RIP Ron Stone (non-baseball)

[Houston]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5776076.html

It's funny how seeing someone on TV, especially during your childhood, makes it seem like you know that person. That's how I felt about Ron Stone, Dave Ward, and Marvin Zindler. They were part of my childhood in Houston.

RIP Ron Stone.

[ValpoCory]

Thanks.   Cancer is a bitch.  Just 72 years old ... so young nowadays. 

[Fredia]

so sad . channel 2 news and ron stone were an intsitiution. i always liked his style

[matadorph]

Sad.

Ron Stone and Dave Ward were fixtures in my house, too.

Speaking of which...If I were a 13-yr-old growing up in Austin today, I'd make Michelle Valles an integral part of my pubescent years.

[JaneDoe]

Sad.

Ron Stone and Dave Ward were fixtures in my house, too.

Speaking of which...If I were a 13-yr-old growing up in Austin today, I'd make Michelle Valles an integral part of my pubescent years.

My dad always accused my mom of having the hots for Doug Johnson, the former Channel 2 chief meteorologist.

[Noe]

This is sad.  Ron Stone wasn't just the New2 anchor for many years, he was great on Channel 11 prior to that.  Later on the "Eyes of Texas", Stoney was awesome.  The days when Stone was anchor and Ron Franklin was sport anchor is some of the best news shows in Houston.  Rivaled only by Dave Ward as anchor, Dan Lovett as sports anchor and Ed Brandon as the weather man.

[Andyzipp]

Sad.

Ron Stone and Dave Ward were fixtures in my house, too.

Speaking of which...If I were a 13-yr-old growing up in Austin today, I'd make Michelle Valles an integral part of my pubescent years.

This is exactly why I watch Jennifer Reyes every morning...for traffic.

[strosrays]

I didn't watch Houston TV, so I don't know Stone from that.  But wasn't it he and Franklin who did radio for the Oiler games?  Stone was really, really good.  He made the Oilers seem interesting, even whe they weren't very much.

[Ty in Tampa]

Very sad. He was Houston television for me growing up.

[Ebby Calvin]

That's very sad to hear. He was one of my favorites growing up, and a big reason why I went into journalism. He and Craig Roberts, whom I've recently disowned thanks to his unfunny, self-depricating banter on 790am. RIP, Ron Stone.

[Curly]

When a person is in your house pretty much everynight of your young life, I guess they do become part of your life.  I'm actually pretty amazed at how this is makes me feel the loss.  Not sure if it's so much the loss of life (obviously my sympathy goes to the family) or that yet another "item" from my childhood is gone forever but for memories.  He was still doing comercials for a foundation repare company here in the Austin area, and was always pretty cool to hear his voice now and again.  I really enjoyed him when he took over on The Eyes of Texas when Miller past away.  It was a pretty cool show for me to watch with my parents and learn about odd places and things about our great state.  He will surely be missed.

[Noe]

I didn't watch Houston TV, so I don't know Stone from that.  But wasn't it he and Franklin who did radio for the Oiler games?  Stone was really, really good.  He made the Oilers seem interesting, even whe they weren't very much.

Ron Franklin and Dan Lovett did the Oilers games for a good long while in the 70s and Stone used to be their spotter and occasional on-air voice.  I think Stone did the Oilers broadcast later with someone else, maybe Tom Franklin.  But during the 70s, the days of Willie Alexander (or as Dan Lovett used to call him "Willie Alex-ANNN-der") and Ken Houston, it was Ron Franklin and Dan Lovett pretty much.  There was something about the smooth voice of Ron Franklin saying "Hoyle Grangier up the middle for five yards and first down" followed by Lovett's "Hoyle Gran-GIEEER... he would not be denied, he was a man on a mission, a man with a desire to get that first down come what may".  They complimented each other well.

I think for a season or two after Lovett left, Stone went ahead and joined Ron Franklin until both of them left the Oilers pretty much at the same time.

[Ron Brand]

Dave Ward was terrific - he used to duck into Kay's and hoist a few, which always made the evenings memorable - but Ron Stone was a real class act all the way and a fantastic broadcaster.  Damn sad news.   Cancer sucks.

[Holly]

Thanks for posting this, as I was heading over here to do the same. I grew up listening to/watching him on Channel 2 here, and I loved his work with the Eyes of Texas. His color pieces were easy-going works of art without any sense of pretentiousness, and anyone who listened to his work could tell that he really cared about what he did, and was doing his best to bring everyday stories into his viewers' everyday lives.

Legend seems a little bombastic of a term, but for lack of a better one, his is the passing of a legend, IMO. RIP, indeed.

For those who are not familiar with his work, the NBC affiliate in town has a very good summary article on their website:

http://www.click2houston.com/news/15925957/detail.html

[Dobro]

This is exactly why I watch Jennifer Reyes every morning...for traffic.

It's Jennifer "Reyna."  She trains at the same gym I do, and dear Lord she's smokin' hot.

[Tralfaz]

Listening to radio gold voice of Ron Stone on The Eyes of Texas, could take me right back to the Nasa area of Houston in the mid 1970's.  Luv ya Blue, the Astrodome, Rainbowguts.  Sitting around with the folks laughing at the hilarious chemestry between Stone and  Doug Johnson, forgot about that.  Now where's my Evil Kenivel Action Cycle?

Long Live Ron Stone!

[Andyzipp]

It's Jennifer "Reyna."  She trains at the same gym I do, and dear Lord she's smokin' hot.

Yes.  Sorry. I blame the cough syrup.