Hitzges Hanging Up His Cleats

• Sports-Talk pioneer Norm Hitzges, a fixture on DFW sports radio for nearly half a century, announced his impending retirement yesterday morning on Cumulus Media’s KTCK-AM (SportsRadio 96.7FM/1310 AM The Ticket)/Dallas. His final morning broadcast will be on Friday, June 23.

Hitzges, who recently celebrated his 48th year of being continuously on the air talking sports in DFW, also holds the distinction of hosting the first full-time Sports-Talk show in morning drive time in the U.S. over 30 years ago on KLIF/Dallas. In 2000, Hitzges segued to The Ticket, where he currently hosts the 10am-noon show with Donovan Lewis.

Hitzges is known for his knowledge of sports trivia and success in handicapping all sports, and especially in his first love outside of broadcasting, horse racing. He has been honored by the Texas Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Dallas All Sports Association and the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame. Hitzges also hosts the “Norm-A-Thon,” an annual day-long marathon broadcast to raise money for area homeless. Over the past 22 years, the event has raised over $8.9 million for Austin Street Center. Even after his retirement, Hitzges will continue to be a part of special events on The Ticket, including draft coverage and the “Norm-a-Thon.”

Dan Bennett, RVP, Cumulus Dallas/Houston, said, “From the minute Norm hit the airwaves 36 years ago on KLIF and then the Ticket you could tell he was a special communicator. He truly is one of Dallas Radio’s great storytellers, and he kept it going with Susquehanna and then Cumulus all these years. Not many have that kind of staying power. We wish him every happiness in his well-deserved retirement.”

Hitzges commented, “I’m so proud to be a part of what The Ticket has built — a ratings dominator in a fantastic sports city. I shall so miss the daily ‘rush’ of being on the air, but after 48 consecutive years on the air in Dallas doing sports talk, it’s time to move on to the next phase of my life, whatever that may be.”