Don Wittman was a first generation sports broadcaster whose versatility in the industry was second to none. He covered football, curling, hockey, track and field, golf and multiple Olympic sports during his four-decade career with CBC Sports.

Don Wittman, synonymous with CBC Sports for nearly a half-century, died early on Saturday after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was 71.

Wittman joined CBC Sports on the first day of 1961 and embarked on a career that saw him do the play-by-play or report on 37 Grey Cups, 28 Stanley Cups, curling's Brier and Tournament of Hearts, Canadian Open golf and several exhilarating, disappointing and grave moments at 18 Summer and Winter Olympics.

Recently, Wittman's friends and colleagues paid tribute to him as he was inducted into the CBC Sports Hall of Fame on Jan. 9, 2008, in Winnipeg. Here's what some of them had to say about the man they call "Witt":

"Don Wittman is an icon of Canadian broadcasting, a national treasure. There's no other way to put it. When you think of this business and the tradition of great Canadian broadcasters, you think of Don Wittman first."
-- Brian Williams, former CBC Sports broadcaster

"For five decades, the stabilizing, often electrifying, always factual voice of Don Wittman fell silent today. … It's only fitting that Don died on a game day. These were the days he lived for."
-- Ron MacLean, host of Hockey Night in Canada

"Well, Don's a friend, you know, and has been for an awful long time since his days back in the early seventies when I worked in the newsroom here [in Winnipeg]."
-- Peter Mansbridge, host of The National

"He is one of the pioneers of sports broadcasting. He's first-generation sports broadcasting in this country. He was one of the first people on CBC network sports, he's done Olympics since 1964. He's done it all, and done it over a long term, and that is absolutely incredible."
-- CBC Sports executive director Scott Moore

"He has a wonderful memory and mind, I mean, he was almost photographic about what he could remember about an Olympic field and players on the football field."
-- Former CBC colleague John Wells

"On the Saturday mornings of every telecast I worked with Don, I recall him spending a couple of hours talking to players, coaches, writers and broadcasters, gathering as much information as possible, far more than he could ever use on the air. But, in Don's mind, better that than being unprepared."
-- Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake

"Don always believed that his job was to be the guide of a sporting event. He took us through, he introduced us to the characters, then he let the athletes shine. Don was the guide, he was the storyteller. That's what made him great."
-- CBC Sports broadcaster Scott Russell

"I've talked to Don a couple of times about his situation. He's very philosophical about it. He says 'it's been a great life, Pick, no complaints, no regrets.' He said, 'I've had a lot of good things happen to me,' and he says 'I'm just living it one day at a time."
-- Former CBC colleague Bob Picken

"He was always supportive in trying to make you a better broadcaster. It was a real thrill to first just be playing in a game he was broadcasting on, and secondly to get the opportunity to work with him."
-- Hall of Fame curler & CBC Morning host Colleen Jones

"There was never an out of control ego that got in the way of a great game or broadcast. He just called the game itself for the viewer to enjoy."
-- Hockey Night in Canada analyst Kelly Hrudey

"He was a professional from the time he got to the rink to the time he was finished."
-- Hockey Night in Canada analyst Harry Neale

"The era of great curling was just starting and he just took it to great heights. We started to get huge numbers and it was because of his great broadcasting."
-- Former curling broadcast colleague Don Duguid

"He would cover the Oilers on a regular basis, follow the Winnipeg Jets on a regular basis, so I had an opportunity to spend a lot of time with him, have a lot of nice nights with him, and some fond memories."
-- Phoenix Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky

"Don's a good friend, starting with my days in Winnipeg -- and of course he's well-known, the voice is so familiar for hockey and other sports."
-- Ottawa Senators head coach John Paddock

"He believed in high standards and insisted everybody else around him follow similar high standards, so he was a great combination and he will be sadly missed."
-- Geoff Gowan, former CBC track & field broadcast colleague

"For decades, Don Wittman's call was the soundtrack to the Grey Cup. He covered Canada's biggest game in a distinctly Canadian way: with style and grace and a touch of humility, instead of an overabundance of hype. For all of his talent, accomplishments and accolades, Don never thought he was bigger than the game itself."
-- statement from the CFL

"He's had such a wonderful career, and represented our city so well across the country and around the globe."
-- Manitoba Moose governor Mark Chipman

"He would be the best friend a viewer could ever have on giving them the straight goods on any kind of event. He would not overhype something and he would never undersell it -- you could trust Don to give you the actual real take on how important a sports moment was."
-- Terry Ludwick, CBC director of programming, English television sports