Football
PITTSBURGH – Bill Hillgrove, the legendary “Voice of the Panthers,” will be presented with the prestigious Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award from the Knoxville Quarterback Club in Tennessee this Saturday, April 20.
The award is named for the iconic sportscaster whose pioneering career spanned five decades and included play-by-play tenures with the Tennessee Volunteers, Notre Dame football, the Cotton Bowl and Major League Baseball’s New York Mets and San Francisco Giants among many other national sporting events.
The award is annually presented to a person who “exemplifies Nelson’s passion for broadcasting.”
“Lindsey Nelson was always one of my heroes,” said Hillgrove, who once met his idol at a College Football Hall of Fame dinner in New York City.
This latest honor completes a hat trick of sorts for Hillgrove, who has also been bestowed the Chris Schenkel Award and Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award during his remarkable career.
For more than 50 years, Hillgrove’s voice has provided the soundtrack for Pitt fans.
Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, he is a graduate of Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School and Duquesne University. He also attended the U.S. Army Information School before serving as a disc jockey and staff announcer for various radio stations in his hometown during the 1960s and 70s.
His Pitt association began in 1969, when he was hired as the Panthers’ basketball’s play-by-play announcer. A year later, Pitt named Hillgrove color analyst for football, teaming him with the late Ed Conway.
Hillgrove took over the play-by-play seat for football in 1974 when Conway passed away.
The upcoming 2024-25 season will mark Hillgrove’s 55th broadcasting the Blue and Gold. He recently retired as play-by-play voice for the Pittsburgh Steelers following 30 seasons (1994-2023).
Hillgrove is an honorary University of Pittsburgh letterman. He also will be inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame with his late basketball broadcasting partner Dick Groat this September.
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