Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2024
Bill Hillgrove and Dick Groat formed one of the most beloved sports broadcasting duos in Pittsburgh history, calling Pitt men's basketball games on the radio from 1979 to 2019. Reflecting their iconic status, Hillgrove and Groat are the first inductees into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame who did not play or coach for the Panthers. Groat is one of Western Pennsylvania's greatest multi-sport athletes. He was a college basketball All-American at Duke and the 1960 National League MVP and N.L. batting champion with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Groat was recruited by Hillgrove to serve as his analyst for Pitt basketball broadcasts prior to the 1979-80 season. They served together for 40 seasons, providing the soundtrack for some of the most thrilling moments in the history of Pitt basketball.
