In a fight for his life, sportscaster Craig Sager is currently awaiting another bone marrow transplant at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. An Atlanta resident since the 1980’s, Sager has been battling leukemia for almost three years yet continues to have a great attitude about life and recently was given the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY’s. Now 65, Sager has been a mainstay on the NBA court at Turner Sports for 35 years. His extravagant wardrobe is even the envy of the best dressed players in the league and hopes to be back on the sidelines this coming season.
We caught up with Sager, who provided this update:
“I was blessed with a wonderful childhood growing up in Batavia, Ill., I furthered my education at Northwestern University, and I climbed the career ladder as a News Director, Meteorologist, and a Sports Director in Sarasota, Tampa-St. Pete, Ft. Myers, Kansas City, and Atlanta where I have spent the past 35 years as loyal employee at Turner Broadcasting.
“I have met life’s challenges by climbing the Great Wall of China, riding with the bulls in Pamplona, sailing the Pacific Ocean with Ted Turner, jumping out of airplanes over Kansas, hang gliding off the cliffs of Mexico, bungee jumping atop a tower in San Antonio, and swimming with the sharks in the Caribbean.
“I have run the bases with Hank Aaron after No. 715, thrown out the first pitch at Wrigley Field, graced the cover of ‘Sports Illustrated’, and received the Jimmy V perseverance Award at the ESPY’s. I have covered eight Olympiads, dozens of Super Bowls, 24 Masters, and NBA games too numerous to count.
“I live on the golf course at Bridge Mill Athletic Club in Canton, Ga., with the love of my life Stacy and two awesome children 11-year-old Riley and 10-year-old Ryan and a 70-pound boxer named Princess Jasmine. I also have three highly motivated and successful older children; Kacy, Craig Jr. and Krista. We are surrounded by loving friends and neighbors including Stacy’s mother Mary Jo.
“I continue to live life full of love and full of fun the only way I know how.”
