Saturday, January 23, 1999
Cincinnati's original TV weatherman dead
Tony Sands, 73, introduced radar
BY JOHN KIESEWETTER and SHARON MORGAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tony Sands
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Tony Sands, Cincinnati's original TV weather authority, died Wednesday. The Miami Township resident was 73.
For 33 years, Mr. Sands was the city's best-known meteorologist, broadcasting on WLWT (Channel 5) and WLW-AM (700) during newscasts and Ruth Lyons' popular 50-50 Club.
He was not afraid to challenge the official government forecast for Cincinnati during his broadcasting career, from 1954 to 1987.
“If he disagreed with the Weather Service, he'd say so on the air. And he said it more than several times, and in no uncertain terms,” said WKRC-TV (Channel 12) meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer, who started in the TV business at Channel 5 under Mr. Sands in 1977.
“He was like my "TV father.' He changed my life by teaching me, and taking me under his wing,” said Mr. Horstmeyer, a former junior high school math teacher who worked with Mr. Sands for 10 years.
The Alexandria, Va., native started forecasting in the U.S. Marines during World War II. He later joined the U.S. Weather Service in Washington, D.C., where he helped provide weather forecasts to NBC's Today show from its debut in 1952.
In 1954, he came to Cincinnati as assistant chief meteorologist for Crosley Broadcasting, then owners of Channel 5 and WLW-AM. He was promoted to chief meteorologist in 1958.
Through his efforts, Channel 5 became the first TV station to use radar, in the 1950s, even before the Cincinnati weather bureau had radar equipment. He also was responsible for Channel 5 becoming the first local station to use color weather maps.
By 1964, Mr. Sands was supervising a team of meteorologists at the WLW Radar Weather Service, which provided forecasts to 185 radio and 35 TV stations.
Mr. Sands, born Anthony Sadouskas, was such a local TV icon that Channel 5 in the early 1980s gave away thousands of Totes umbrellas with the words “Tony Said It Would” visible when opened up.
Tristate TV weather personalities called Mr. Sands “the dean of Cincinnati weather,” Mr. Horstmeyer said.
He served as a professor at the University of Cincinnati and lectured for the National Science Foundation. Mr. Sands was a member of the American Meteorological Society and of the Cincinnati Meteorological Society.
He is survived by his wife, Viola; two sons, John Sadouskas and Michael Sadouskas of Cincinnati; stepson, Jeffrey Reiss of Miami Township, and stepdaughter, Pamela Stuart of Miami Township; and six grandchildren.
Memorials can be made to Tony Sands Science Scholarship Fund at Taylor High School, 36 Harrison Ave., North Bend 45052.
Services have been held.
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