Van Patrick

Van Patrick

Sportscaster
Detroit Lions (1950 – 1974)
Detroit Tigers (1949, 1952 – 1959)
Sports Director - WJR (1949 - 1953)

Van Patrick was born in Arkansas and attended Norphlet High School near Camden, Arkansas where he was a star athlete. He went on to attend Texas Christian University (TCU) where he played football, baseball and basketball. After graduation, he broadcast baseball games in various minor leagues. In 1948 he broadcast the Cleveland Indians baseball games along with the World Series. In 1949 he broadcast the Detroit Tigers and was the sports director of radio station WJR from 1949 to 1953 he would also go on to be the voice of the Detroit Lions from 1950 until his death in 1974. He was also the voice of Notre Dame Football and was the radio play-by-play broadcaster for Monday Night Football games from 1970 to 1974 for the Mutual Broadcasting System. Van Patrick was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. He passed away on September 29, 1974 at 58 years of age.