Fred Hickman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred Hickman
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Hickman in 2010
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| Born | October 17, 1956 Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | November 9, 2022 (aged 66) |
| Years active | 1977–2022 |
| Employer | Nexstar Broadcasting |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) | Sheila Bowers Hickman, Denise Hickman Judith Tillman |
| Awards | New York Sports Emmy Award Winner (2004) |
Fred Hickman (born October 17, 1956 – died November 9, 2022) was a famous American sports reporter. He worked for big TV channels like CNN, TBS, YES Network, and ESPN. He also helped start the show Sports Tonight on CNN in 1980.
Fred Hickman won several awards for his work. These included CableACE awards and a New York Sports Emmy Award. He passed away in Florida when he was 66 years old.
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Early Life & School
Fred Hickman was born on October 17, 1956. His hometown was Springfield, Illinois. He went to Springfield Southeast High School and finished in 1974.
After high school, he studied at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a degree in sociology there in 1978. While in college, he also worked at a local radio station called KCOE-FM.
His Career in Broadcasting
Fred Hickman started his professional radio career in 1977. He was a news anchor at KLWW-AM in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After college, he moved back to Springfield. There, he worked at WFMB-AM, playing country music.
In February 1978, when he was 21, Fred became a sports anchor and director. This was for the TV station WICS-TV in Springfield. He worked there until May 1980.
Working at CNN & TBS
In 1980, Fred Hickman joined Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). This company owned CNN. He worked in Atlanta, Georgia, with another sportscaster named Nick Charles. They were part of a small sports team for CNN.
On June 1, 1980, Fred and Nick started hosting CNN Sports Tonight. This was a nightly show that shared sports scores and highlights. They also picked a "Play of the Day." This show was a competitor to ESPN's SportsCenter, which Fred later joined.
In 1984, Fred briefly left CNN. He became a sports anchor for WDIV in Detroit, Michigan. He covered Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers and boxing. He worked there from June 1984 to May 1985.
In November 1986, he returned to TBS. He co-anchored with Nick Charles for CNN/Sports Illustrated. He stayed with CNN until September 2001. During this time, he hosted shows for the NBA and NFL. He also commented on the Atlanta Hawks.
Fred also co-hosted the Winter Olympic Games in France (1992) and Norway (1994). He also covered the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 1999, Fred Hickman reported on the New Year's Eve celebrations in New York. This was part of CNN's coverage of the new millennium. He also narrated specials for National Geographic, including the recovery of the Titanic.
In 2000, Fred Hickman caused a bit of a stir. He voted for Allen Iverson for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Most other voters chose Shaquille O'Neal. This meant O'Neal did not become the first player to win the award with every single vote.
Joining YES Network
In October 2001, Fred Hickman left Atlanta. He moved to New York City to join the YES Network when it started in 2002. He was the first anchor for the network.
He hosted the pre-game and post-game shows for New York Yankees games. He also hosted shows for the New Jersey Nets and a weekly show called Yankees Magazine. He worked at YES Network until November 2004.
His Time at ESPN
In late 2004, Fred Hickman joined ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. At ESPN, he hosted many of their main shows. These included SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPN Classic, NBA Shoot Around, and NBA Coast to Coast.
He also filled in as a host on ESPN radio. For a short time, he hosted ESPNEWS. Fred Hickman left ESPN in May 2008.
Later Career
After ESPN, Fred Hickman worked for Fox Sports South. He hosted the Braves Live pre- and post-game show for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. This show was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He also hosted an interview show called In My Own Words.
In 2011, Fred Hickman became the new sports director for WVUE. This is a Fox TV station in New Orleans. Later, in 2015, he joined WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He worked there as a news anchor until 2018.
In August 2018, Fred Hickman moved to WDVM-TV in Hagerstown, Maryland. He worked there as a news anchor and producer.
His Passing
Fred Hickman passed away on November 9, 2022. He was 66 years old. He died from liver cancer at a hospital in Kissimmee, Florida.
Awards & Recognition
Fred Hickman was nominated for CableACE awards many times. These awards recognize excellence in cable television. He won the award for best sports host in 1989 and 1993.
He also won a New York Sports Emmy Award in 2004. In 2007, he was added to the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame.
