Ronald Edwin Bass #12

Ronald Edwin Bass “Sunshine” was born in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida on October 28th, 1955 to Williamson G. and Betty Jean Bass.  “Bill” Bass was an officer in the United States Air Force.  The family moved several times while Ron was growing up, including stops in Smackover, AR, Stillwater, OK, Huntington Beach, CA, and Alexandria, VA.  He attended Gill Elementary, Stacey Jr. High, and Marina High School in Huntington Beach and finished his last two years of high school in Alexandria at T.C. Williams.

Ron has always loved all types of sports but football attracted him during his early years in Huntington Beach.  He played everyday after school during football season when he was growing up.  He started his sophomore year at defensive back and was a back-up quarterback at Marina High before settling in on quarterback at T.C. Williams.  It was at T.C. that he picked up the infamous nickname “Sunshine”.  Ron started two years for the T.C. Williams Titans and helped the newly integrated T.C. go on to win the Virginia AAA State High School Championship in 1971 as a junior.  The Titans finished 13-0 and their success helped bring an entire community together under the leadership of Coach Herman Boone and Coach Bill Yoast.  During his senior year the Titans finished a disappointing 9-2 and just a missed getting into the playoffs and having an opportunity to defend their state title.

After high school, Ron went on to attend the University of South Carolina on a football scholarship.  He lettered all four years and started his junior and senior seasons at quarterback.  He was picked as Sports Illustrated’s Player of the Week during his sophomore season after gaining 211 yards rushing against the University of North Carolina.  The Gamecocks were 14 point underdogs going into the game since it was to be Ron’s first start as a college quarterback.  USC ended up winning the game 32-14 and that game continues to be one of his fondest memories from his college playing days.

He married Susan Carol Walsh, daughter of James J. and Joyce Walsh, in 1985 in Columbia, SC.  They have three children, Alexandria, Lindsay and Ronnie.

He has spent most of his business life in the broadcasting and advertising industries starting right after college as a sports announcer on a local radio station.  He is currently Local Sales Manager for WLOS TV and WBSC TV in Greenville, SC.  He and his wife Susan have lived in Greenville since 1985.