Longtime Detroit TV sports anchor Don Shane dies at 70

Shane retired from TV in 2012

Don Shane, who anchored sports coverage in the Detroit TV market for decades, has died at 70.

Shane, best known as the longtime sportscaster at WXYZ, retired in 2012. He worked at WDIV prior to joining WXYZ in 1989, where he spent 23 years.

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Shane’s passing was first reported by WXYZ on Saturday morning. The cause of his death was not immediately known.

During his sports career in Detroit, Shane also served as the play-by-play announcer for Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the Detroit Pistons. He also worked for WBZ-TV in Boston and WMAQ-TV in Chicago.

Shane received numerous awards for his reporting including 23 Michigan Emmy Awards, a “Best Sports Anchor” honor, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle Award, as well as awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and the Associated Press.

We’re sending our thoughts, prayers and condolences to our friends at WXYZ this morning.


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Ken Haddad has been with Local 4/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He helps lead news coverage and content across broadcast and digital platforms. He's from the Metro Detroit area, and loves covering important news (and sports) in his hometown.