Columnist Jeff Haney: Lee Pete: ‘12,000 shows is enough’

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002 | 12:07 p.m.

Jeff Haney's sports betting column appears Wednesday. Reach him at 259-4041 or haney@lasvegassun.com

Very few sports figures who were active in their field in 1951 are still going at it today.

At the end of this week, there will be one less individual in that category.

Legendary Las Vegas sports talk host Lee Pete has announced he will retire from radio broadcasting after Friday's show on KRLV 1340-AM.

His retirement brings to a close a hall of fame-caliber, half-century career in the business.

Pete is credited with creating the radio sports talk format in Toledo, Ohio, in the early 1950s. He went on to popularize sports betting as a radio show topic on his old KDWN program, which originated in downtown Las Vegas and was heard throughout the West in the 1970s and '80s.

To put it in perspective, the summer before Lee Pete got started in radio, Connie Mack (like Pete, a tall guy with white hair) was still managing the A's.

"Twelve thousand shows is enough for me," Pete said. "When you think about it, it's way too many shows for me."

Pete said he does not want to make a big deal of his stepping down, and plans to exit with little fanfare.

"Ah, I'm just going to creep away into the night," Pete said.

Longtime Las Vegas residents recall Pete and co-host Jim Brown talking about sports and gambling back in the heyday of the KDWN show.

In recent years, Pete -- who still exchanges Christmas cards with Brown -- was accused of sometimes phoning it in.

Well, he did. Literally. Pete has been known to conduct the show via telephone from his bedroom.

But fans contend Pete's unique, rambling style and great old-time gambling stories were somehow enhanced when they were interrupted by Pete shooing the dog off the bed.

Pete's retirement coincides with KRLV's switch to a Hispanic format, although it would have happened soon anyway. After all, Pete is 76 years old.

Recently, Peter Ruchman stepped aside as one of the show's co-hosts when he left his position at the Gambler's Book Shop to accept a new corporate assignment in the gaming industry.

Las Vegas author and handicapper Andy Iskoe continues to co-host with Pete.

"We had a lot of fun from time to time," Pete said. "I had a good run."

(Editor's note: Jeff Haney made regular guest appearances on Lee Pete's KRLV show, which airs 3-4 p.m. weekdays.)

"According to my power ratings, Oakland has no business being there," Hensgen said. "I have a couple of non-playoff teams -- the Redskins and the Seahawks -- ranked ahead of the Raiders."

Consequently, Hensgen favors the Jets plus 4 1/2 points in Saturday's AFC wild-card game (5 p.m., ABC, Ch. 13).

"All of the (wild-card) lines seem about right except for that one," Hensgen said. "My numbers say the Jets should be favored by a half-point."

Hensgen's NFL analysis can be found on his website, thegame-nfl.com.

In last year's SuperContest, Hensgen's picks went 48-36-1 (57 percent). Those percentages are consistent with what successful professional gamblers can expect to hit over the long haul.

"I won four of my top six, and loved Florida (in the Orange Bowl); that made it a good season for my clients," said Root, of Las Vegas-based Global Sports & Entertainment (Gsportsedge.com). "Sorry I couldn't deliver for (Sun) readers. ... We'll try again next season."