Phyllis George, former Miss America, sportscaster, dead at 70

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Miss America Phyllis George, who later made her mark as a sportscaster and Kentucky's first lady, died Thursday at age 70, multiple news outlets are reporting.

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Dawn Wells FILE PHOTO: Actress Dawn Wells attends the 2015 TV Land Awards at Saban Theatre on April 11, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. Wells died Wednesday of illness related to COVID-19. She was 82. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

According to The Associated Press, George, who had a blood disorder, died at a Lexington hospital, her family said.

In a statement, George's children, Pamela Ashley Brown and Lincoln Tyler George Brown, called George an "incredible mother."

"It is all of the defining qualities the public never saw, especially against the winds of adversity, that symbolize how extraordinary she is more than anything else," the statement read, according to the AP. "The beauty so many recognized on the outside was a mere fraction of her internal beauty, only to be outdone by an unwavering spirit that allowed her to persevere against all the odds."

George first gained fame in 1970 when she became Miss Texas. She went on to become Miss America the following year, the AP reported. Starting in 1975, she was a sportscaster for CBS's pregame show, "The NFL Today," for three seasons, briefly left, then returned to the show from 1980 to 1983.

George, who married producer Robert Evans in 1977 and divorced him the following year, went on to wed John Y. Brown Jr. in 1979. Later that year, Brown, known for his basketball ventures and owning Kentucky Fried Chicken, was elected governor of Kentucky. The pair divorced in 1998, the AP reported.

Several public figures, broadcasters and athletes took to social media to pay tribute to George. Here's what they were saying:

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– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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