Sportscaster Bob Rainey Dies
Bob Rainey Covered Sports for WCCO-TV for Four Years
Bob Rainey, sportscaster for WCCO-TV of Minnesota, passed away Saturday, July 23. Rainey had been battling inopperable colon cancer for months prior to his death.
Bob Rainey Leaves Behind Impressive Legacy
Rainey will be most remembered for his genuine enthusiasm for the craft of sportscasting. Equally acute was his all-around knowledge of virtually every sport he covered. Those close to him often use the words, "sports encyclopedia" to define his athletic intellect. Rainey's passion for sports was most vivid when covering the Minnesota Vikings. Although a native of Rochester, New York, his NFL loyalties had sided with the Vikings since his early years. Thus, working in the Twin Cities represented Rainey's dream job.
Sportscaster Led Well-Rounded CareerBob Rainey's work ethic and talent for reporting sports became apparent during his collegiate years at Xavier University. Soon after receiving a job working for the university radio station, Rainey began hosting his very own sports show on which he interviewed various campus athletes and voiced his takes on issues facing both college and professional sports.
The first twenty years of Rainey's career were spent in his native Rochester. Prior to coming to Minnesota, he spent time covering beats in Kentucky, Philadelphia, PA, and Nashville, TN. Rainey reported from some of the biggest events in the country, including several World Series, Final Fours, and Super Bowls. Rainey was especially proud to cover Division I men's basketball coach Tubby Smith during his days at the University of Kentucky, and later at the University of Minnesota.
Rainey did not limit his work to covering only well-known stars. His favorite pieces were ones illustrating the stories of normal men, women, and children working playing and coaching through hardships or serving their community through sports.
Rainey Ended Career at Dream JobSeveral times Rainey described covering sports in the Twin Cities as a "professional dream." Reporting on the Minnesota Vikings was the pinnacle of Rainey's career. He often said he sometimes needed to pinch himself at the thought that he had finally arrived as a sportscaster in the Twin Cities.
Rainey Captured Respect and Admiration of WCCO Colleagues
Susan Adams Loyd, Vice President of WCCO-TV, wrote that "Bob worked with a deep passion of covering the sports he loved." Loyd also noted that Rainey's foremost attributes to those who knew him were his gentle spirit and enthusiasm that particularly touched his co-workers and those interviewed by him. Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress remembers Rainey's love for his work. "You could tell he was passionate, he was engaged. You appreciate that."
Rainey Found Uplifting and Uncommon StoriesTo many who tuned in to his television reports, Bob Rainey's foremost quality was his knack for uncovering the little-known stories of various professional athletes and everyday people. This particularly appealed to Mike Rosen, fellow anchor who originally hired Rainey. "What caught my eye were the feature stories he had done," Rosen said. "He was a real people person. It wasn't just his sports knowledge, it was the behind-the-scenes stories that really got me. They separated him from the other people we were looking at."
Soft-Spoken to the End
Rainey's death came as a complete surprise to many of his former viewers. Although he had ceased working on air several months ago, the TV station, under Rainey's wishes, never announced his inopperable colon cancer. Prior to a July 28 home game against the Chicago White Sox, the Minnesota Twins honored Rainey with a moment of silence.
WCCO-TV Sportscaster Bob Rainey
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