Longtime Omaha World-Herald sports reporter Steven Pivovar passed away early Wednesday. He was 63 years old.
The newspaper announced the news on theirwebsite and social media pages.
We lost a legend. Thank you for everything you gave to the readers of the World-Herald. #playcatchforpiv #pivstrong pic.twitter.com/htJNPTklAb
— World-Herald Photo (@OWHpictures) August 10, 2016
OWH says Pivovar fought kidney cancer in the past and most recently fought pneumonia.
A South Omaha native, Pivovar worked with the World-Herald for more than 45 years.
He was known for covering the paper's sports beat which included the College World Series, Nebraska and Iowa football and high school sports.
Everyone from the College World Series to local sports teams have paid their condolences to Pivovar and his family.
45 years.
500 #CWS Games.
Today, we lost a legend.Our thoughts are with those mourning the loss of Steve Pivovar. pic.twitter.com/ohbHrCwcJM
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) August 10, 2016
Steve Pivovar was a man with great talents, a strong passion for his job and life, and outstanding character—this is an exceedingly rare trifecta. Above all else he was a great husband, father and friend. Our continued thoughts and prayers are with Sue and the family." -Bruce Rasmussen, Creighton Athletic Director
"A great man, a genuine man and a tremendous friend. I'll miss everything about him but his humor, his sarcasm, his love for his family, his passion for baseball and his dedication to his profession are what I'll miss most. Piv was as old school as they come, which was always refreshing to me, and he didn't have a phony bone in his body. We lost an original today. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, his wife Sue, and his three children." -Kevin Sarver, Creighton Associate Athletic Director
"I loved working with Piv. I looked forward to the times when he would come to campus to talk. Even when he wasn't doing an article on our team, I loved to talk to him when I saw him on campus. I enjoyed his sense of humor, his perspective, and his willingness to talk about his family or ask me about mine. I always found him genuine, and we often sat and talked for several minutes both before and after he turned off his tape recorder. I knew Piv for close to 25 years. We laughed a lot together, and I truly enjoyed sharing our love of sports through our conversations. I thought the world of him as both a person and a professional. "I was rocked when I first heard of his cancer diagnosis, and I'm really sad today. My heart goes out to Sue and the kids and grandkids. I know Piv loved his family and was a committed husband, father and grandfather. I hurt for his family, and I hurt for Creighton. I considered him, and I know many others did too, a part of the Creighton family. We are richer for having had Piv around our programs, but today is a tough day. In saying that, I am aware of and thankful for the strength of Piv's faith and the faith and strength of his family. That is what will carry his family and all of his friends thru this." -Jim Flanery, Creighton Women's Basketball coach
"Steve Pivovar was a true professional in every sense of the word. While he was supposed to remain "neutral" to adequately cover the teams he was assigned, his true care for the athletes and coaches he worked with was evident. It is a sad day for everyone involved in Creighton basketball, past and present, as we have lost a great friend. My thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful wife Sue and his three children." -Greg McDermott, Creighton Men's Basketball coach
"Steve Pivovar was a great writer and even better person who treated our athletes and coaches in a first-class and fair manner. The man literally wrote the book on Creighton Basketball, as well as another on the history of Rosenblatt Stadium, and no one was more of an expert on the College World Series than the man that everyone called 'Piv'. He will be missed greatly. My thoughts are with his family." -Rob Anderson, Sports Information Director
"I'll always remember and cherish the conversations we had about our families. His daughter Shannon worked with our team for two years as the sports information director. We'd often talk about her goals to pursue a career in coaching. Steve was a not only a great writer, but he was a very genuine person. Myself as well as the players held great respect for him, but more than that we enjoyed talking with him. We're going to miss Steve a great deal." -Ed Servais, Creighton Baseball coach
Everyone here at KMTV and Omaha Sports Insider are thinking of our friends at the World-Herald during this time.
To read the rest of OWH's obit of Pivovar, click here.
