Richard Michael "Dick" Danehe

1920 - 2018

September 10, 1920 - June 20, 2018
'Dick' Danehe, an American sportscaster, best known as the host of All-Star Golf, passed away at the wonderful age of 97. Dick was a tremendous athlete, who enjoyed successful careers in both print advertising and sportscasting. At his death, he was the oldest-living former USC radio broadcaster, one of the oldest-living USC football lettermen, the 4th oldest-living NFL player and a WWII veteran.
Dick was born at home in Memphis, Tennessee. During the Depression, he literally walked barefoot for miles to the one-room schoolhouse of small, rural towns in Arkansas and Missouri, where his family lived. For milk to drink, young Danehe trapped and sold wild rabbits to neighborhood farmers. He eventually graduated from Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, before moving west in 1939, when he was recruited to play football for coach Howard Jones, on a full-ride scholarship, at the University of Southern California.
Dick started on the USC freshman team at 6'2"", 218 pounds and immediately became ""the largest linebacker in the Pacific Coast Conference.""[1] In 2007, Dick said, ""It's a lofty privilege, being a Trojan football player, and one that never goes away...I made the ball club and played first string and that's all you can ask.""[2] He was most thankful to have been plucked out of an obscure midwestern high school to play football for USC – an event that would soon change the course of his life.
From 1942-46, Dick served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, in charge of rehabilitating wounded combat soldiers. He also recruited, coached and played for the Army football team and played on the same baseball team as Joe DiMaggio. On December 1, 1944, he married his sweetheart, Nayda Lawrence. During their 64 years of marriage and many moves around the country, the Danehe's lived in Southern California, Chicago, Atlanta and Connecticut.
After the war, Dick went on to play professional football. ""Danehe played...with the Los Angeles Bulldogs (1946) of the Pacific Coast Professional Football League and then the Los Angeles Dons (1947-48) and the Chicago Rockets (1949) in the All-American Football Conference.""[3] He hung up his cleats for good in 1950, when the AAFC merged with the National Football League and Danehe was declared a free agent.
At that time, Dick turned down an offer from the Leo Burnett Ad Agency to become the 'Marlboro Man', as he chose not to promote cigarette smoking. He then became a teacher in the public schools for a couple of years. He soon realized teaching was also not suitable for him and so decided to explore the advertising world, which turned out to be the perfect fit. One of the original ""Mad Men""[1], Dick's successful print advertising career spanned some forty-five years representing such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Golf, Ski, Tennis, Senior Golfer and McCall's magazines, Southern Links and Golf Digest. He also became Executive V.P. for Golf Products Inc., the largest manufacturer of golf clubs in the U.S.
In addition to his advertising career, Dick combined his passion for football, golf and a beautiful, deep speaking voice to become a well-known sportscaster. His work for ABC, NBC and CBS spanned some twenty years. From 1958-1961, Dick hosted a weekly NBC show, called All-Star Golf, and was well-enough known, that "Danehe" was one of the answers in the March 1959 TV Guide crossword puzzle. As host, he worked closely with golf legends like Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and many others. ""The tall, strapping blond broadcaster was recognized on the street and received buckets of fan mail. President Eisenhower, a golf enthusiast, would request films of Danehe's show, ""All Star Golf,"" before it aired Saturday nights.""[2] Dick had been receiving and responding to fan mail for 72 years, right up to the week he died. He also announced other golf shows, such as Match of the Century, Bing Crosby Clambake, Palm Springs Desert Golf Classic and the Del Webb Classic Golf Tournament.
Dick was the USC football color commentator for NBC-TV, including the 1955 USC-Ohio State Rose Bowl game. From 1970-72, he announced KFI-radio, USC football games with Trojan Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Mike Walden. From the broadcast booth, Dick witnessed unsegregated-USC's historic 1970 season-opening win at still-segregated Alabama. Besides college ball, he also broadcast the pro football studio shows, CBS Sports Spectacular, Rose Bowl Review, American Football League on ABC, and a CBS show which later became NFL Today.
In addition to his other careers, Danehe narrated and did voice-over work for numerous local and regional film and commercial programs. Even in retirement, it gave Dick enormous pleasure to continue to use his eloquent voice for dramatic literary theater, musical productions and the annual reading of, "The Night Before Christmas."
An avid golfer, Danehe played from a 3 to a 5 handicap for 30 years. He had a hole-in-one and many eagles on par-4 holes, including the first eagle recorded on No. 18 at Riviera Country Club. He played golf with many professionals like Julius Boros, Bob Rosburg, Jimmy Demaret, Ted Kroll, Bob Toski and Tommy Armour. He was the winner by one hole, in a two-hour putting contest with Roberto De Vincenzo, who still hasn't given Danehe the dime that he owes him.
A true 'man's man', Dick enjoyed hard work. He was a fierce competitor, but was also tender-hearted, sensitive and loyal. He enjoyed opera, painting and sketching. He was physically fit his whole life; once in his eighties, when he tripped and fell to the ground, he was sufficiently nimble that he rolled into a somersault and jumped right back onto his feet.
Dick will be remembered, above all, for being a true gentleman. He gave his male caregivers a hearty fist-bump and kissed the back of his female caregiver's hands, as a classy Frenchman would. Even into his 90s, Danehe took pride in his appearance and fretted that his wheelchair made him look old!
Dick leaves behind a legacy of integrity, dignity and perseverance. In a recent interview he said, ""I had come a considerable distance from that raggedy farm boy living in the shanty in Arkansas."" Pete Arbogast, current 'Voice of the Trojans', said, ""He's really a gem of a guy...I have invited Danehe to come sit with us in the press box...I hope to put him on the air for a few moments, if for nothing else than for you to hear this man one more time and give him a big Trojan...""Fight On!"" [1]
Dick is survived by his daughter, Karen Danehe Tashjian and son-in-law, Larry Dee Tashjian of Manhattan Beach and Montecito, California. He also leaves behind his son, Richard Michael Danehe, Jr. and daughter-in-law, Beth Jurries Danehe of The Villages, Florida. Dick was very proud of his two children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Michael Edward Danehe and Hazel Anna Berger, his wife, Nayda Colleen Lawrence (July 30, 2008) and by his half-brother, American actor, Marc (Robert) Smith (December 24, 2006), of London. Dick was honored at a beautiful, private military service at the U.S. National Cemetery in Riverside, California. Remembrances may be sent to 3ktash@gmail.com.
[1] Pete Arbogast, Where are they Now, USC Athletics, 2013
[2] Blythe Bernhard, Voice Broke Sports History, The Orange County Register, September 15, 2007, Pg. 17
[3] usctrojans.com/news, Private Memorial To Honor One Of Oldest Trojan Lettermen, Dick Danehe, August 31, 2018