In honor of the start of the NCAA Tournament, Front Row’s Throwback Thursday acknowledges all the glorious moments that young athletes will be experiencing over the next few weeks. We asked ESPN anchors, analysts and hosts to share some of their most treasured memories from their athletic careers.
1. Cassidy Hubbarth – NBA Tonight Host
1996: Hubbarth with NBA star Tim Duncan.
2. Sara Walsh – SportsCenter Anchor
“Clearly training for the World Cup and apparently my parents lied about my age because I’m twice the size of everyone else.”
3. Randy Scott – SportsCenter Anchor
“Sometimes a high school pitcher is the best athlete on the team. Other times, he can’t really hit or run you well. I fell squarely in the latter category for the district-champion Warhawks of James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia.”
4. Pam Shriver – Tennis Commentator
“I am about 10 years old here up at net, playing with my late sister Marion in our only Maryland State doubles event we ever played in together.”
5. Jaymee Sire – SportsCenter Anchor
Bottom row, third from the right: “You can’t really tell in the photo, but I had a pretty gnarly scar on my chin that season. I wish I could say it was from sliding head first or something cool like that, but I think I just tripped and fell. I guess it’s a good thing I just talk about sports on TV and don’t actually play them for a living.”
6. Mike Massaro – NASCAR Now Host and Reporter
Massaro in his 1986 American Legion baseball uniform.
7. Kenny Mayne – SportsCenter Anchor
Mayne playing football for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1981.
8. Pablo Viruega – ESPN Deportes and ESPN International Analyst
Club Pumitas AC (México City) categoría Peewee 1984.
9. Steve Weissman – SportsCenter Anchor
“Here I am playing soccer as an 8-year-old. I scored two goals that game!!”
10. Dottie Pepper – Golf Commentator
The 1979 New York State Girls Junior championship in McConnellsville, NY. Pepper won her first state championship in 1981.
11. Dale Jarrett – NASCAR Analyst
Jarrett on his Newton, N.C. high school football team in 1974.
12. Chris Cotter – SportsCenter Anchor
“USCF Georgia State Amateur Time Trial Championship. Circa 2000?? Deep in the pain cave!”
13. Chris Connelly – Essayist and Reporter
“High school soccer team, 1972. Eyes closed because… concentration?”
14. Brad Gilbert – Tennis Analyst
Gilbert in his early training days.
15. Bernardo Osuna – ESPN Deportes Commentator
“This is me as a 12 year old playing for the Pasadena SouthWest Little League Dodgers.”
16. Marty Smith – Motorsports Reporter
Smith intercepting a pass in 1993 when his high school team won the Virginia State Championship.
17. Jay Harris – SportsCenter Anchor
An 8th grade Jay Harris playing for the Culbreth Jr. High Cougars, Chapel Hill, NC.
Dan Quinn, Sofia Rocher, Andy Hall, Dave Nagle and Kristen Hudak contributed to this post.