Joe Pellegrino, popular TV sports anchor, has died at 89

Joe Pellegrino, 89, the popular Philadelphia TV sports anchor who was a key member of the top-rated Action News team during the 1970s, died on Friday, April 12, at his home in Marlton of cardiac disease with complications from diabetes.

From 1971 to ‘76, the award-winning Mr. Pellegrino was the main sports anchor on WPVI-TV with news anchor Larry Kane and weatherman Jim O’Brien.

“He was an instant sensation,” Kane said in a phone interview, recalling how the station made promotional videos of women chasing after the charismatic sportscaster.

Mr. Pellegrino left Philadelphia to pursue his career in other cities, but returned in the 1980s to rejoin Kane at WCAU-TV.

“Joe was one of the nicest human beings I ever worked with in my life,” Kane said.

“In the broadcast community, he was loved. And the broadcast community is tough,” Kane added.

Merrill Reese, the longtime play-by-play radio announcer for the Eagles, posted on social media about the passing of Mr. Pellegrino.

“Joe was a good friend and a wonderful sports anchor at channels 6 and 10. Joe also served as a midday host during the early days of WIP’s sports talk format. Joe was truly a wonderful person,” Reese wrote.

Mr. Pellegrino’s daughters, Shawna Pellegrino Curry and Melinda Pellegrino Murillo, said in a joint statement that their father “was always so loving, thoughtful and giving, especially of his time with us. He was very encouraging and supportive, would leave voicemails where he would sing to us, and had a great sense of humor. We both felt very loved by him.”

He “thoroughly enjoyed his career in broadcasting and every part of it. We are very proud of his dedication and accomplishments,” his daughters said.

Mr. Pellegrino was born in Washington, D.C., and graduated in 1957 from American University, where he was awarded a sports scholarship and excelled as an athlete.

He was drafted in the Army and produced and performed TV and radio shows at Fort Bragg. He also played baseball and basketball in the Army.

He later returned to American University to complete his master’s degree in communication and journalism in 1967.

His career in TV and radio included jobs in Washington, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, and San Francisco.

His incredibly varied work included making a documentary on the life of legendary boxer Rocky Marciano, covering the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games in 1980, being a color commentator for Detroit Tigers games with baseball legends Al Kaline and George Kell, play-by-play announcing for Villanova basketball telecasts and hosting a weekly show with Villanova coach Rollie Massimino.

Mr. Pellegrino won multiple TV and radio local Emmy awards. He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2010.

And when he could, Mr. Pellegrino, who was a choir singer as a schoolboy, loved to sing the national anthem at events.

Mr. Pellegrino was still close to his ex-wife, Nancy Worrell, up until his death, his daughter Melinda said.

In addition to his daughters and ex-wife, Mr. Pellegrino is survived by a brother, John; three grandchildren, and other relatives.

A funeral service is planned for Saturday, May 11, at the Fort Lincoln Funeral Home, 3401 Bladensburg Rd., Brentwood, MD 20722. Burial will be at Fort Lincoln Cemetery.