SYRACUSE — Longtime sportscaster Claude “Red” Parton has died, according to a report from ABC affiliate NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV).  Parton’s career spanned more than six decades, starting with WSYR in 1939.  He’d eventually work at a number of other radio stations before moving into television.

Parton was the first journalist ever inducted to the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame — a fact we found in his biography as a member of the Syracuse Press Club Hall of Fame.  The club says Parton served as its president in 1956 and again in 1963.

Parton’s broadcasting career was interrupted for almost four years, when he went into active military duty during World War II.  After the war and a short stint with the University of Connecticut, Parton returned to Syracuse, where he once again worked at WOLF, WSYR-TV (which was channel 3 at the time) and then WNYS-TV (which was channel 9 at the time).

As of this writing, there are no details about any arrangements, but when that information becomes available, we’ll update this story as soon as possible.