Tom Mees

Thomas E. Mees (October 13, 1949 – August 14, 1996) was an American sportscaster best known for his role in hosting professional and collegiate ice hockey and for being a prominent personality on ESPN during that network's early years.[1][2]

For the cricketer, see Tom Mees (cricketer).
Tom Mees
Tom Mees on the SportsCenter set.
Born(1949-10-13)October 13, 1949
Springfield, Pennsylvania
DiedAugust 14, 1996(1996-08-14) (aged 46)
Southington, Connecticut
Cause of deathAccidental drowning
Resting placeChestnut Hill Cemetery
East Brunswick, New Jersey
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Delaware, 1972
OccupationSportscaster
Spouse(s)Michelle Mees
Children2 daughters

Early life and career

Mees began his career as a student at the University of Delaware in Newark. After graduation in 1972, he became the sports director at WILM-AM radio in Wilmington.[3] Mees returned to Delaware in 1992 when he announced the Blue Hens' America East Championship for ESPN from the field house.

After six years in Wilmington and one year at WECA-TV in Tallahassee, Florida, Mees was hired by ESPN as one of their first on-air personalities for the network's launch in 1979 on September 7.[2][3] In 2005, he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.

ESPN

Mees was a lead anchor on SportsCenter from 1979 to 1987 when he took on hosting duties for NHL games on ESPN. ESPN later lost the NHL contract to SportsChannel America, and he returned full-time to SportsCenter. When the NHL returned to ESPN in 1992-93, Mees worked NHL games during the season and hosted SportsCenter in the off-season. Mees was an early advocate of NCAA Ice Hockey on ESPN, and helped the growth of the Frozen Four (NCAA Hockey's championship tournament) into its national status today.

He was the play-by-play for the NHL games in the Western Conference on ESPN and ABC Sports. Darren Pang or John Davidson was his analyst.

Other sports Mees called for ESPN included college basketball, college football, and Major League Baseball. He also anchored the network's coverage of the United States Football League in the 1980s.

By the 15th anniversary of ESPN, Mees (along with Chris Berman and Bob Ley) was one of three original SportsCenter anchors still with the network.[4]

Death

On August 14, 1996, Mees, who did not know how to swim, drowned in a neighbor's swimming pool in Southington, Connecticut.[5] Police initially said that Mees had jumped into the pool to save his younger daughter but later said they did not know how he ended up in the water and classified his death as an accident.[6]

He and Michelle, his wife of almost 10 years, had two daughters: Lauren, who was 8 years old at the time of his death, and Gabrielle, who was 4.[7]

References
  1. Raissman, Bob (August 16, 1996). "Mees' fingerprints on ESPN from network's dubious start". Toledo blade. (Ohio). (New York Daily News). p. 32.
  2. Kern, Mike (December 3, 1988). "ESPN show set standard". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Knight-Ridder Newspapers. p. B3.
  3. "ESPN sportscaster Mees drowns in pool accident". Ludington Daily News. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 15, 1996. p. 12.
  4. "ESPN celebrates 15 years". Beaver County Times. (Pennsylvania). wire services. September 2, 1994. p. B2.
  5. "ESPN announcer dead after swimming accident". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. August 15, 1996. p. 3D – via Google News.
  6. "Sportscaster, 46, Downs In Pool In Front Of Kids". Pharos-Tribune. Logansport, Indiana. AP. August 15, 1996. p. B1. Retrieved June 26, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  7. "Drowning listed as cause of Mees' death". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. August 16, 1996. p. 4C – via Google News.
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