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.