ESPN host John Saunders dies at 61: ‘He was an extraordinary talent’

ESPN sportscaster John Saunders, who has hosted Sports Reporters for the last 15 years, has died, the network announced. He was 61.

ESPN sportscaster John Saunders, who hosted Sports Reportersfor the last 15 years, has died, the network announced. He was 61.

Saunders joined ESPN in 1986. He did play-by-play on various sports, hosted Stanley Cup and World Series coverage and hosted studio shows for baseball, college football and college basketball.

John was an extraordinary talent and his friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades, said John Skipper, president of ESPN, in a statement. His wide range of accomplishments across numerous sports and championship events is among the most impressive this industry has ever seen. More importantly, John was a beloved and devoted family man who cared deeply about people and causes, as evidenced by his long-standing efforts as a passionate board member for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

He was one of the most significant and influential members of the ESPN family, as a colleague and mentor, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this extremely difficult time.

A cause of death has not been announced.

Saunders was also a founding member of the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a charity started by the network after former college basketball coach and ESPN announcer Jim Valvano died of cancer in 1993.

Saunders was born in Ontario, Canada, and played hockey at Western Michigan University from 1974-76.

He lived in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, with his wife, Wanda. They had two daughters.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/10/john-saunders-dies-espn-sports-reporters