CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Greg Hoard, FOX19 NOW’s first-ever sports anchor and legendary Cincinnati sports journalist, has died at the age of 73.

Hoard was born in Blocher, Indiana and moved to Cincinnati in 1984, WVXU reports.

After stints at the Cincinnati Post and the Cincinnati Enquirer covering sports, Hoard moved into broadcast journalism.

FOX19 NOW’s Tricia Macke sat down to talk with Hoard in 2012. He told Macke that his venture into television was a “fluke.” His wife had just had twins and he needed a bigger paycheck.

Hoard spent a little time at WLWT and Local 12 before settling at FOX19 NOW in 1993.

Hoard stayed with FOX19 NOW until 2004, when he went back to his roots in print journalism.

Macke says Hoard was “a riot and set the groundwork for a different type of sportscast in Cincinnati. A tradition we have proudly upheld over the years.”

She remembers him as “a good person, exceptionally smart, a loving dad and a man who wore his white socks proudly.”

Hoard was one of Joe Danneman’s first bosses at FOX19 NOW.

“Greg was the most authentic person I’ve worked with,” Danneman says. “He would do live television reports in an Indiana Hoosiers hat and a Hawaiian t-shirt and it worked — because it was him. He will forever be remembered as one of the great sports reporters in Cincinnati, I’ll remember him as the co-worker and friend who showed me your best professional self is your authentic self.”

WVXU says that after his departure from FOX19 NOW, Hoard worked as an editor for Cincinnati Profile and Cincinnati Gentleman magazines.

Hoard later went on to write three books: Voices in my Head: The Gray Burbank Story, Hannan’s Way: An Unlikely Trek Through Life and The Human Element: The Foundation of Business At Its Best.

FOX19 NOW’s thoughts are with Hoard’s family and friends.

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