Nick Charles
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Charles Nickeas (June 30, 1946 – June 25, 2011), better known as Nick Charles, was an American sportscaster
and journalist
. He was one of CNN
's first on-air personalities and won three CableACE Award
s for best sports program during his 17-year tenure as co-host of the network's Sports Tonight
. He was a graduate of Columbia College Chicago
.
, in Springfield, Illinois, where Fred Hickman
his future co-anchor at CNN began his career. He worked at WTOP
Radio and WRC-TV
in Washington, D.C.
as sports director. At WJZ-TV
in Baltimore, Maryland, he won an Associated Press award for investigative journalism.
Charles was the first sports anchor for CNN
in 1980. He co-hosted CNN Sports Tonight
with Fred Hickman
, and later hosted his own program, Page One with Nick Charles until leaving the network in 2001. He hosted the Goodwill Games
for Turner Broadcasting in 1986 in Moscow
, 1990 in Seattle, Washington
, 1994 in St. Petersburg, Russia and covered boxing for the Goodwill Games in New York City
in 1998.
Beginning in 2001, Charles hosted of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation
. As a boxing
commentator, he has interviewed major boxing figures including Muhammad Ali
and Mike Tyson
. He also hosted boxing on Versus
, a sports network. Nick won the Boxing Writer's Association 2007 Broadcaster award. In 2008, he won the Sam Taub Award
for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism. Charles was also the winner of several cable ACE awards.
He was named "sexiest sportscaster" in America several years in a row by U.S. Television Fan Association. Nick Charles and former heavyweight contender George Chuvalo
shared the Bill Crawford Award for perseverance in overcoming adversity in 2010 from the Boxing Writer's Association.
It was reported in USA Today
that Nick Charles was taking a leave of absence from Showtime in 2009 to battle Stage 4 bladder cancer
. Boxing and sports Web sites, including ESPN.com
reported on January 16 that Charles was returning to Showtime on January 29, 2010 and had 80% remission. As of March 2010, the cancer became more aggressive and he returned to M.D. Anderson in Houston for a chemotherapy clinical trial. In March 2011, Charles returned to the airwaves for a final time as a host of HBO's Boxing After Dark
program. As documented on the June 19, 2011 edition of CNN
's Sanjay Gupta MD he was in the final stages of the disease. He had been recording video messages for his family and friends to show after his death.. His close friendship with Mike Tyson was also documented.
's Guest Planning Unit. Cory has been with CNN since 1990. She is a cum laude
graduate of Long Island University
's Brooklyn Campus, which she attended on a four-year NCAA softball scholarship. Cory has a master's degree in political science from the University of California
, Santa Barbara and has attended UCLA. Charles had four children and three grandchildren. His son Jason is an entrepreneur, and owns an audio-visual production company in Tempe, Arizona. His daughter, Katie, ran track and field for Kennesaw State University
in Kennesaw, Georgia. He spoke openly to CNN's Sanjay Gupta and other reporters about his failures in life, and about how he finally got it right in his last marriage. The video diaries he recorded were for his youngest daughter.
, as documented on the June 19, 2011 edition of CNN
's Sanjay Gupta MD. He had been recording video messages for his family and friends to show after his death. CNN reported his death on Saturday, June 25, 2011,
five days shy of his 65th birthday.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and journalist
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
. He was one of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's first on-air personalities and won three CableACE Award
CableACE Award
The CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s for best sports program during his 17-year tenure as co-host of the network's Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight (CNN)
Sports Tonight was a show that aired on CNN from 1980 to 2001, and on CNNSI from December 12, 1996 to the station's demise on May 15, 2002. It normally aired at 11 p.m. ET.-The early years:...
. He was a graduate of Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
.
Career in broadcasting
Charles started his career as a sportscaster at local television stations. He worked the nightly sports desk at WICSWICS
WICS is the ABC-affiliated television station for Springfield and Decatur, Illinois. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter south of Dawson and I-72/US 36. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 2 and Suddenlink channel 10...
, in Springfield, Illinois, where Fred Hickman
Fred Hickman
Fred Hickman is an American sports broadcaster who has had stints with CNN, TBS, YES Network, and ESPN. Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, he graduated Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1978, joining as an original co-host of the CNN show Sports Tonight in 1980...
his future co-anchor at CNN began his career. He worked at WTOP
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
Radio and WRC-TV
WRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as sports director. At WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
in Baltimore, Maryland, he won an Associated Press award for investigative journalism.
Charles was the first sports anchor for CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
in 1980. He co-hosted CNN Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight (CNN)
Sports Tonight was a show that aired on CNN from 1980 to 2001, and on CNNSI from December 12, 1996 to the station's demise on May 15, 2002. It normally aired at 11 p.m. ET.-The early years:...
with Fred Hickman
Fred Hickman
Fred Hickman is an American sports broadcaster who has had stints with CNN, TBS, YES Network, and ESPN. Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, he graduated Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1978, joining as an original co-host of the CNN show Sports Tonight in 1980...
, and later hosted his own program, Page One with Nick Charles until leaving the network in 2001. He hosted the Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
for Turner Broadcasting in 1986 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 1990 in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, 1994 in St. Petersburg, Russia and covered boxing for the Goodwill Games in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1998.
Beginning in 2001, Charles hosted of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation
ShoBox: The New Generation
ShoBox: The New Generation is a boxing television program, on Showtime. Debuting in 2001, it focuses mainly on up-and-coming boxing prospects. This program, which is a spin-off of its sister boxing program, Showtime Championship Boxing, usually televises live at 11 p.m. ET/PT on selected Fridays...
. As a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
commentator, he has interviewed major boxing figures including Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. He also hosted boxing on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
, a sports network. Nick won the Boxing Writer's Association 2007 Broadcaster award. In 2008, he won the Sam Taub Award
Sam Taub Award
The Sam Taub Award is a yearly award presented by the International Boxing Hall of Fame for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism. The award is named after Sam Taub, a journalist and radio broadcaster who is best known for his work covering boxing. It is similar to Major League Baseball's Ford C....
for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism. Charles was also the winner of several cable ACE awards.
He was named "sexiest sportscaster" in America several years in a row by U.S. Television Fan Association. Nick Charles and former heavyweight contender George Chuvalo
George Chuvalo
George Louis Chuvalo, CM is a retired Canadian heavyweight boxer who was never knocked down in ninety-three professional fights between 1956 and 1979. He is often considered to have had the greatest chin in the history of boxing and to be one of its most durable fighters...
shared the Bill Crawford Award for perseverance in overcoming adversity in 2010 from the Boxing Writer's Association.
It was reported in USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
that Nick Charles was taking a leave of absence from Showtime in 2009 to battle Stage 4 bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
. Boxing and sports Web sites, including ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
reported on January 16 that Charles was returning to Showtime on January 29, 2010 and had 80% remission. As of March 2010, the cancer became more aggressive and he returned to M.D. Anderson in Houston for a chemotherapy clinical trial. In March 2011, Charles returned to the airwaves for a final time as a host of HBO's Boxing After Dark
Boxing After Dark
Boxing After Dark is an HBO boxing program, premiering in April 1996, that usually shows fights between well-known contenders, but usually not "championship" or "title" fights. Unlike its sister program, HBO World Championship Boxing, BAD features fighters who are usually moving up from ESPN's...
program. As documented on the June 19, 2011 edition of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Sanjay Gupta MD he was in the final stages of the disease. He had been recording video messages for his family and friends to show after his death.. His close friendship with Mike Tyson was also documented.
Personal life
Charles was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother is of Sicilian heritage, and his father of Spartan Greek. His wife, Cory, is a senior director for CNN InternationalCNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
's Guest Planning Unit. Cory has been with CNN since 1990. She is a cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
graduate of Long Island University
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
's Brooklyn Campus, which she attended on a four-year NCAA softball scholarship. Cory has a master's degree in political science from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, Santa Barbara and has attended UCLA. Charles had four children and three grandchildren. His son Jason is an entrepreneur, and owns an audio-visual production company in Tempe, Arizona. His daughter, Katie, ran track and field for Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
in Kennesaw, Georgia. He spoke openly to CNN's Sanjay Gupta and other reporters about his failures in life, and about how he finally got it right in his last marriage. The video diaries he recorded were for his youngest daughter.
Cancer
In 2009, Charles was diagnosed with metastatic bladder cancerBladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
, as documented on the June 19, 2011 edition of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Sanjay Gupta MD. He had been recording video messages for his family and friends to show after his death. CNN reported his death on Saturday, June 25, 2011,
five days shy of his 65th birthday.