Many fans mourning the death of Rowan County Sports Radio Legend Howard Platt

Posted on by Andy Durham

Whether it be high schools sports, Rowan County American Legion baseball, Catawba College sports, Davidson College sports, and it could have been football, basketball, or baseball, and Howard Platt could call/announce them all…And now Howard Platt is gone…He has passed on at the age of 71…

Many fans from down around Salisbury, where Howard Platt was one of the kingpins of local radio for many years, and more fans are remembering Platt from his days on 106.5 FM radio, when that station was playing the best of beach music, and Howard Platt was their sports man, yes sir, the RIP’s are rolling in today, for Mr. Howard Platt…
(Platt also spent many years on WSTP AM in Salisbury.)

RIP:Howard Platt, a true Radio Legend, in and around Rowan County…..

from Chris Hughes on Twitter:

from www.salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Howard Platt, whose rich, resonant radio voice was a familiar — and beloved one — to Rowan County sports fans from the late 1970s until his retirement in 2017, has died.

A native of Strasburg, Va., who made Salisbury his adopted home for more than 40 years, Platt was 71.

Whether it was American Legion broadcasts with David Whisenant, high school football games with Wilson Cherry, Sam Moir Christmas Classics with Bob Parker, or the morning radio show where Platt paired with Kent Bernhardt for lively political debates, he became an important part not only of Rowan County sports, but of Rowan County life.

The University of North Carolina graduate wore his love for the UNC Tar Heels and Washington Redskins football on his sleeve and was equally outspoken in his disdain for the Dallas Cowboys and the Duke Blue Devils.

A Salisbury-Rowan Sports Hall of Famer and the North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year for 2003, Platt was quirky and opinionated, but he also was talented and hilarious, and his appetites for both food and sports were legendary. Platt made few enemies and thousands of friends in his decades of being on the air waves.

from David Whisenant at WBTV and www.wbtv.com:
SALISBURY, N.C. (WBTV) – For years the familiar voice of Strasburg, Virginia native Howard Platt resonated over the airwaves of local radio stations in the piedmont broadcasting American Legion baseball, high school sports, golf, and college football and basketball for Catawba College and Davidson College.

Platt retired from broadcasting in 2017 citing health issues.

“Just want to do something different and I have limitations on my mobility due to my physical problems,” Platt wrote at the time. “I just want to do some other things and be free to do things I haven’t done before. I appreciate all the support you as listeners and friends have given me in the past. This was my decision and I know I’ll miss some aspects of the job.”

This week he passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 71.

As news spread of his passing, many friends took to social media to share their memories:

“Had many great times with Howard Platt over the years. Lots of meals together and lots of baseball games,” wrote longtime friend Mike Cline. “Howard gave me a bunch of cassettes of Legion games when my son played. I’m going to dig them out right now.”

“I am so sorry to hear this!!! He was a great person!!! Remember him always at Catawba!!!” wrote Kim Treadway.

“He was one of a kind. I’m thankful we had the opportunity to make some great radio together,” wrote former broadcast partner Kent Bernhardt.

With no family members living locally, Platt often spent his Thanksgiving and other holidays with Bernhardt and his family. Bernhardt’s sister Leigh Ann Bernhardt Fink wrote: “Spent many Christmases and Thanksgiving with Howard. Haven’t seen him in a while. Our family has some great memories of him. He and Clyde had many sports conversations/arguments. Rest in peace Howard.”

Platt provided the community with play-by-play sports broadcasting beginning in 1978 when he first came to Salisbury and WSTP/WRDX Radio. Platt was a former North Carolina Sportscaster Of The Year, as recognized by the National Sports Media Association. He was inducted in the Salisbury/Rowan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

For many years Platt was also the partner with morning show host Doug Rice, then Mark Brown, and finally Kent Bernhardt on the WSTP Morning Show. He had also spent several years with a radio air shift playing country music on WRDX-FM, the sister station to WSTP.

Platt was as well known for his love of the Washington Redskins and North Carolina Tar Heels as just about anything else.