Jack Whitaker, longtime CBS Sports announcer, dead at 95

Whitaker was a Hall of Fame broadcaster and a World War II veteran

Legendary sportscaster Jack Whitaker died of natural causes on Sunday at his home in Pennsylvania. He was 95. 

Whitaker was a broadcasting legend and earned induction into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2012. He spent 22 years as a sports announcer for CBS Sports, beginning his run with the company in the late 1950s. He covered a variety of sports and events, from Super Bowl I to Secretariat's 1973 Triple Crown win. He later went on to work for ABC and assist in their coverage of both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

Whitaker, a Philadelphia native, was also a veteran of World War II. He was wounded in France seven weeks after the D-Day invasion.

CBS Sports lead announcer Jim Nantz issued a statement on Whitaker's death over the weekend.

"I grew up watching him deliver contemplative and contextual prose with his famous short essays, bringing class and dignity to his industry," Nantz said. "I spoke to him this week after hospice came to his home, and his mind was still brilliantly sharp right to the end."

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus also reflected on Whitaker's incredible life and career.

"His unique perspective on sports, ranging from horse racing to golf to NFL football, was extraordinary," McManus said.