wwlp ed hatch tom colton rollie jacobs ed kennedy
The WWLP news team in 1964: Left to right, Ed Hatch, Tom Colton, Rollie Jacobs and Ed Kennedy. The photo is from the book, "How We Survived in UHF Television: A Broadcasting Memoir, 1953-1984," by William Lowell Putnam and Kitty Broman Putnam. Rollie Jacobs, WWLP's first sportscaster who retired as the station's sports director in 1984, died Wednesday at a Holyoke retirement home. He was 86.
(WWLP-TV)
SPRINGFIELD — Rollie Jacobs, the legendary former Channel 22 sportscaster and longtime voice of Riverside Park Speedway, died Wednesday evening at Loomis House, a continuing care retirement community in Holyoke. He was 86.
For generations of television viewers in this region, "Rollie Jacobs highlighted the best and the brightest from the world of sports," Scott Coen, the local sportswriter and TV personality, wrote in a recent tribute to Jacobs' 50 years hosting the Western Mass Tee Party, an annual event marking the start of the local golf season.
Jacobs retired as sports director for WWLP-TV / 22News in 1984, but that didn't slow down the avid, lifelong golfer, who continued to stay involved in his community.
A Loomis representative told 22News that Jacobs died peacefully with family members at his side. One of Jacobs' children, Patricia Voyer, told the TV station that her father had multiple health issues in recent years and moved last month to a Loomis Retirement Community facility with his wife, Eleanor "Ellie" Jacobs.
Rollie Jacobs was WWLP's first sportscaster and eventually became the news station's sports director, a position he held until his retirement in 1984.
Voyer said sports saved her father from a rough childhood. "It was his passion," she told 22News. "He loved that he had the opportunity to be active in the community doing something he loved."
Jacobs was also known as the track announcer for the old Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, a role he held for more than three decades.
Rollie Jacobs, a local sports news legend, died Wednesday night at age 86. A family member said he had been dealing with health issues over the past few years. A public memorial is being planned for August, though details have not been announced.
Just two months ago, Jacobs once again served as emcee of the annual Tee Party event, during which he welcomed Country Club of Greenfield golf professional Kevin Piecuch as the 2014 honoree.
Piecuch, like so many other locals, said he grew up watching Jacobs on TV. "Rollie was the first local celebrity for many of us here in Western Mass," he said, adding that Jacobs "played such a big part" in the local golf community.
"He's almost like Dick Clark," Piecuch said. "No matter how many years seem to go by, you could always count on Rollie being there."
Funeral arrangements are private, but Jacobs' family is planning a public memorial next month at Firtion Adams Funeral Home in Westfield. Details have yet to be announced.
The family is also establishing a Rollie Jacobs Memorial Scholarship Fund. Details are expected to be released at a later date.