Gene Elston

Robert Gene Elston (March 26, 1922 – September 5, 2015) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) broadcaster, primarily with the Houston Astros.

A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Elston was born on March 26, 1922. His first job in announcing was high school basketball in 1941. From there he progressed to minor league baseball starting in 1946. His first job in the major leagues was 8 years later in 1954, when he became the number two radio announcer for the Chicago Cubs, alongside Bert Wilson. In 1958, he moved to a national radio audience by announcing the Game of the Day on the Mutual Broadcasting System, with Bob Feller.

In 1961, Elston joined veteran radio broadcaster Loel Passe to announce the final season of Houston's minor league franchise, the Houston Buffs. With the expansion of the major league and the inaugural 1962 season of the Houston Colt 45s, Elston was chosen to lead the radio broadcast. (Passe stayed on as the color commentator with Elston until Passe retired in 1976.) The team changed its name to the Astros three years later, and Elston continued as their main announcer through 1986, when he ended his association with the Astros and joined Tal 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 as Nolan Ryan's fifth career no-hitter:

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