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Norm Hitzges

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Norm Hitzges
Born
Norman Richard Hitzges

(1944-07-05) July 5, 1944 (age 80)
Dunkirk, New York
Spouses
Mary Hitzges (née Danz)
​
​
(m. 2011)​
Vicki Hitzges (née Robinson)
​
​
(m. 1983)​
ChildrenTwo stepsons
Career
ShowJust Wondering... with Norm Hitzges
StationFan Stream Sports
NetworkFanStreamSports.com
Time slotDaily (M-F)
StyleSports Talk, Humor
CountryUnited States
Previous show(s)The Norm Hitzges Show (KTCK 1310 AM) and The Norm and D Invasion (KLIF)
Websitewww.fanstreamsports.com

Norm Hitzges (born July 5, 1944) is an American author and sports talk radio host. He is a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Career

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Hitzges hosts at KTCK (1310 AM / 96.7 FM, "SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket") in Dallas. Hitzges pioneered radio sports talk in the morning at KLIF radio at a time when sports talk was mainly on in the evening. Hitzges moved to (former rival) KTCK in early 2000 after 15 years at sister station KLIF when the latter removed sports talk programming from its lineup.[1][2] Hitzges also serves as the television play-by-play voice of the Dallas Sidekicks.[3][4]

Hitzges spent several years as a color commentator for Texas Rangers broadcasts on HSE and also provided major league baseball commentary for ESPN.[5] Hitzges is known for his enthusiasm and knowledge of sports trivia and has been compared to Dick Vitale for his energy and love of sports.[6] Hitzges has been honored by the Dallas All Sports Association and the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.[7]

Hitzges also hosts "Norm-A-Thon", a yearly 18-hour marathon broadcast to raise money for the Austin Street Center, a Dallas area homeless shelter.[8] Hitzges has also been a long-time supporter of Texans! Can Academy, an organization that provides at-risk youths with education and training.

Weekly segments on his show include “The Birdhouse,” “Shuttle Run,” “The Meatheads of the Week,” and “The Weekend-around.”

On August 7, 2020, Hitzges celebrated his 45th anniversary of sports talk radio. During a call-in, Mark Cuban related that Norm's KLIF show was the first radio program streamed on the internet on his original radio simulcast platform, AudioNet (later Broadcast.com). This required recording the show on an 8-hour VCR tape and then encoding the tapes onto a Packard-Bell PC to upload to the internet.

On June 15, 2023, Hitzges announced that he would be retiring from radio after 48 years on-air in Dallas. His last broadcast will be Friday, June 23, 2023.[9]

In September of 2023, Hitzges launched his podcast, "Just Wondering... With Norm Hitzges". Hitzges posts daily episodes Monday through Friday, discussing sports and non-sports-related topics. The show launched on FanStreamSports.com, based in the DFW area where Hitzges resides with wife, Mary.

Personal life

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Since 2010, Hitzges and his wife have lived in the Dallas suburb of Little Elm, Texas.[4] On August 27, 2020, Hitzges announced on the air that he is being treated for bladder cancer. Notable DFW media members were quick to show their support, including Fox 4's Mike Doocy. [1]

Partial bibliography

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  • Horizons in the Mirror (1971, Naylor Co., ISBN 978-0-8111-0410-4)
  • Norm Hitzges Historical Sports Almanac (May 1991, Taylor Publishing, ISBN 978-0-87833-621-0)
  • Essential Baseball: A Revolutionary New Method for Evaluating Major League Teams, Players, and Managers (with Dave Lawson, December 1994, Dutton, ISBN 978-0-452-27184-5)
  • Greatest Team Ever: The Dallas Cowboys Dynasty of The 1990s (August 2007, Thomas Nelson, ISBN 978-1-4016-0340-3)

References

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  1. ^ "KLIF to halt sports programming; Longtime host Norm Hitzges to move to a morning show on sister station". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. January 8, 2000. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  2. ^ Horn, Barry (April 25, 2014). "The Ticket signs Dallas radio icon Norm Hitzges to 3-year deal". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  3. ^ Barron, J. David (October 31, 2012). "Keep your shirt on! Sidekicks ready to draw again". Allen American-Star. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Glaze, Tim (February 6, 2015). "Local Legend: Norm Hitzges, Radio Hall of Famer, calls Little Elm home". Little Elm Journal. Little Elm, TX: Star Local News. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  5. ^ Modoono, Bill (May 11, 1990). "Hiitzges Gives ESPN Distinctive Voice". Pittsburgh Press. Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  6. ^ "For ESPN, a Mouth That Roars; Norm Hitzges Brings a Vitale-like Flair to Baseball Coverage". Miami Herald. June 29, 1990. p. 5C. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  7. ^ Aaron, Russ (April 8, 2008). "On-air and off, it's the same old Norm". The Daily Campus. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  8. ^ Tomaso, Bruce (December 14, 2008). "'Norm-A-thon' to benefit Austin Street Centre". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  9. ^ "Norm Hitzges Announces His Retirement". The Ticket. June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
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