Stuart Scott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stuart Scott
|
|
|---|---|
Scott in 2010
|
|
| Born |
Stuart Orlando Scott
July 19, 1965 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
| Died | January 4, 2015 (aged 49) Avon, Connecticut, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Raleigh Memorial Park, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1987–2014 |
| Spouse(s) |
Kimberly Scott
(m. 1993–2007) |
| Children | 2 |
Stuart Orlando Scott (born July 19, 1965 – died January 4, 2015) was a famous American sportscaster and TV host for ESPN. He was best known for hosting SportsCenter. Stuart Scott was loved for his unique hip-hop style and his memorable sayings, called catchphrases. He also covered National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Football League (NFL) games.
Stuart Scott was born in Chicago, Illinois, and later moved to North Carolina. He went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He started his career at local TV stations before joining ESPN in 1993. His way of mixing hip-hop culture with sports reporting was new and exciting for television. By 2008, he was a key part of ESPN's shows and also became the main host for NBA coverage on ABC.
In 2007, Stuart Scott had surgery for his appendix and found out he had cancer. After getting better, the cancer returned in 2011 and again in 2013. In 2014, he received the Jimmy V Award at the ESPY Awards for his brave fight against cancer. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 49.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Stuart Orlando Scott was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 19, 1965. His parents were O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott. When he was seven, his family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Stuart had a brother, Stephen, and two sisters, Susan and Synthia.
He went to Mount Tabor High School for two years and then finished high school at Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, graduating in 1983. In high school, he was a football team captain and ran track. He was also involved in student leadership. Stuart Scott was added to the Richard J. Reynolds High School Hall of Fame in 2015.
Stuart Scott attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was part of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and worked at the college radio station, WXYC. He also played wide receiver and defensive back on the football team. In 1987, he earned a degree in speech communication. In 2001, Stuart Scott gave the graduation speech at UNC.
Starting His Career
After college, Stuart Scott worked as a news reporter and sports anchor at WPDE-TV in Florence, South Carolina, from 1987 to 1988. This is where he first used his famous phrase, "as cool as the other side of the pillow."
Next, he worked at WRAL-TV 5 in Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1988 to 1990. His colleagues remembered him as creative and full of energy. Even after he left, he stayed in touch with his former co-workers.
From 1990 to 1993, Stuart Scott was a sports reporter and anchor at WESH in Orlando, Florida. While there, he met Gus Ramsey, who later became an ESPN producer. Ramsey knew right away that Scott would become a big star.
Working at ESPN
Al Jaffe, an ESPN executive, hired Stuart Scott for ESPN2. They wanted sportscasters who could connect with younger viewers. Scott became one of the few African-American personalities at ESPN who wasn't a former professional athlete.
He started on SportsSmash, a short sports news show. Later, he became a regular host on SportsCenter. On SportsCenter, Scott often worked with other popular anchors like Steve Levy, Kenny Mayne, Dan Patrick, and especially Rich Eisen. He also appeared in the funny This is SportsCenter commercials.
In 2002, Stuart Scott became the studio host for the NBA on ESPN. By 2008, he was the main host for NBA coverage on both ESPN and ABC, including the NBA Finals. He covered the NBA Finals from 1997 to 2014. He even interviewed Michael Jordan one-on-one in 1997 and 1998.
When Monday Night Football moved to ESPN in 2006, Scott hosted the on-site shows, like Monday Night Countdown. He also worked on NFL Primetime and Sunday NFL Countdown. Besides football and basketball, he covered the MLB playoffs and the NCAA Final Four in 1995.
Stuart Scott wrote a column called Holla for ESPN the Magazine. He interviewed many famous people, including Tiger Woods, Sammy Sosa, President Bill Clinton, and President Barack Obama. He even played a one-on-one basketball game with President Obama! In 2004, he hosted SportsCenter: Salute the Troops from Kuwait for U.S. troops. He also hosted game shows like Stump the Schwab and Dream Job.
Stuart Scott's Unique Style
Stuart Scott was special because he brought hip-hop culture and sports together on TV in a new way. He talked like regular fans would at home. ESPN's Vince Doria said that Stuart spoke a "different language" that appealed to young people, especially young African-Americans. Michael Wilbon noted that Scott let his true personality and emotions show in his reporting.
Scott also used references from popular culture in his broadcasts. He might sound like a preacher or quote rappers like Public Enemy's Chuck D. In 1999, he was even parodied on Saturday Night Live. Rappers like Lil Wayne mentioned him in their songs. Scott once said that his writing was better when kept simple, and he wasn't afraid to use words like "ain't" on air because that's how he sometimes talked.
Because of his unique style, Stuart Scott and ESPN sometimes received negative feedback. Some people didn't like his hip-hop style or his generation. In a 2003 survey, he was both voted off and voted to keep on SportsCenter. Despite some criticism, Scott never changed his style, and ESPN supported him.
Famous Catchphrases
Stuart Scott became very well known for his memorable sayings, or catchphrases. This was a tradition started by other SportsCenter anchors like Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann. He made the phrase booyah very popular, and it spread from sports into everyday language.
His Legacy
John Skipper, the president of ESPN, said that Stuart Scott's unique style "changed everything" about how sports were covered. Fellow ESPN anchor Stan Verrett called him a trailblazer. He said Scott was a role model because he was proud to be a Black man and his style allowed others to be themselves too. Stuart Scott became an inspiration for many African-American sports journalists.
Personal Life and Health
Stuart Scott was married to Kimberly Scott from 1993 to 2007. They had two daughters, Taelor and Sydni. Stuart lived in Avon, Connecticut. At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with Kristin Spodobalski. During his Jimmy V Award speech, he told his daughters, "Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat." His daughter, Sydni Scott, was named a Rhodes Scholar in 2022.
Eye Injury
On April 3, 2002, Stuart Scott was hit in the face by a football during a New York Jets mini-camp while filming for ESPN. This injury damaged his cornea. He had surgery, but afterward, he had ptosis, which caused his eyelid to droop.
His Fight with Cancer
In 2007, Stuart Scott had a stomach ache while traveling for Monday Night Football. He went to the hospital and had his appendix removed. Doctors discovered that his appendix had cancer. Two days later, he had another surgery to remove part of his colon and some lymph nodes. Doctors suggested preventive chemotherapy. Even while undergoing chemotherapy, Scott continued to host ESPN's NBA coverage. He also worked out during his treatment.
Scott said that one of the "coolest things" about having cancer was meeting other people who were fighting it, creating a special bond. When he returned to work, people knew about his cancer, but he just wanted to talk about sports, not his illness.
The cancer returned in 2011, but he went into remission again. He was diagnosed with cancer a third time on January 14, 2013. After chemotherapy, Scott would do mixed martial arts or a P90X workout. By 2014, he had received 58 chemotherapy treatments and switched to chemotherapy pills. He also had radiation and multiple surgeries. Stuart Scott never wanted to know what stage of cancer he was in.
The Jimmy V Award
On July 16, 2014, Stuart Scott was honored with the Jimmy V Award at the ESPY Awards. This was his last public appearance before he passed away. He shared that he had undergone four surgeries in the week before the event due to liver and kidney problems.
Scott told the audience, "When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live." During the ceremony, a video showed scenes of Scott from Johns Hopkins Hospital and other moments from his life fighting cancer. Scott ended his speech by hugging his daughter on stage and telling everyone to "have a great rest of your night, have a great rest of your life."
His Passing and Tributes
On January 4, 2015, Stuart Scott passed away from appendiceal cancer at his home in Avon, Connecticut. He was 49 years old.
Honoring Stuart Scott
ESPN announced his death, calling him "a dedicated family man and one of ESPN's signature SportsCenter anchors." They released a video obituary, which Sports Illustrated called a "beautiful and moving tribute."
Barack Obama also honored Scott, saying:
Many National Basketball Association athletes, both current and former, paid tribute to Stuart Scott. These included Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan. Golfers like Tiger Woods and other athletes such as Robert Griffin III and David Ortiz also shared their respects. UNC basketball coach Roy Williams called him a "hero."
ESPN colleagues like Hannah Storm, Rich Eisen, Scott Van Pelt, and Steve Levy gave emotional on-air tributes. They even left an empty chair on SportsCenter in his honor. Other sports commentators from Sunday NFL Countdown also shared their memories.
Ernie Johnson Jr., a host for TNT and TBS, won a Sports Emmy Award in 2015. He gave his award to Stuart Scott's daughters, saying it "belongs with Stuart Scott." Stuart Scott was also included in the "in memoriam" segments at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards and the 2015 ESPY Awards, which is a rare honor for a sports broadcaster.
Other sports networks, like Fox Sports and TSN in Canada, also paid tribute to Stuart Scott.
Funeral Service
Stuart Scott was buried in Raleigh Memorial Park on January 10, 2015. A private funeral service was held at Providence Baptist Church, and a public visitation took place the evening before.
Film and TV Appearances
Stuart Scott also appeared in several movies and TV shows, often playing himself or a sportscaster.
Film
- He Got Game (1998)
- Disney's The Kid (2000)
- Drumline (2002)
- Love Don't Cost A Thing (2003)
- Mr. 3000 (2004)
- Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
- The Game Plan (2007)
- Enchanted (2007)
- Just Wright (2010)
Television
- The Chris Rock Show (1997)
- Arli$$ (2000)
- I Love the '80s (2002)
- Soul Food (2003)
- She Spies (2005)
- I Love the '70s (2003)
- One on One (2004)
- Stump the Schwab (2004–06)
- Dream Job (2004)
- Teammates (2005)
- I Love the '90s (2004)
- I Love the Holidays (2005)
- I Love Toys (2006)
- Black to the Future (2009)
Images for kids
-
Scott at ESPN The Weekend, 2008
See also
In Spanish: Stuart Orlando Scott para niños
