Longtime Pittsburgh sports columnist and radio host on 93.7 The Fan, Ron Cook, announced his retirement this morning on The Cook & Joe Show with his partner Joe Starkey.
“I have been looking forward to this week for a long time, but I have also been dreading it for a long time,” Cook said to start their show this morning. “This is gonna be my last week on The Fan, my last show will be Thursday. My final column will appear in the Post-Gazette on Sunday.”
Cook told his co-host, “It’s just time. I dread it because I’m leaving so much behind but I’m looking forward to it because I have so much ahead.” Cook said he will be headed to Florida, where he has a place in Ft. Meyers.
Cook said he plans to watch the Super Bowl this coming weekend and then for the first time in over 40 years he will not have to wake up the next day and write about it or talk about it on the radio. “It’s been a blast with you guys,” Cook said today, adding that while it is what he wants to do, it “rips my heart out,” that he is retiring.
In a story posted on The Fan’s webpage, Audacy Pittsburgh Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Michael Spacciapolli said, “From the first day 93.7 The Fan signed on the air, Ron brought instant credibility to the station with, not only with reputation as one of the top columnists in the market, but also a trusted voice that sports fans wanted to hear from. That is a rare combination and, to this day, we are fortunate that Ron was here with us from the beginning.”
Cook hosted on KDKA Radio from 1993 through 2002. He started with 93.7 The Fan when it debuted 14 years ago.
