The legendary sportscaster Stan Savran has passed away. On Monday, the Pittsburgh icon passed away at the age of 76. Born in Cleveland, Savran relocated to Pittsburgh in 1976. Savran worked for the Steelers and hosted pre- and post-game programs for the Pirates and Penguins.
The Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame inducted Savran in 2003. “Stan Savran was an institution. A genuine professional who is also a wonderful person. Stan was an excellent mentor and companion. I will mourn him very much. Rich Walsh of KDKA-TV tweeted, “Rest in peace, The Godfather of Pittsburgh sports.”
Savran was regarded as the dean of Pittsburgh sportscasters after over five decades on the air, both on television and radio. His gap-toothed smile gave him an everyman look, which was complimented by a blue-collar work ethic, yet he took as much care in his fashion style as he did in his encyclopedic sports knowledge.
“He was Google before there was Google,” said Guy Junker, a longtime friend and co-host. “I’m not sure if a photographic memory exists, but if it does, he had it.” He had a really expressive way of expressing himself. And all he had were a few notes on a yellow legal pad.”
Savran worked until this winter when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and lost his right leg due to diabetes. Savran died on Monday at his Upper St. Clair home. He was 76.
Savransky, who was born Stanley George Savransky on February 25, 1947, in Cleveland, took satisfaction in playing high school football and working as a bat boy for the Cleveland Indians before entering Miami (Ohio) University.
Despite his Cleveland origins, Savran took great pride in the fact that he convinced Pittsburgh listeners and viewers that he was one of their own and became one of the city’s sportscasting luminaries during its golden era.
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Junker stated, “We’ve had some incredibly talented sportscasters in Pittsburgh, including Bob Prince, Myron Cope, and Mike Lange, and Stan is certainly on the Mount Rushmore of that.” “He is the last of an extinct species. He fired bullets, but they were accurate. He avoided weak attacks. Things must always be accurate. It was traditional journalism with a pitching velocity.”
After being dismissed from WTAE in 1991, Savran joined the upstart KBL cable sports network, which launched the talk program “SportsBeat.” Partnering with Junker, they became known simply as “Stan and Guy,” and the first-time caller, longstanding listener greeting became a staple of the city’s sports vocabulary, with callers content to pose a question, hang up, and listen to their responses.
Regular “SportsBeat” guests included Beano Cook, Steelers Hall of Fame member Jack Ham, lineman Max Starks and cornerback Ike Taylor, broadcasters Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley, Penguins forward Max Talbot, and broadcaster Eddie Olcyzk.
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