CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The “Self-proclaimed voice of truth and reason” has been silenced.
A giant in Cleveland sports broadcasting and media for half a century, Les Levine passed away Wednesday night with his two children, Dr. Jamie Levine Daniel and Jeremy, by his side.
It’s been a difficult day for the entire 92.3 The Fan family, his colleagues, friends and family.
Les was one of a kind – a husband, father, friend and mentor to all who knew him.
An encyclopedia of knowledge, his talk shows were full of ‘easter eggs.’
His “How Come Quickies” were legendary. Les was the king of puns.
Les had an incredible sense of humor, often dry.
Les ended every show with, “of all the shows I’ve ever done, this was the most recent.”
And he always had a kind word for everyone he saw.
It could be argued Les was the godfather of sports talk radio in Cleveland, right up there with the legendary Pete Franklin.
Les did it all – newspaper, television, radio and webcasting. He sold his own commercials too, generating and maintaining relationships with local advertisers that became staples on his broadcasts.
‘More Sports & Les Levine’ aired on radio as well as multiple cable television platforms over the years, and most recently was a daily webcast on Cleveland.com.
Les hosted pregame and postgame shows for all three of Cleveland major professional teams – Indians, Browns and Cavaliers on a variety of stations.
Les broadcast over 2,500 sporting events including the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association (1972 - 1974), Kent State University Basketball and Football (1974 -1979), Cleveland Jaybirds/Competitors of the American Professional Softball League, Cleveland Thunderbolts Arena Football (1991 - 1992) and hundreds of High School games. Les also was the voice of Cleveland State Basketball for over two decades, including the 1986 'Run & Stun' team's improbable run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Les’ time at WHK in the 1990’s remains the stuff of legends to this day as the centerpiece of that station and he inspired multiple radio and internet sports talk startups that followed over the years.
Les knew talent when he saw it and his impact on careers across the country is so vast it can’t be quantified.
Les eagerly welcomed and sought out fresh faces and new voices on his shows throughout his distinguished career. He was among the first to invite local writers on to offer their analysis and opinions, a staple of the sports talk format today.
In 2020, Les received the Excellence in Radio award from the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters. He is also a member of the Radio & Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame of Ohio.
No award or recognition could do justice to what Les achieved and how he treated those around him.
While Les has left us, the legacy he left behind for so many lives on.
Check out some of the social media tributes below:
Working until the end. I had the privilege of working for 16 years with Les on his show & guest hosting numerous times. It was, without question, one of the things that I hold dearest in my life. My deepest condolences to your family, his friends and fans. R.I.P. my friend.
— Patrick Pierson (@pjcle) February 4, 2021
Beyond heartbroken about this. Les was my father’s best friend. Watching the two of them together, laughing and joking like immature kids, was a joy. When we lost our father, Les was an incredible supporter and rock to @DerySpeaks and to me. 1/ https://t.co/UutgfgzaFU
— T.D. (@TD1TribeKU) February 4, 2021
Got my start in TV production working as a member of @LesLevine 's Crack Staff (or as he liked to call us, his "Staff on Crack")
— Tom Larrow (@TomLarrow) February 4, 2021
Learned a lot from Les about professionalism, all the show prep he did to prepare for our 50 minute Cablevision show https://t.co/EFp8uEv8qx
