She Was a Pioneer

She was the first woman to host a top sports show on television.

Phyllis George who was the cohost of the The NFL Today on CBS from 1975 until 1984, has died. Her time on the CBS show had her regarded as a pioneer for women in sports media.

“The CBS Sports family is deeply saddened by the passing of Phyllis George, an icon in the sports broadcasting industry who contributed greatly to the rich history and tradition of CBS Sports,” Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports, said in a statement.

George who was married to John Y. Brown Jr. was a big part in helping him win the Kentucky’s 1979 race for governor. The couple later divorced.

George’s daughter Pamela Ashley Brown followed her mom into the media world and is currently a CNN White House correspondent.

In a joint statement from her children, they said, “For many, Mom was known by her incredible accomplishments as the pioneering female sportscaster, 50th Miss America, and first lady. But this was all before we were born, and never how we viewed Mom. To us, she was the most incredible mother we could ever ask for, and it is all of the defining qualities the public never saw, especially against the winds of adversity, that symbolize how extraordinary she is more than anything else. The beauty so many recognized on the outside was a mere fraction of her internal beauty, only to be outdone by an unwavering spirit that allowed her to persevere against all the odds.”

Phyllis George was 70-years-old.

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