CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is honoring the legacy of the late play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod in a fitting way by naming the combined television studio and media workroom space after him.
This lasting tribute will honor the Cleveland legend who unexpectedly died on. Sept. 9. His death rocked the Northeast Ohio community and those who worked alongside him.
Before and after every home game, local and visiting team members gather in the television studio and media workroom space to hear from and interview the team and coaches. The new media room is still under construction, as is the rest of the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
A Strongsville native, McLeod's career took him to many cities, spanning 36 seasons, 22 of which were with the Detroit Pistons. He called more than 1,000 games, the most notable one being the 2016 NBA Championship when the Cavs took home the trophy.
Even when he did play-by-plays for other teams like the Pistons, he says Cleveland was always near and dear to his heart.
“My heart was always with Cleveland sports. My wife will tell you, I threw a shoe at the TV when we lost the 1997 World Series. She said, ‘Calm down, It’s just a game!’ And I’d say, 'You don’t understand what we’ve been through in Cleveland,'” he said during an interview with Gabriele.
A source confirmed that McLeod died from a heart attack at the age of 67.
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