Nothing can stop Dick Vitale — including his fandom of the Rays.
The legendary ESPN college basketball broadcaster was spotted in the stands with his grandchildren during Tuesday night’s matchup between the Yankees and the Rays, getting a spotlight from YES Network and well wishes from play-by-play man Michael Kay.
Vitale later thanked Kay for expressing admiration, praising the fellow broadcaster for his own insights in a post on X.
Vitale announced on June 28 that he was fighting cancer again following a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck, marking the latest valley in his arduous years-long battle with cancer.
On July 2, Vitale shared that the cancerous lymph nodes in his neck were successfully removed via surgery.
Three days later, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer revealed that he was recommended six weeks of radiation treatment after his pathology report was reviewed.
On July 8, Vitale added that recovery was “going well” based on his post-surgical examination.
The 85-year-old New Jersey native turned Floridian is a regular at Tropicana Field, having been a season ticket holder since the franchise began play in 1998.
Despite his regular hardships due to cancer Vitale has maintained an iron spirit.
His unwavering passion for and close attention to detail with basketball (and all sports) is evident based on a slew of tweets sent to inform fans about the latest happenings, not to mention share his own opinions on X.
For example, Vitale lauded UConn head coach Dan Hurley on Wednesday, saying that “His PASSION & PRIDE Is so so special.”
Vitale has also continued to spread messages of motivation to others seeking refuge.
The broadcaster’s presence on Tuesday may have been the good luck charm the Rays needed, as Tampa triumphed 4-1 over the Yankees to win the first matchup of the three-game series.
The Yankees bounced back with a 2-1 win Wednesday night.