Don Gillis (1922–2008) was an American sportscaster active in the Boston media market during the mid- to late-20th century. He served as a sports director and nightly sports anchor for local television stations and is remembered for handling play-by-play duties for a range of professional and college teams, as well as for hosting programming tied to New England's distinctive candlepin bowling tradition.
Broadcast career and roles
Gillis worked as the sports director and on-air sports anchor at Boston television stations including WHDH-TV and WCVB-TV. In those capacities he led sports departments, presented daily sportscasts, and provided play-by-play coverage when called upon. His broadcasting work combined studio anchoring with live event announcing, a common arrangement for local sports directors in that era.
Teams and assignments
Over the years Gillis called games for a number of Boston teams and local college programs. Notable assignments mentioned in contemporary accounts include calling Boston Red Sox games — stepping in during 1957 when lead announcer Curt Gowdy was sidelined — and providing coverage of the Boston Bruins and the Boston Celtics. He also covered collegiate football for Harvard and handled preseason broadcasts for the New England Patriots. Examples of these associations are often cited when describing his versatility as a regional announcer.
Regional programming: candlepin bowling
In addition to mainstream team coverage, Gillis hosted a candlepin bowling program. Candlepin bowling, a style of the sport played primarily in New England with thinner pins and smaller, fingerless balls, has long been a popular local pastime; television shows devoted to it helped sustain community interest and provided regular local programming content.
Style, reputation, and legacy
Gillis was regarded as a steady local presence on Boston television sports desks. His work typified the multi-role expectations of mid-century local sportscasters who combined reporting, anchoring, and play-by-play duties. Though not a national household name, he remains part of Boston broadcasting history through his association with major local franchises and long-running station sports departments.