Bob Beattie, a longtime voice of ABC and ESPN’s winter sports coverage, has died. He was 85.
The coach who led the United States men’s skiing team to its first Olympic medals in the 1960s, Beattie later served as a commentator for ABC Sports’ coverage of alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics from 1974 to 1988. He also was a frequent contributor to ABC’s Wide World of Sports. He began hosting ESPN ski programs in 1985 and did play-by-play at the first Winter X Games in 1997.
Bob Beattie, the founder of the alpine World Cup and the @usskiteam, passed away this weekend at age 85.
He was an icon in the sport of alpine ski racing, an incredible coach and a legend. We'll miss you, Coach. pic.twitter.com/ydewi5r0Mk
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) April 2, 2018
FIS World Cup co-founder, U.S. Ski Team & Colorado head coach & ABC/ESPN broadcasting legend Bob Beattie has died at 85. "Beats" showed me the ropes in Kitzbuehel during my first time there with ESPN. Going to watch & listen to his call of Klammer's 1976 gold medal run right now. pic.twitter.com/MzMsVah65H
— Brian Pinelli (@Brian_Pinelli) April 2, 2018
Skiing racing lost a great man. Bob put the Disabled National Championships on ESPN. When one of the racers said, "Bob, put me on TV." Beattie responded, "Ski faster and I will." https://t.co/WzYzQwoAY3
— Chris Waddell (@ChrisWLivingIt) April 2, 2018
BREAKING: @usskiteam & @ABC
Sports/@espn broadcasting legend Bob Beattie has passed away. Beattie, 85, lived in Woody Creek & died Sunday at his son's home in western Colorado. https://t.co/i5Nz1jEPz8 via @SCondonATimes pic.twitter.com/pqjlOI2PUc— The Aspen Times (@TheAspenTimes) April 2, 2018
