[tracy hackler]

<p>Donruss officials recently announced that the company has inked Dick Vitale, legendary announcer and one of the newest members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, to an agreement that will feature Vitale's first certified autograph card.</p>
<p>Company officials already have completed the signing with Vitale, known for his effusive personality and omnipresent catch phrases, and his cards will first appear in Donruss Americana II, set to release in July.</p>
<p>"It's amazing that in the competitive basketball market you can still find someone this popular who hasn't had a certified autograph card," says Donruss Marketing Director Scott Prusha. "This is another first for the industry and another way we are creatively providing content that nobody else has to make products like Americana and Elite Extra Edition among the most popular in the industry."</p>
<p>Vitale is also set to make an appearance in the popular collegiate-themed product, Donruss Elite Extra Edition (due out in April). Vitale signed stickers as well as several of his catch-phrase notations on cuts including: "It's Awesome Baby," "Dickie V," "Mr. College Basketball" and "Dipsy Doo Dunkeroo."</p>
<p>Vitale's career started in the coaching ranks, first for the University of Detroit and then for the NBA's Detroit Pistons. After being released from his duties with the Pistons, he decided to take a job at a then little known cable television station called ESPN. Thirty years later, he's still at it.</p>
<p>For more information, visit http://www.donruss.com.</p>