Pedro Gomez, age 58, an Arizona-based reporter for ESPN who was a frequent presence at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, died on February, 7, 2021.

The Cronkite School and Gomez’s family established the Pedro Gomez Foundation Fund to honor his memory and continue his impact on sports journalism students.  

“Not only was Pedro an incredible journalist, but he was an even better person,” said Brett Kurland, director of sports programs and the Phoenix Sports Bureau at the Cronkite School. “He was always so generous to everybody connected to Cronkite — our students, our alumni, our faculty. It wasn’t just class visits or speaking appearances or mentoring. He was the first to share advice and wisdom when he encountered a Cronkite student in a clubhouse, to welcome them in and show them the ropes, to give them a word of encouragement.

“He gave so much to Cronkite and its students. What an incredible honor that his family has chosen to establish this fund to carry his legacy forward at Cronkite, to continue his tremendous impact on the Cronkite community.”

Born shortly after his parents immigrated from Cuba, Gomez started his journalism career in Miami and made his way to The Arizona Republic in Phoenix before landing a job at ESPN in 2003.

“The fund, I would imagine, is exactly what Pedro would want,” said Paola Boivin, digital director of the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau and friend to Gomez. “He was always about helping others, whether they were journalists or just people that were underserved. People know him as such a great baseball mind, but I know him more for having a bigger heart.”

Gomez was a celebrated baseball journalist and left an impact on the many Cronkite School students who had the opportunity to meet him.

Make a gift to the Pedro Gomez Foundation Fund at the Cronkite School or contact Lindsay Walker , director of development, for more information or 602-496-5052. (Source: ASU News)