Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel, who has helped fundraise for the first dog park in Dallas and for homeless teens, will add another philanthropic cause to his legacy: helping to educate the next generation of local sports broadcasters.
In conjunction with the Rangers Baseball Foundation, Nadel announced Wednesday the funding of two scholarships, worth a total of $30,000, for University of North Texas students with “a passion for sports broadcasting.” A pair of $15,000 awards will go to incoming juniors to provide funding for both junior and senior years for studies within the Mayborn School of Journalism or UNT’s Media Arts Department. The first scholarship will be awarded in Spring 2021 for studies beginning in the fall semester. Another will be awarded in 2022.
“I was blessed to grow up in a household that put a premium on education and had the resources to finance my college education,” Nadel said. “I welcome the chance to provide that kind of an opportunity to a talented student who might not otherwise have the means to attend UNT and pursue a career in sportscasting.”
Nadel, who was awarded the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting in 2014, will be entering his 43rd year of broadcasting Rangers games in 2021, the team’s 50th season in Arlington. The Rangers’ first play-by-play voice, Bill Mercer, received a post-graduate degree from North Texas in 1966 and later taught generations of local sportscasters in the school’s broadcast program.
Nadel has long been involved with giving back to the community. He helped raise funds for Dallas’ first leash-free dog park at Mockingbird Point, then later blended his love of music and his birthday into an annual concert to raise money for Focus on Teens. He also has hosted a series of dinners and concerts at Cafe Momentum in Dallas to help benefit the non-profit group that provides culinary skills and internships for at-risk youths.
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