Gene Peterson, who served as the radio voice for the Houston Rockets for more than 30 years, has died.
“He loved his job, the Rockets, he was fiercely loyal to his family,” his son, Todd Peterson, told the Houston Chronicle. “He loved golf. And in his later years, fell in love with the Astros. Even in the hospital, they put it on for him. He really fell in love with them. He watched every game.”
According to Peterson’s son, he had developed lung cancer that spread to his liver and gall bladder before suffering a fall two weeks ago that led to a hospital stay.
Craig Ackerman, who succeeded Peterson on the Rockets Radio Network before moving to the television booth, argued the longtime voice should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I’m frankly surprised that he and Jim (Foley, Peterson’s longtime broadcast partner) are not at this point,” Ackerman said. “Gene had the quintessential voice for broadcasting, deep, baritone, everything you put in a textbook, he checked all those boxes.”
During his career, he spent 33 years as the radio voice of the Houston Rockets before retiring in 2008. He had also previously served as the radio voice of the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits, along with other radio positions in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Kansas City before settling in Houston as the Sports Director at KPRC-AM.
Gene Peterson was 83. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Marsha, and their three children.
