Pete Gross
Encyclopedia
Peter R. Gross, a Northwest sports announcer, was a household name in Seattle, Washington
for 17 years as the "Voice of the Seahawks
." He spent most of his career as a radio play-by-play announcer with KIRO (AM)
. His most memorable call line was "Touchdown Seahawks!" Steve Raible
, who served as color commentator
with Pete Gross during much of his 17 years, continues to call that line as the Seahawks play-by-play announcer today. Gross' original broadcast partners on the Seahawks radio broadcasts were Don Heinrich
and Wayne Cody
.
Before announcing for the Seahawks, Gross's called football and basketball play-by-play for the University of Washington
as well as for the University of the Pacific. He was also the play-by-play announcer on KIRO-TV Seattle SuperSonics telecasts from 1976-1978.
The Seahawks inducted Gross into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 1992. In his 17 seasons, Gross called almost every game, only missing five games in 1992 due to cancer. In 1983, Gross and the Seahawks came within one game of the Super Bowl.
Gross died of cancer in 1992, three days after his entry into the Seahawks Ring of Honor. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
created Pete Gross House in his honor.http://www.fhcrc.org/patient/support/pghouse/community.html. Pete Gross House is a 69-unit housing complex that provides living space for families of patients undergoing treatment at the Center. Pete Gross House also houses the Hutch School, a fully accredited K through 12 school for cancer patients and their siblings.
Pete Gross was born in 1936, grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, California and graduated from Tamalpais High School
. Gross attended USC and graduated from the University of Miami where he competed as a swimmer. Afterwards he married Beverly Sue Peterson and had their three daughters, Debreah, Wendy, and Suzann Gross.
Professional career: Pete Gross began his career in sports broadcasting as high school play-by-play announcer in Watsonville, California
. Later, he worked as a rock'n roll disk jockey in Santa Rosa and Sacramento. Gross served as play-by-play broadcaster for the University of the Pacific
football and basketball in Stockton. Gross later continued work sports broadcasting at KIRO 710 Radio in Seattle in 1973, covering University of Washington football and basketball play-by-play and radio and TV broadcasting of the NBA SuperSonics. When the NFL expansion team, Seattle Seahawks began preseason play in 1976, Pete Gross became the Seahawks play-by-play announcer for 17 years. In addition, Gross covered Pac-10 basketball play-by-play 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, with his trademark call. "Touchdown, Seahawks!"
Honors: Washington State Sportscaster of the Year in 1982, 1984, 1985; Sports reporting and play-by-play broadcasting recognized by awards from the Washington Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press. His name was added to Seahawks Ring of Honor.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
for 17 years as the "Voice of the Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
." He spent most of his career as a radio play-by-play announcer with KIRO (AM)
KIRO (AM)
KIRO is a radio station based in Seattle, Washington on the shores of Lake Union with 2 towers on Maury Island, broadcasting on 710 kHz in the AM radio spectrum...
. His most memorable call line was "Touchdown Seahawks!" Steve Raible
Steve Raible
Steve Carl Raible is a former NFL wide receiver and currently an anchor for KIRO 7 in Seattle, Washington.He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended college at Georgia Tech. An original member of the Seattle Seahawks as a second round selection in the 1976 NFL Draft , he played wide...
, who served as color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
with Pete Gross during much of his 17 years, continues to call that line as the Seahawks play-by-play announcer today. Gross' original broadcast partners on the Seahawks radio broadcasts were Don Heinrich
Don Heinrich
Donald Alan Heinrich was an American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Washington, and also played professionally for the NFL's New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, and in the American Football League for the Oakland Raiders in...
and Wayne Cody
Wayne Cody
Wayne Cody was an American popular radio and television sportscaster who spent the bulk of his career in Seattle, broadcasting on KIRO and KIRO-TV....
.
Before announcing for the Seahawks, Gross's called football and basketball play-by-play for the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
as well as for the University of the Pacific. He was also the play-by-play announcer on KIRO-TV Seattle SuperSonics telecasts from 1976-1978.
The Seahawks inducted Gross into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 1992. In his 17 seasons, Gross called almost every game, only missing five games in 1992 due to cancer. In 1983, Gross and the Seahawks came within one game of the Super Bowl.
Gross died of cancer in 1992, three days after his entry into the Seahawks Ring of Honor. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is one of the world’s leading cancer research institutes...
created Pete Gross House in his honor.http://www.fhcrc.org/patient/support/pghouse/community.html. Pete Gross House is a 69-unit housing complex that provides living space for families of patients undergoing treatment at the Center. Pete Gross House also houses the Hutch School, a fully accredited K through 12 school for cancer patients and their siblings.
Pete Gross was born in 1936, grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, California and graduated from Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School is a public secondary school located in Mill Valley, California. It is named after nearby Mount Tamalpais, which rises more than above Mill Valley....
. Gross attended USC and graduated from the University of Miami where he competed as a swimmer. Afterwards he married Beverly Sue Peterson and had their three daughters, Debreah, Wendy, and Suzann Gross.
Professional career: Pete Gross began his career in sports broadcasting as high school play-by-play announcer in Watsonville, California
Watsonville, California
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
. Later, he worked as a rock'n roll disk jockey in Santa Rosa and Sacramento. Gross served as play-by-play broadcaster for the University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific
The University of the Pacific is a private university in Stockton, California, United States, originally affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
football and basketball in Stockton. Gross later continued work sports broadcasting at KIRO 710 Radio in Seattle in 1973, covering University of Washington football and basketball play-by-play and radio and TV broadcasting of the NBA SuperSonics. When the NFL expansion team, Seattle Seahawks began preseason play in 1976, Pete Gross became the Seahawks play-by-play announcer for 17 years. In addition, Gross covered Pac-10 basketball play-by-play 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, with his trademark call. "Touchdown, Seahawks!"
Honors: Washington State Sportscaster of the Year in 1982, 1984, 1985; Sports reporting and play-by-play broadcasting recognized by awards from the Washington Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press. His name was added to Seahawks Ring of Honor.