Phyllis George, Miss America 1971 and a trailblazing sportscaster, died May 14 at age 70, ESPN reports.
George died after battling a blood disorder, her ex-husband, former Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown Jr., confirmed.
Miss Texas 1970 before claiming the Miss America crown, George went on to become the first woman sportscaster at a major TV network, at CBS, in 1974. She was a regular on the Emmy-winning “The NFL Today” (1975-1983) and hosted “CBS Morning News” for part of 1985, the latter of which became controversial when she encouraged a man falsely imprisoned for rape and his accuser to hug it out on live TV. They did not.
Briefly married to colorful producer Robert Evans from 1977-1978, George was married to Brown from 1979-1998, serving as Kentucky’s First Lady during her husband’s term as governor from 1979-1983.
She was a noted businesswoman, with Chicken by George (a chicken fillet business) and a Phyllis George Beauty line to her credit.
George is survived by her two children.