Ernst Huberty died at the age of 96

Died at the age of 96: Ernst Huberty.

IMAGO/Sven Simon

“We sadly say goodbye to Ernst Huberty. As ‘Mr. Sportschau’, as the audience affectionately called him, he was the first moderator to have a decisive influence on this show: pleasantly calm and with great seriousness. Ernst Huberty will remain with us not only as the moderator of the Sportschau, but also as a sports reporter legend,” said WDR director Tom Buhrow.

Huberty hosted the very first sports show on June 4, 1961. He will never be forgotten as the commentator on the game of the century between Germany and Italy in the semifinals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico (3:4 aet).

German football reacted with dismay. “We mourn a pioneer in Bundesliga reporting. Rest in peace, Ernst Huberty,” tweeted the German Football League (DFL). Numerous clubs also expressed their condolences to the family.

Huberty was born in Trier in 1927. After initially working as a sports reporter and presenter at Südwestfunk in Baden-Baden, he came to WDR in 1957, where he became a member of the Hier und Heute editorial team. Three years later he switched to the sports department, moderated the sports show from 1961 to 1982 and commented on live games. In 1970 he also took over the management of the sports department at WDR.