Gene Elston | |
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| Born | Robert Gene Elston (1922-03-26)March 26, 1922 Fort Dodge,Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | September 5, 2015(2015-09-05) (aged 93) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1954–1997 |
Robert Gene Elston (March 26, 1922 – September 5, 2015) was an AmericanMajor League Baseball (MLB) broadcaster, primarily with theHouston Astros.
A native ofFort Dodge, Iowa, Elston was born on March 26, 1922.[1] He started work in 1940 with the radio stationKVFD. He did baseball and high schoolbasketball before he was sent to serve inWorld War II. He returned in 1944 for the station. He moved toWaterloo, Iowa to cover the minor league baseballWaterloo White Hawks of theIllinois–Indiana–Iowa League in1946.[2] His first job in the major leagues was eight years later in1954, when he became the number two radio announcer for theChicago Cubs, alongsideBert Wilson. In1958, he moved to a national radio audience by announcing theGame of the Day on theMutual Broadcasting System, withBob Feller.
In1961, Elston joined veteran radio broadcasterLoel Passe to announce the final season of Houston's minor league franchise, theHouston Buffs. With the expansion of the major league and the inaugural1962 season of theHouston Colt 45s, Elston was chosen to lead the radio broadcast. Passe stayed on as the color commentator with Elston until Passe retired in1976. Elston had numerous broadcast partners, such asHarry Kalas (1965 to 1970),Bob Prince (1976),Dewayne Staats (1977 to 1984), andLarry Dierker (1980 to 1986).
The team changed its name to theAstros three years later, and Elston continued as their main announcer through1986, when he ended his association with the Astros and joinedTal Smith Enterprises as a consultant and researcher.
Elston's broadcasting style was somewhat restrained, as opposed to being a "homer." However, he left himself just enough room to get excited during historic moments, such asNolan Ryan's fifth careerno-hitter:
Two balls and no strikes toBaker. And a ground ball to third!Art Howe--he got it! Nolan Ryan--no-hitter number five!
In 25 seasons, Elston called eleven no-hitters and two division clinchers for the Astros to go along with calling the 500th home run ofEddie Mathews andNolan Ryan passingWalter Johnson for strikeouts.[3][4] In late 1986,Dick Wagner fired Elston, who responded by stating, "If they want somebody to phony up some excitement, I can’t change my personality."[5][6]
Starting in1987, Elston resumed calling national radio broadcasts instead of games for a specific team. He called theCBS RadioGame of the Week until1995, and also called postseasonNLDS games on CBS Radio in1995,1996, and1997. He then retired from broadcasting.
Elston was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2002.
In2006, Elston was awarded theFord C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. The award is given annually to a baseball announcer who has given major contributions to the game. Elston was healthy enough, at the age of 84, to accept the award in person atCooperstown.[6][7]
Elston died at the age of 93 in 2015. His ashes were placed in theHouston National Cemetery.[7]
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