Gates, Gentleman Jim

“Gentleman” Jim Gates – 2011

The career of Gentleman Jim Gates began at KATZ in 1968. After three years, he moved to KWK, followed by WESL, where he was co-owner of the station and served as GM and PD. In 1986 he returned to KATZ as GM. He also worked at KXOK in 1993 and them KMJM where his show was the highest-rated on the station. In 2000 Jim had a show on the Peabody Award-winning KJZJ, and he also worked at WFUN-FM and KTGP. Known as “The Brown-Eyed Scorpio, Gates earned over 40 Gold Records from the music industry. He became the first station executive in the country to air Rap when he programmed the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” The NAACP presented Jim Gates with its Legend Award in 2008.

Eason, Doug

Doug Eason – 2011

After working as a broadcast specialist for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, Doug Eason made his mark in commercial radio in a career that spanned over 40 years. The majority of those years were spent in St. Louis radio, where Eason was remembered by his listeners as a gentle-voiced disc jockey and strong presence in his community. However, the man affectionately known to his co-workers as “The Leprechaun” also worked as VP/GM of KATZ and WESL. His degree from SIU Carbondale opened doors for him later in his life. While teaching full-time and mentoring high school students, Doug Eason also hosted a daily show on WGNU.

Laux, France

France Laux – Legacy

France Laux has been called St. Louis’ “pioneer baseball voice,” a tribute that referred to his work with the St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Cardinals. He was the voice of baseball for 19 years on KMOX starting in 1929. The Sporting News presented him with its first award to the nation’s outstanding major league broadcaster in 1937. He did radio play-by-play in nine World Series and nine Major League All-Star Games, but his work wasn’t limited to baseball. Laux also broadcast boxing, football, wrestling, hockey and basketball. His voice was also heard on KXOK in St. Louis as part of his play-by-play baseball agreements, but his association with KMOX lasted 30 years. His list of broadcast booth sidekicks reads like a “Who’s Who” of sports: Gabby Street, Dizzy Dean, Pepper Martin, Joe Medwick, Leo Durocher and Frankie Frisch. He often bragged that he had worked for 20 years without missing a broadcast or arguing with a player or umpire.

Pool, Nancy

Nancy Pool – 2011

Few people who worked with Nancy Pool during her radio career realized that she once worked as administrative assistant to KXOK’s PD Bud Connell in the ‘60s. She learned well, moving on to manage several stations in the St. Louis market, where her strength in ad sales served her and her employer well. She was president of KADI-FM, VP/GM of KSHE, WIL-AM/FM and was brought in to resuscitate the operations of KMOX-FM, KXOK/KLTH, and KWK/KGLD. Nancy was featured in “Who’s Who in Radio and Television,” “Who’s Who in Advertising” and “Who’s Who in American Women.” After leaving radio Nancy went on to a second successful career in real estate sales.

Balis, Rick

Rick Balis – 2014

A native of Chicago, Rick Balis arrived in St. Louis and joined the staff of KSHE-95 in 1976, performing various duties for the station. He signed on to the airwaves in 1977 as an afternoon drive jock and continued in that capacity for three years until he exchanged the mic for a job in the programming office. Except for a brief stint as program director for KSD-FM, most of Rick’s career has been spent at KSHE. He was named Radio and Records Magazine’s 2008 Rock Operations Manager/Program Director of the Year and in 2014 was selected as one of three panelists in the RAB/NAB Radio Show’s “New Creative Edge Challenge.”

As of the time of his Hall of Fame induction, Rick was VP and Director of Programming for the Emmis St. Louis owned stations… KSHE-95, NOW96.3, The Point and FM News Talk 97.1.

Dixon, Dave

Dave Dixon – Legacy

​Dave Dixon, a native St. Louisan, was the first African-American vice president of Laclede Broadcasting, the owner/operator of KATZ, and, in a related field, the first African-American promoter for Regal Sports, a concert and sports production agency. He had started with the company as a disc jockey in 1958 and was closely associated with most of the station’s early remote broadcasts.

In addition to being a local producer and promoter of live music shows, Dixon was the popular host of KATZ’s “Night Beat Down Rhythm Street,” which originated from various lounges in the St. Louis area.

He served as president of NATRA, the African-American organization of television and radio announcers.