People: Ray and Deanne Lane

In Detroit, few sportscasters are better known than the father. And in St. Louis, few telecasters are as respected as the daughter. Indeed, it is a unique father-daughter TV anchor comboy.

Veteran Ray Lane, '52, sports anchor for Fox 50's Ten O'Clock News (WKBD) and host of Sports Xtra, has for decades covered the Red Wings, Pistons, Tigers and Lions, and before that worked as the play by play announcer for both the Michigan Wolverines and the MSU Spartans. 'The opportunities were there,' he says modestly, 'and I took advantage of them.'

Lane has won every award--Michigan Sportscaster of the Year, AP and UPI awards for best sports coverage. What more can he ask? 'I love the business and will continue doing it until I get it right,' he says.

Noting Fox's involvement in NFL football, he adds, 'It's interesting to see what's around the corner, although with what they're paying I'd be lucky to get a job serving coffee to John Madden and Pat Summerall.'

Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Ray's daughter Deanne Lane, '82, has been news anchor for NewsChannel 5 (KSDK) since 1983, winning the 'Best News Anchor' Emmy in 1984 and tons of awards since. Most recently, Deanne, who is known as someone who always gets the interview, won acclaim for a six- part series on the homeless, during which she 'lived in the streets for three days and nights.' Ironically, recalls Deanne, 'My dad always wanted me not to go into this field. He saw the pressures and all the negatives. I was enticed by all the positives, all the perks.'

Like Ray, Deanne got extensive experience at MSU--first with WELM on campus, then with WJIM. 'I owe a great deal to (WKAR-TV's) Tim Skubick,' she recalls. 'He taught me what news was all about.'

Deanne has done it all, except for one thing: 'My dream is to go home and be paired with my dad.'

Meanwhile, she's basking in her professional success in St. Louis and enjoying motherhood, having just given birth to Griffin Lane Goodrich. 'He looks and sounds just like Ray!' she says.