Dave Newhouse
OBITUARY
Dave Newhouse, a pioneering Bay Area sports journalist, author, and broadcaster whose work chronicled more than half a century of Northern California sports history, passed away Thursday, March 12, at his lifelong home in Oakland, CA, at the age of 87.
Born in 1938 and raised in Menlo Park, California, Newhouse attended Menlo-Atherton High School and was a proud graduate of the School of Journalism at San Jose State University. His path to journalism began in the United States Air Force, where he trained in military journalism. That experience propelled him into a Hall of Fame career in sports media and a lifelong passion for storytelling. He later served as a consultant to both Stanford University and the University of California, sharing his expertise with academic and athletic programs across the state.
Newhouse’s career spanned five decades, beginning in 1964 at the Oakland Tribune, where he became a defining voice in Bay Area sports. Through columns, reporting, and broadcasting, he combined a historian’s perspective with a storyteller’s heart, highlighting overlooked figures and forgotten moments that shaped local sports. He hosted one of the Bay Area’s earliest sports talk radio programs on KNBR, which led the ratings for years, and appeared as a sports anchor on television and in documentaries for ESPN and Comcast.
A prolific writer, Newhouse published over 20 books, with his latest, poetically, being Goodbye, Oakland, reflecting on the region’s evolving sports landscape and cultural legacy.
Beyond his professional life, Dave was a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, an avid runner who completed marathons and half marathons, and a devoted traveler who especially loved exploring Europe with his wife Patsy, with France and Italy holding a special place in their hearts. Dave and Patsy shared an almost 70-year love story; Patsy was his greatest achievement and the love of his life. His love of music and people took him from Eli’s Mile High Club and Yoshi in Oakland to outlaw western dive bars across rural Northern Nevada, always seeking the stories and connections that made life rich.
Dave often said that his greatest pride was his family and friends. He is survived by his wife Patsy; his son Casey; and his grandchildren, Cal and Campbell. His son Chad preceded him in death.
To Dave Newhouse, Oakland was never just a sports town-it was a place of resilience, pride, and passion. As he once said, “I think Oakland is a town unlike any other.” And in doing so, Dave Newhouse became part of Oakland and the Bay Area’s history himself.