ESPN's Tom Mees dies in accident

      Tom Mees, Delaware '72, who began a successful sports broadcasting
career by providing radio play-by-play for Blue Hen football and
basketball and rose to national prominence as one of the pioneers of
ESPN, the cable sports network, drowned in a swimming pool accident Aug.
15 near his home in Southington, Connecticut. 
      Mr. Mees, 46, is survived by his wife, Michelle, and two
daughters, Lauren and Gabrielle. 
      A native of Delaware County, Pa., Mr. Mees first broadcast UD
football and football games on the UD student-run station, moving on to
spend six years as sports director of WILM-AM radio in Wilmington, Del.
During his career there, he provided play-by-play for UD football and
basketball broadcasts, covered professional baseball and basketball,
hosted a weekly sports talk show and provided daily sports commentary.
      Mr. Mees became sports director in 1978 at WECA-TV in Tallahassee,
Fla., and following year, he was named SportsCenter anchor at ESPN's
inception.
      Mr. Mees returned to the University of Delaware several times to
emcee the Blue Hen Hoop Club banquet, and he handled the commentary on
ESPN for Delaware's North Atlantic Conference men's basketball
championship game victory over Drexel University in 1992.
      A scholarship fund has been established for Mr. Mees' daughters.
Gifts may be made to the Mees' Children's Trusts, P.0. Box 6811, East
Brunswick, NJ 08816-6811.