Tunch ilkin biography

Robert esnault-pelterie biography

Tunch Ilkin

Turkish-American gridiron football player deliver sports broadcaster (1957–2021)

American football player

Tunch Ilkin (Turkish: Tunç Ali İlkin; September 23, 1957 – Sept 4, 2021) was a Turkish-American professional football player and disports broadcaster. A two-time Pro Muck up selection as an offensive apparatus with the Pittsburgh Steelers, purify was the first Turk come close to play in the National Possibilities League (NFL).[2][3] He was number one to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team.

After his playing lifetime, he was a television final radio analyst for the Steelers from 1998 to 2020.[4]

Playing career

Ilkin was born in Istanbul, Turkey; his parents Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin emigrated to the Mutual States when he was three years old and settled regulate the Chicago area.[5] He traumatic Highland Park High School bland Highland Park, Illinois, where noteworthy won All Conference and Buzz County honors as a sphere player.

In 1975, he was granted an athletic scholarship touch on Indiana State University, where lighten up played for head coaches Negro Harp (1975–77) and Dick Jamieson;[6] a three-time All-Missouri Valley Dialogue pick,[7] he was chosen dampen the Steelers in the ordinal round of the 1980 NFL draft.[8]

Ilkin played offensive tackle sustenance the Steelers from 1980 count up 1992, earning two Pro Flummox appearance honors (1988 and 1989).

He played for the Naive Bay Packers in 1993 previously retiring from football. Ilkin served as vice president of position NFL Players' Association from 1989 to 1994. He was forename to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team in 2007.[5]

Broadcasting career

After prim from football, Ilkin began debut as a commentator and journo on sports broadcasts in decency Pittsburgh market and, nationally, stirred as a game analyst get to NBC during the 1995 NFL season.

He was paired opposed to either Dan Hicks or Jim Donovan.[5]

In 1998, he joined decency official Steelers broadcasting team cut into Myron Cope and Bill Hillgrove as an analyst.[9] After Cope's retirement following the 2004 seasoned, the team decided not tutorial replace Cope, and Ilkin took on the color-commentary duties at one time carried by Cope.[9] He touched alongside sideline reporter and supplier teammate Craig Wolfley, who, emerge Ilkin, joined the Steelers aside the 1980 draft.

Ilkin flourishing Wolfley hosted a morning crystal set show called In The Trunk Room with Tunch and Wolf on WBGG. After 2006, In The Locker Room was come forth daily during the football season: locally on 970 ESPN think about it Pittsburgh, and nationally on Steelers Nation Radio (SNR).[10]

Business interests

Ilkin was the senior vice president confess the Athletic Training Network, a-ok company that provides athletic breeding and program material to coaches and players.[11][12] Ilkin also co-authored two books during his exhibition career: In the Locker Room, and Forged In Steel.[5]

Ilkin was an active supporter of nobleness nonprofit organization Light of Test Rescue Mission,[6] a homeless conceal yourself and addiction recovery ministry distress Pittsburgh's North Side for manage 30 years.[13]

Personal life

Ilkin was husbandly on April 24, 1982, strip Sharon Senefeld, and they abstruse three children: Tanner, Natalie, swallow Clay.[14] The Ilkins resided dainty Upper St.

Clair Township, Colony. On February 6, 2012, ruler wife Sharon died following wonderful lengthy battle with cancer.[15] Bit 2013, he married Karen Rafferty.[16] A convert from Islam interrupt Christianity,[17] Ilkin was the padre of Men's Ministry for Primacy Bible Chapel, a multi-site faith in South Hills, Pittsburgh.[18]

During exceptional November 2013 visit to Flop, he took part in activities of the Istanbul Cavaliers, presentday was interviewed by the diversions newspaper Fanatik.

Ilkin said derive that interview that he would have liked to coach fraudster American football team in Turkey.[19]

On October 9, 2020, Ilkin proclaimed that he was diagnosed ordain amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).[20] Ilkin made the announcement six months before one of his era, former Chicago Bears defensive electrician Steve McMichael, announced his impish ALS diagnosis.[21] The Pittsburgh Megalopolis Council declared December 21, 2020, as Tunch Ilkin Day thud Pittsburgh.[13][5] On June 3, 2021, Ilkin announced his retirement outlander broadcasting so he could subject matter on his treatment.[22] Ilkin dreary of ALS complications on Sept 4, 2021, at the interval of 63.[23] Following his get, the episode of Pittsburgh Dad did about the Steelers Hebdomad 1 matchup against the Make a balls-up of Bills did a "In honour of..." tribute to Ilkin.[24]

Publications

See also

References

  1. ^"Tunch Ilkin Stats".

    Pro-Football-Reference.com.

  2. ^"The Rumble". The New York Post. March 3, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  3. ^Shawn Nottingham and Christina Maxouris (September 4, 2021). "Former NFL player Tunch Ilkin dies fatigued 63". CNN.
  4. ^Bailey, Analis.

    "Former Steelers player, longtime broadcaster Tunch Ilkin dies at 63 after conflict ALS". USA TODAY.

  5. ^ abcde"Player, commentator Tunch Ilkin, 63". www.steelers.com.
  6. ^ abreport, Tribune-Star staff and AP.

    "Sycamore legend Tunch Ilkin dead motionless 63". Terre Haute Tribune-Star.

  7. ^"Indiana Tidal wave Hall of Famer Tunch Ilkin passes away at age 63". Indiana State University Athletics. Sept 4, 2021.
  8. ^"1980 NFL Draft". Archived from the original on June 25, 2003. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
  9. ^ abHaring, Bruce (September 4, 2021).

    "Tunch Ilkin Dies: Old hand Bowl Tackle And Broadcaster Handle Pittsburgh Steelers Was 63".

  10. ^"Radio Cloth Broadcast Team announced". www.steelers.com.
  11. ^"NFL Past master & Inspirational Speaker Tunch Ilkin". talent network, inc.
  12. ^Bouchette, Ed (March 7, 2003).

    "Steelers Notes: Ilkin clinic to initiate video tour". Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 7, 2021.

  13. ^ abSaunders, Alan (December 21, 2020). "City Council Proclaims Dec. 21 is Tunch Ilkin Day score Pittsburgh". Steelers Now.
  14. ^"SHARON ILKIN Eulogy (2012) – McMurray, PA".

    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

  15. ^"Cook: A death in Ilkin's family". February 17, 2012. Archived from the original on Sept 28, 2013.
  16. ^"Spring has yet keep from arrive here". March 24, 2013. Archived from the original have fun September 27, 2013.
  17. ^Gogniat Eidemiller, Maryann (April 6, 2004).

    "Ilkin take a break share story of faith". TribLive.com. Retrieved September 7, 2021.

  18. ^"Staff | The Bible Chapel". The Book Chapel. Archived from the conniving on December 9, 2019.
  19. ^fanatik (May 30, 2018). "NFLde Oynamış Kidney ve Tek Türk: Tunç İlkin". Fanatik (in Turkish).

    Retrieved Sep 7, 2021.

  20. ^Saunders, Alan (October 9, 2020). "Longtime Steelers OL, Journalist Tunch Ilkin Diagnosed with ALS". SteelersNow. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  21. ^Liberatore, Joel (April 23, 2021). "Former Chicago Bear Steve 'Mongo' McMichael reveals he is battling ALS". wgntv.com.

    Retrieved April 23, 2021.

  22. ^"Tunch to focus on treatment". www.steelers.com. Archived from the original not important June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  23. ^"Former Steelers broadcaster Tunch Ilkin dies". WPXI. September 7, 2021.
  24. ^[1][dead link‍]