UPDATE OCTOBER 20, 2016
Bob Allen has died after cancer battle
UPDATE 4/11/2013
Bob Allen replaces Butch Alsandor at KHOU 11
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| Bob Allen with Laura and Dave Ward |
Bob Allen scores with emotional goodbye; talks future plans
What is Houston sports without KTRK 13 sports director Bob Allen? According to Allen's bio, he's been with the ABC station since 1974 (it also says he has the longest tenure of any major market sports anchor in the country).
Tuesday night on the channel 13 10pm newscast, we got our first glimpse into a future without Allen helming the Eyewitness Sports desk. That's because Allen told the audience he is leaving KTRK by the end of the year.
"It's something I've thought about for a while and those close to me know that I've been kicking it around for a few years," Allen wrote. "I am not -- repeat -- am not retiring; it's just that after 38 and a half years of sharing Houston's sports news with all of you at this station, and over 40 years of covering Houston sports, I want to do some other things while I can."
Some of those other things he says include possible public speaking, writing a book and possible duties with his alma mater of Stephen F. Austin State University. Overall it appears he wants a change of course, but is not ruling out a future role in television.
Allen actually had expressed some of these wishes to me the last time I saw him a few years ago.
Another thing he told me was a story about his early love of television - a story anyone who has been bitten by the TV bug will appreciate.
Allen told me as a boy he used to ride his bike to the KHOU 11 studios when they were located in the Texas Medical Center. In fact those very studios were just demolished this month. Allen told me in those days security was not what it is today and he could basically walk in, observe and learn. Clearly that education paid off considering his tremendous television career.
One thing Allen can always fall back on is his movie acting.
Naturally thoughts of Bob Allen lead to longtime anchor Dave Ward. As you probably know, Ward injured himself after a fall while heading to the news desk to anchor the 10pm news more than a week ago. He is currently recovering from surgery.
UPDATE 1/18/2013
Bob Allen scores with emotional goodbye; talks future plans
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