Dave Ellis, a University of Tulsa transfer with established roots in San Jose as a James Lick High School and San Jose City College graduate, is the first San Jose State University player to quarterback the Spartans to victory over a top-10 nationally-ranked opponent.
On a cold, wet and dreary November 13, 1971 in Stanford Stadium, the Spartans scored first on a second-quarter touchdown run and led the rest of the game as San Jose State defeated #10-ranked and eventual Pacific 8 Conference champion Stanford, 13-12.
More than 300 family and friends gathered for a good-bye July 31 in a celebration of life for the 72-year old Mr. Ellis (Feb. 20, 1949 – July 18, 2021) – the 1971 Spartan football co-captain and award-winning San Jose State football radio network analyst for nearly 20 seasons, husband, dad, and labeled, "The Best Human Being."
CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS & MORE ON THE 1971 WIN AT STANFORD
Mayor of San Jose Sam Liccardo, former NFL quarterback Alex Smith, Spartan placekicker Joe Nedney, teammate and actor Brodie Greer, and San Jose State Sports Hall of Fame gymnastics coach and administrator Rich Chew paid their final respects. So did three of Mr. Ellis' San Jose State radio broadcast partners Hal Ramey, current Oakland A's radio broadcaster Ken Korach, and John Shrader.
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The win at Stanford was just the Spartans' third in the first 28 meetings between the local teams. That season, San José State did what #4-ranked Michigan didn't accomplish. Stanford won the 1972 Rose Bowl beating Michigan by the identical 13-12 score it lost to the Spartans.
"We didn't realize what we had done. It took several days after to realize what we had done, but we also had a game the next week (against #9-Arizona State)," said All-America middle linebacker Dave Chaney, who would accompany Mr. Ellis to midfield for the game's coin toss as the Spartan co-captains. Chaney was everywhere in the win over Stanford – 17 tackles, a pass interception, and two fumble recoveries.
Mr. Ellis led the Spartans into the end zone in the second and fourth quarters on drives of 1 and 30 yards, respectively. The Spartans closed out the 1971 season facing Memphis State in the Pasadena Bowl.
"Dave was quite a guy. I've never seen a quarterback so knowledgeable about the game. He was like having a coach on the field," began Chaney describing Mr. Ellis' quarterback prowess. "He didn't have the fastest wheels, but he had a brain."
"He was the 'king of confidence,'" said Greer, his 1971 Spartan teammate and an all-conference safety later known for his recurring role on the NBC-TV series, CHiPs. According to Chaney, Mr. Ellis had a great command in the huddle calling out plays to his teammates.
Mr. Ellis' elocution and his football acumen turned into a part-time radio career beginning in 1982. Ramey was the established play-by-play voice for more than a decade, had met Mr. Ellis when he was the quarterback, became friends and golfing buddies.
THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
"We would always talk football and I thought his command of the language , his coaching background, and being a former quarterback that he would be ideal (as a color commentator)," said Ramey, also the sports director for KCBS Radio in San Francisco, the Spartans' flagship radio station from 1980 through 1984.
When first offered the opportunity to broaden his horizons, Ramey described Mr. Ellis as reluctant, "…but I convinced him to do it. It was one of those decisions looking back on and I'm glad I did. It was wonderful. He was so good. When you work with one of your best friends, you can't beat it. He was marvelous. We had so much fun together celebrating the good wins."
To broadcast San Jose State football games, Mr. Ellis balanced his schedule as a Gavilan College faculty member teaching adaptive physical education and work as a counselor at a local facility for troubled youths. He also was a Gavilan College assistant football coach to Bob Garcia, father of San Jose State Sports Hall of Fame quarterback Jeff Garcia, and was on the sidelines when the Rams won a national junior college football championship in the 1970's.
In a 1982 Spartan Daily feature, Mr. Ellis described his early broadcast style as focusing on game strategy. "I try to find something on offense or defense that contributed to making it a good or bad play. Hal (Ramey) is so professional. If I get in trouble, I can look at him and he can help me out."
Mr. Ellis worked the 1984 season with a young, but nationally-known broadcaster Ted Robinson. San Jose State closed that season with three consecutive wins demolishing Fresno State, Long Beach State, and Pacific by an aggregate score of 93 to 24.
"RACK" & ELLIS FOR SEVEN YEARS & THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ellis (left) and Korach received a 1986 play-by-play regional broadcast award from the Associated Press.
In 1985, Ken Korach, another talented, young broadcaster, whose college football play-by-play experience was calling the action for Sonoma State, became Mr. Ellis' third broadcast partner in three years and they formed an award-winning duo for the next seven seasons.
"… We had a great time together, because he was just an incredible partner. From the football standpoint, he knew more football than I could learn if I studied football for the next 100 years. I wouldn't learn as much as Dave knew from his time playing and coaching," said Korach. The duo won a 1986 Associated Press regional radio award for best play-by-play sports broadcast based on the 45-41 comeback win over Fresno State.
"Those seven years were an incredible joy, Hanging out with Dave and his energy and the knowledge he brought to every broadcast, he was so supportive of me… I look back on those ball games not only as one of the great highlights of my career, but of my life," beamed Korach, now in his 25th season with the Oakland A's and 16th as the team's lead broadcaster.
"Dave did his homework. He was always prepared, not just about the Spartans, but also the teams they were playing. That helped the bridge for him going from player and coach to becoming a broadcaster…. He always respected the other team and so when the other team did something that was great, he had the enthusiasm for that, because we were trying to sell the sport."
Mr. Ellis' game broadcast preparation fits into one of the themes of his celebration of life. "When Dave was in, he was 'all in.'" Speakers recalled he had a big heart for people and would help anyone who needed help.
JOHN SHRADER'S CHERISHED SEVEN WITH MR. ELLIS
John Shrader (right) witnessed Mr. Ellis' first steps after surgery to remove a brain tumor.
"… The best part was doing the games those four hours. It was like a hand in a glove. We would turn on the mic on and Shrader and Ellis would do their thing for four hours. He loved the Spartans. He loved the kids. He could never stop talking about how special the kids were and what they meant to the university and what they meant to each other. That's how we felt and that's how he felt always," said Shrader, who took over the play-by-play responsibilities from Korach in 1992.
"I'll always cherish the Friday nights on the road and sometimes Wednesdays when we would be at practice and talk about Spartan football and his wife, his kids, and his family. That's what he loved the most."
Mr. Ellis missed the 1998 season after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. His mantra through the nearly six-month ordeal was, "I'll never give up." Shrader, his broadcast partner, was there when Mr. Ellis was able to walk again for the first time following his surgery. He returned to his broadcast role in 1999 for one final season of Spartan football on the radio.
And, he tacked on another 23 years as "The Best Human Being" to his family, friends, colleagues, and anyone who got to know him.
Mr. Ellis is survived by his wife of 48 years, Peggy; two sons, John (wife, Heather), and Chris; daughter, Katie; and five grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Brain Tumor Society in Mr. Ellis' name.