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REGIONAL SCENE: Retired sportscaster Charlie Jones dies

Rocky staff and wire reports

Published June 13, 2008 at 11:47 p.m.

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Jones announced 28 sports during his long career with NBC.

Photo by Associated Press / 1990

Jones announced 28 sports during his long career with NBC.

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Charlie Jones, the deep-voiced sportscaster whose career as a play-by-play announcer dated to the beginning of the American Football League in 1960, has died. He was 77.

Jones died of a massive heart attack Thursday at his home in the La Jolla district of San Diego, said his wife, Ann.

Jones, who retired in the late 1990s, had been in poor health for several years, she said.

Jones worked for ABC and NBC in a career spanning 38 years.

He also was a play-by-play announcer for the Colorado Rockies.

"He said, 'I never felt like I ever went to work,' " Ann Jones said Friday. "He loved it. He said, 'I've got the best seat in the house.' "

Jones announced 28 sports while with NBC, from golf to tennis, baseball to figure skating. He called events at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

"He really liked them all," Ann Jones said. "He really did. He wasn't particular, because they were all so different."

Jones will be cremated and his ashes spread over the Pacific Ocean. A celebration of his life will be held Wednesday afternoon at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

CHARGES DROPPED The Weld County district attorney dismissed charges against Colorado Eagles defenseman Les Borsheim stemming from his motorcycle accident June 1.

Borsheim continues to recover from neck surgery.

RAGE GIVES UP LeBLANC The Rapid City Rush selected Rocky Mountain Rage rookie forward Derek LeBlanc as one of its five picks in the Central Hockey League expansion draft Friday.

LeBlanc appeared in the final five games of last season for the Rage, recording one assist and four penalty minutes.

GRIZZLIES SIXTH The Adams State College Grizzlies have finished sixth in the final 2007-08 NCAA Division II U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings.

The finish is Adams State's highest since winning the competition, known then as the Sears Directors' Cup, in 1998- 99 and is the school's fifth overall top-10 finish.

The Grizzlies finished with a school-record 617.5 points in the all-sports competition designed to honor the best overall collegiate athletic department in all of NCAA Division II.

TICKETS REMAIN Tickets are available for the matchup at 7 tonight between the United States and Brazilian volleyball teams at Clune Arena at the Air Force Academy.

The U.S. beat top-ranked Brazil 25-21, 19-25, 29-27, 17-25, 15-11 in their match Friday night in Colorado Springs.

For tickets, visit goairforcefalcons.com or call 1-719-472- 1895.