PHOENIX — Longtime Phoenix Suns broadcaster Al McCoy has died at the age of 91, according to a post from the team.
"As a father, he taught us the value of respect, loyalty, hard work and love — both on and off the court. His passion dedication and kindness touched countless lives, and while he may be gone, the impact he made will be felt for generations to come," the McCoy family said in a statement.
McCoy retired at the end of the 2022-2023 season after 51 years broadcasting for the team.
Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor member and legendary radio play-by-play announcer Al McCoy has passed away peacefully at the age of 91 💜🧡
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 21, 2024
📰: https://t.co/Ml2GHeWidO pic.twitter.com/SSHOUdO17B
McCoy grew up as a farm boy in Iowa in the 1940s. He had no electricity and spent his afternoons listening to sports on a handheld radio. That love for radio, and sport, led him to broadcasting games for Drake University, where he attended college.
McCoy came to Arizona to call minor league baseball games and landed with the Suns when the team came to be during NBA expansion.
For decades, McCoy called just about every game the Suns played in, including two runs to the NBA Finals
Throughout his career, McCoy was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with the Curt Gowdy Media Award and was placed in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and the Iowa Hall of Pride among many other prestigious awards.
