By George Devine, Sr.
Ken Gimblin, who died suddenly this week, was among the most respected members of the sports journalism community in Northern California. His talents and achievements were not limited to athletics, however. A native of Sacramento, Ken spent many years as a TV news anchor and covered the Capitol. He was in frequent communication with, and a friend of, Governor Ronald Reagan among other leaders of the State. In addition Ken worked with local schools in introducing students to the inner workings of government by such means as visits to the Capitol.
Among Ken’s credits were his role as a publicist for the California State Fair and his stint as the host of “Bowling for Dollars” which was telecast coast-to-coast for a number of years. He did not limit himself to broadcast media, however, and was a talented print journalist as well. As time went on, he launched a successful company, Multi-Media News and Sports, whose name embodied the scope of his activities.
Beginning in the early 1960s he covered Northern California sports teams including the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Athletics, Oakland Raiders and Golden State Warriors, in addition to the collegiate teams of Sacramento State, UC Berkeley, Stanford and the University of San Francisco. He was well respected in all those venues and knowledgeable about the goings-on of the various teams. Once the Kings of the NBA located in Sacramento, he was full of inside knowledge over their ownership situation and the successful effort to keep the team in Sacramento. Until very shortly before his death, he was a key source for information on the proposed new arena near Old Sacramento.
Over the years he was engaged with his longtime friend and colleague Lee Leonard in the formation and expansion of Sports Radio Service and was a key contributor to its success, in both the web site and the broadcasts which were heard throughout Northern California. His friends and admirers were legion, and many writers and broadcasters credit him for being generous with his advice and encouragement. He was one of those rare people that had no detractors.
Upon hearing of his death, one media colleague put it tersely: “He sure knew how to class up a press box!”
Sports Radio Service 
I worked with Ken at Channel 40 for several years. I was his cameraman for games of the 49 ers, Giants, Warriors ,Oakland A’s and innumerable local high school games.He
had two great loves, sports and his family. Ken was an umpire, manager, coach,referee,
and teacher to generations of Sacramento youth. His ” cornball” values and beliefs were
the stuff of urban legend. His love and devotion to the highest standards in athletic
achievement will be sorely missed Such dedication is altogether too rare in this day and
age of rampant professionalism. Ken Gimblin would have ( and often did) worked for
free, motivated by love for the game!
It was my pleasure to work with Ken during the great days of KROY Radio during the mid-sixties and beyond. He created a network of school reporters enabling us to broadcast high school and college sports stories and results. He also covered pro sports, giving us a peek behind the scene as well as the latest scores.
Most important was Ken’s demeanor. He was always upbeat, a true gentleman who made friends easily and kept them for life.