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This page curates KETR's news stories related to Texas A&M University-Commerce.

"Sports Doctor" leaves impact on Texas universities

Stephenville Empire-Tribune

STEPHENVILLE - The Texas A&M University-Commerce and Tarleton State families are mourning the loss of alumnus and popular sports announcer Dr. Ron Newsome. 

The former head of the A&M-Commerce Athletic Association was found dead in his Stephenville home Tuesday evening. Newsome earned a BS Degree in 1966 from East Texas State University, and later went on to earn a master’s and doctoral degree from the university in 1971 and 1988, respectively. He served as alumni ambassador in the 1990’s and was selected to the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 for meritorious service.  

Professor Emeritus Dr. Dorothy Ingram taught Newsome during his time in the doctoral program and remembers him as one of the most loyal alums at the institution.

“He was always giving back. Never taking,” said Dr. Ingram. “For many years he and Carolyn Burt wrote the script for the Hall of Fame Banquet together. And that was a great contribution, I thought, on their part. In my opinion he was just a really great guy. Very, very giving of himself.”

The Stephenville Empire-Tribune reportsthat officers were called to conduct a welfare check at his home Tuesday, but it was Newsome’s friends that later discovered his body in a portion of the house officers could not access as they did not have enough evidence at the time to force entry.

An autopsy has been ordered.

The East Texas State alumnus had become affectionately known in Stephenville as the “Sports Doctor.” He has been the voice of Tarleton athletics for the past several years, heard most recently on KSTV.