Robert Gene Elston was an American Major League Baseball broadcaster, primarily with the Houston Astros.
11 Facts About Gene Elston
1.
2.
Gene Elston started work in 1940 with the radio station KVFD.
3.
Gene Elston did baseball and high school basketball before he was sent to serve in World War II.
4.
In 1961, Gene Elston joined veteran radio broadcaster Loel Passe to announce the final season of Houston's minor league franchise, the Houston Buffs.
5.
Gene Elston had numerous broadcast partners, such as Harry Kalas, Bob Prince, Dewayne Staats, and Larry Dierker.
6.
In 25 seasons, Gene Elston called eleven no-hitters and two division clinchers for the Astros to go along with calling the 500th home run of Eddie Mathews and Nolan Ryan passing Walter Johnson for strikeouts.
7.
Gene Elston called the CBS Radio Game of the Week until 1995, and called postseason NLDS games on CBS Radio in 1995,1996, and 1997.
8.
Gene Elston was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2002.
9.
In 2006, Elston was awarded the Ford C Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
10.
Gene Elston was healthy enough, at the age of 84, to accept the award in person at Cooperstown.
11.
Gene Elston's ashes were placed in the Houston National Cemetery.