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Pete Gross | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-12-28)December 28, 1936 San Francisco Bay Area, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 2, 1992(1992-12-02) (aged 55) |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team | Seattle Seahawks |
Peter R. Gross (December 28, 1936 – December 2, 1992) was an Americansports announcer known inSeattle, Washington, as the "Voice of theSeahawks" for 17 years.[1][2] He spent most of his career as a radio play-by-play announcer withKIRO (AM). His most memorable call line was "Touchdown Seahawks!"
Before announcing for the Seahawks, Gross called football and basketball play-by-play for theUniversity of Washington in Seattle as well as for theUniversity of the Pacific inStockton, California. He was the play-by-play announcer on KIRO-TVSeattle SuperSonics telecasts from 1976 to 1978. The Seahawks inducted Gross into theirRing of Honor in1992, attending the ceremony just two days before his death.[1][2]
Born and raised in theSan Francisco Bay area,[3] Gross graduated fromTamalpais High School in 1954. He attended theUniversity of Southern California (USC) and graduated from theUniversity of Miami, where he competed as a swimmer.[4]
Gross began his career in sports broadcasting as high school play-by-play announcer inWatsonville, California. Later, he worked as a Top 40 disc jockey atKSRO Santa Rosa,KXOA Sacramento (using the on-air name "Tony King"), andKJOY Stockton. While in Sacramento, Gross also served as Director of Public Relations for theSacramento Capitols of theContinental Football League,[5] while also doing football play-by-play forAmerican River College. At K-JOY Gross was play-by-play broadcaster for theUniversity of the Pacific football and basketball.[citation needed] He later continued broadcasting sports on KIRO 710 Radio in Seattle in 1973, covering University of Washington football and basketball, and radio and TV broadcasting of the NBA SuperSonics.[citation needed]
When the expansion Seattle Seahawks began NFL preseason play in1976, Gross became their play-by-play announcer, an assignment which eventually stretched out 17 years. His original broadcast partners on the Seahawks radio broadcasts wereDon Heinrich andWayne Cody. In addition, Gross covered Pac-10 basketball broadcasts for TCS/Metro and ESPN, color analysis for Philadelphia 76ers broadcasts, and color for the Mutual radio network's coverage of the NBA championships (1978).
Gross broadcast 331 Seahawks' games as the Voice of the Seahawks; in seventeen seasons, he called almost every game, only missing five games in 1992 due to cancer. In the1983 season, Gross was in the broadcast booth as the Seahawks came within one game of theSuper Bowl. His trademark call was "Touchdown, Seahawks!"[6]Steve Raible, who served ascolor commentator with Gross for much of his 17 years, continues to call that line as the Seahawks play-by-play announcer today, a role he has served in since 2004.
Gross died of cancer in 1992 at age 55,[7] two days after his entry into the team'sRing of Honor.[1][2] TheFred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center created the Pete Gross House, a 69-unit housing complex that provides living space for families of patients undergoing treatment at the center, in his memory.[8] Pete Gross House also houses an administrative office for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Gross was married with three daughters.[1][2]