Legendary ESPN announcer Dick Vitale coming to Salina

Ohh, Ohh, Ohh. Are you serious? 

Dick Vitale - commonly referred to as Dickie V. - is coming to Salina on February 6 to appear as the Keynote Speaker at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet. 

Vitale is known for his emphatic, colorful way of describing the game of basketball. His phrases include "That's Awesome Baby, with a Capital A", "Diaper Dandy", "P.T.Per”, and many more. Most college basketball fans can recognize him by the sound of his voice. 

Vitale has been one of ESPN’s top basketball analysts since joining the company during the 1979-1980 basketball season. Before that, Vitale had coaching experience at the high school, NCAA Division I, and NBA levels. 

In 2008, Vitale was voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is a member of 17 halls of fame. 

Basketball is not the only thing Vitale is known for. He has helped raise over $130 million dollars for cancer research through the V Foundation, where he serves on the Board of Directors. Vitale has also helped raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Boys & Girls Club of America, and is a 2001 inductee to their Hall of Fame.

Vitale, a New Jersey native and Seton Hall graduate, will be the featured speaker at the banquet, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the arena of the Tony’s Pizza Events Center, previously known as the Bicentennial Center. A membership networking reception will take place from 5 to 6:15 p.m. in Heritage Hall of the Events Center.

According to the Chamber’s press release, the evening will consist of remarks by outgoing Board Chair Joyce Volk and incoming Chairman James Lambert, a brief review of the Chamber’s accomplishments in 2019, and the address by Vitale.

For tickets, contact Sandy Cole at scole@salinakansas.org or 785-827-9310, ext. 123. The complete press release can be found here.

Check out this compilation of some of Vitale's top calls: