Legendary Cleveland Sportscaster Jim Donovan Passes Away At 68

Jim Donovan, the longtime Cleveland sportscaster known for his radio play-by-play work with the Cleveland Browns, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 68.

Donovan served as both a sportscaster and news anchor on WKYC-TV Ch. 3 in Cleveland, and used to invite me on the air regularly to discuss the state of the Cavaliers.

But again, he was mostly known as the voice of the Browns.

“Donovan was a passionate figure in the press box and an endearing voice to fans, with whom he shared the highlights and all-too-often dominating lean moments over the years,’ wrote Marc Bona of Cleveland.com.

Donovan retired from his radio work with the Browns to focus on his health before the start of this season.

“He was still attending training camp practices and called the team’s preseason games the week before his retirement,” wrote Zac Jackson and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. “Donovan was a relentless worker whose energetic calls were recognized and treasured by Browns fans throughout the country. His signature call was ‘Run, William, Run’ as William Green helped the Browns push toward the organization’s first new-era playoff berth in 2002, and through a period of prolonged losing that followed, Donovan maintained his passion, a sense of humor and a connection with the fanbase.”

Donovan grew up in the Boston area and was a fan of teams in that city during his younger years, pulling for the Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox. He eventually became a Cleveland sports fan through and through.

“Donovan spent nearly 40 years as a broadcaster in Cleveland,” Jackson and Lloyd wrote. “He joined WKYC in 1985 after an agent spotted him on another aspiring television anchor’s resume tape. Donovan was working in Burlington, Vt., with the dream of returning to Boston, where he was once college acquaintances with Howard Stern after the two spent time working together at Boston University’s campus radio station. But it wasn’t long before he fell in love with Cleveland and his future wife, Cheryl. They celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in June and share a daughter, Meghan.”