Larry Fitzgerald Sr.
*Larry Fitzgerald Sr. was born on this date in 1954. He is a Black broadcast journalist specializing in sports and community issues.
Fitzgerald was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert and Sally Fitzgerald. His parents came north during the Great Migration from Natchez, Mississippi. He graduated from Fenger High School, where he was a two-time All-American defensive tackle for Frank Esposito. Fitzgerald was a four-year starter, leading Fenger to the Public League Championship game thrice. He majored in Radio-TV Communications after transferring from Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, Iowa.
Fitzgerald transferred to Indian Hills in 1972 after leaving Prairie View A&M. From 1973-74, Fitzgerald starred at defensive tackle and helped lead the Golden Falcons to the school’s first undefeated season, 10-0, in 1974, and to the National Junior College Championship game, the 9th Annual Wool Bowl. His college career began after he attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute, where he played offensive tackle on scholarship from 1975 to 1977.
Fitzgerald started on the radio in Minnesota in 1978 on KMOJ-FM 89.9, the Twin Cities' premier Black community-based radio station. His broadcasting credits include several incarnations across the dial, with shows such as Higher Ground, Sports Beat, Inside the NFL, and the popular Monday Night Football Show.
Fitzgerald attributes much of his professional success and inspiration to his late wife, Carol. His wife of 24 years met at Fenger High School. Carol died of breast cancer on April 10, 2003. He is the proud parent of sons, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Marcus. For 38 years, he has brought his perspective and social consciousness to sports as a writer, producer, talk show host, and commentator. Larry Sr. has been the sports editor and columnist with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder for 31 years. He founded the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund in 2003, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that raises money annually for breast cancer and HIV research, as well as urban education.
In 2003, Fitzgerald Sr. was honored with the Heritage Award presented by the Minnesota State Baptist Convention. In 2009, Fitzgerald became the first journalist in American sports history to cover his son in a Super Bowl. On TV, he was featured on Pardon the Interruption, Inside the NFL, CNN, CNBC, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC. He hosts a website featuring cherished family and career photos of friends, as well as stories written about his family. As a journalist, Fitzgerald has covered over 40 career NFL Super Bowls.
