13 Facts About Bob Elson

Robert Arthur Elson was a pioneering American sportscaster who was the voice of the Chicago White Sox for all or parts of four decades.

Bob Elson became a finalist, and was hired after a vote by listeners.

In 1929, Bob Elson began calling all home games of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.

Nationally, Bob Elson called numerous World Series and All-Star Games in the 1930s and 1940s, most often teaming with Red Barber on Mutual radio.

Bob Elson called radio broadcasts of Chicago Black Hawks hockey from 1934 to 1940 and again from 1945 to 1955, and Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals football from 1933 to 1936.

Bob Elson called national broadcasts of pro and college football for Mutual radio in the 1930s and 1940s.

When Major League Baseball began making annual films of the Fall Classic in 1943, Bob Elson was chosen to narrate them, a role he filled through the 1948 campaign.

Bob Elson called Oakland Athletics games in 1971 before returning to Chicago, where he teamed with Lloyd Pettit on Black Hawks radio broadcasts from 1972 to 1975.

Bob Elson re-created the series over White Sox radio flagship WCFL.

Bob Elson was often described as "relaxed" on the air, not easily succumbing to emotion or hyperbole.

Bob Elson was one of the first broadcasters to do on-field interviews.

Bob Elson caught celebrities for spontaneous interviews while they were in the station.

Bob Elson was co-host of An Hour With Bob Elson and Anson, a daily variety program that began October 13,1941, on WGN.