DEE THOMPSON PASSED AWAY, MAY 9, AT AGE 84.
Dee Thompson personally interviewed Roberto Clemente.
Need we say more?
Oh, but there’s plenty more.
The number of sports figures Thompson interviewed probably topped 1,000. The number of reports he’s given on television definitely are in the thousands. The impact he made on the community, up-and-coming journalists and fellow co-workers is too hard to define with a number.
DeHaven “Dee” Thompson, who truly made his mark on the Pittsburgh area media scene for nearly 60 years and was very well respected and admired in Pittsburgh’s African American community, died on Thursday, May 9. He was 84.
“I always thought of Dee as a consummate professional,” voiced Pittsburgh media legend Chris Moore of Thompson. “Polite, ever-giving of his time, he worked with the kids in the (Pittsburgh Black Media Federation Urban Journalism) workshop and for that, I’m thankful, because some of them got to know him before he retired.”
Thompson is mostly known for his 35 years on WPXI-TV (Channel 11). From 1974 to 1987, Thompson was a sports reporter and anchor at the station, and then progressed into the news arena as an anchor and reporter. Thompson could also be seen hosting weekend specialty programs on WPXI. Prior to Channel 11, Thompson spent eight years at WTAE-TV (Channel 4). It was at WTAE where he interviewed Pirates and baseball icon Roberto Clemente. Clemente helped lead the Pirates to two World Series championships in 1960 and 1971. On Dec. 31, 1972, while on a missionary trip to Nicaragua, the plane he was in crashed moments after takeoff, killing him and four others. Clemente died at age 38.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that following the crash, WTAE sent Thompson to Puerto Rico as the search for Clemente’s body was underway.
“I always thought he was very good on air, he had an easygoing manner, worked well with everybody,” Moore, the longtime WQED-TV and PCNC-TV host told the Courier. Moore also has a long-standing radio show on KDKA-AM (1020, 100.1 FM). “He didn’t try to over-talk anybody, he let the guests have their say and he knew sports, but he knew of a lot of other stuff, too. People probably don’t give him enough credit for that…he interviewed presidential candidates, he was in news, he could do it all.”
Thompson was born, Aug. 22, 1939, in Philadelphia, but he was raised in New Brighton, in Beaver County. He began writing sports stories for the Beaver Falls News-Tribune at age 16, the Post-Gazette reported.
Thompson also was a member of the U.S. Army before getting the jobs in local sports and news. He attended Geneva College.
TRUE DETERMINATION—IN 2010, WPXI REPORTER DEE THOMPSON RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE PITTSBURGH BLACK MEDIA FEDERATION FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS FIELD AS A WRITER, PRODUCER AND REPORTER.
WPXI lead anchor David Johnson, who worked at the station for more than 20 years with Thompson, told the Courier that “when I think of Dee, he always had a smile on his face. And his versatility. He was adept at both news and sports. Just a good, solid guy—whom everyone liked and respected.”
Moore, who has spent decades being a mentor to many journalists in Pittsburgh and beyond, said it was “something in the blood of us old guys” when it came to legendary Black media figures helping today’s journalists. Moore said it was nothing for Thompson to do the same. “We felt like we wanted to extend a hand behind us, sort of like roller derby; grab somebody and push them up ahead, let them score some points.”
COURIER EDITOR AND PUBLISHER ROD DOSS, DEE THOMPSON AND FORMER WPXI REPORTER TIMYKA ARTIST,
One of those people who was mentored by Thompson was Brian Cook Sr., a 1998 Central Catholic High School graduate who spent many years at American Urban Radio Networks. Cook was formerly the president of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and now does a variety of media work for entities like WQED-TV and the New Pittsburgh Courier. He owns his own company, Golden Sky Media.
“Very seldom does one meet their professional heroes, and even less often does one get the rare opportunity to have a robust working relationship with them. Working alongside Dee Thompson, a journalist I admired since childhood, was a dream come true,” Cook told the Courier. “As a youth, I watched Mr. Thompson on WPXI and loved his on-air presence, way of telling a story, and confidence while doing his live shots.
“Working with him, he mentored and helped shape me and my journalistic skills and instilled in me a great respect for the craft and a love for the industry. Dee’s guidance and professionalism are two values I and many who have watched him have noted over the years. They were invaluable, second to none, and unique.”
JONAS CHANEY, RIGHT, WITH DEE THOMPSON, WHO WAS THE SPORTS DIRECTOR AT WPXI IN 1985 WHEN CHANEY JOINED THE TELEVISION STATION FROM INDIANAPOLIS.
Cook also worked with Thompson on a show called “Championship Chase,” which would air weekends on WPXI covering all things Pittsburgh sports. “He taught me the importance of integrity in storytelling, especially when telling stories in sports, a mostly light and fun topic. Through his mentorship, I grew as a journalist and gained a lifelong friend whose impact continues to shape me,” Cook added.
Younger Pittsburghers may not remember the “Fifth Quarter,” a postgame show following Steelers games on Sundays when the games aired on NBC (WPXI is an NBC affiliate) in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Thompson is credited with starting that show, and much of the similar postgame football shows that air today were modeled after Thompson’s creation.
In 2010, the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation honored Thompson with the “Legacy in Journalism” award. And during the Courier’s “Men of Excellence” awards ceremony in 2011, the Courier presented Thompson with a special award for his decades of service to journalism and the community.
Thompson is survived by two daughters, Shannon Thompson and Tara (Brandon) Arthur, and two grandchildren, Bree Arthur and Braxton Arthur.
“He was the consummate professional,” Cook said of Thompson, “and will be truly missed.”
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