
“Fred was a joy to work with and a joyful person. A total pro that you felt comfortable knowing would lead you the right way on the air. He was the first voice ever heard on YES and his professionalism put us all on the right track.”