Vitale’s throat is cleared for return to the air

It is hard to silence Dick Vitale, and he returns to the air tonight to broadcast the Duke-North Carolina game on ESPN after an absence of more than two months because of surgery to remove ulcers from his vocal cords.

For 3 1/2 weeks, Vitale couldn’t speak, instead scribbling madly on a grease board for his wife, Lorraine.

“I went through so many pens, so many pads!” he said.

A biopsy of the tissue was negative, but Vitale described waiting to hear if the ulcers were cancerous as very difficult.

“That word scares the life out of anyone,” he said.

Vitale, 68, also had problems during his recovery that led to high fevers, two emergency room visits and prostate surgery, he said.

“It was a very emotional time the last two months,” he said, sounding very much the same. “Really, there was a moment I was afraid I would never be behind a microphone again.”

Vitale’s throat had given him increasing trouble in recent years, and he said the problem finally was diagnosed by Dr. Steven Zeitels, the specialist who performed the surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Vitale said he would try to avoid doubleheaders and back-to-back games, and he is learning methods to preserve the voice that has become synonymous with college basketball.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about over-abuse of my throat over the years,” he said.

Vitale said he knew his voice would be “scrutinized,” but asked people to be patient.

“It’s not like I’m going to come out there and say, “Hey, he’s awesome, baby!’ and all that,” he said, launching into his familiar shtick anyway. “I’ve got to be smart about it.

“I’ll always be raspy,” he added. “Hey, Rod Stewart’s raspy and he makes million of dollars.”

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robyn.norwood@latimes.com