Letters to the Editor: Sam Rubin was my kid's soccer coach. He treated all of us like celebrities

To the editor: You may be deluged with memories of Sam Rubin, but here's mine. ("Sam Rubin, KTLA journalist and longtime entertainment anchor, dies at 64," May 10)

Fifteen years ago, Sam coached his daughter's AYSO soccer team, which my daughter also was on. Despite a string of losses (these were 7-year-olds, and only one player on the team had any true enthusiasm for the game), Sam's grace and smile never faltered. He was the exact same person on the pitch that viewers saw on air, and he treated every single person he encountered as if they were a celebrity.

"Coach Sam" will forever be in our hearts. He was exceptional.

Ann Bowman, Santa Monica

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To the editor: I was greatly saddened to hear of the untimely death of "Sammy" (as I first knew him) Rubin.

Sammy was a talented high school student reporter for KLCS's "Student News" back in the 1970s. Later, in his professional career, I reconnected with Sam when he hosted (for free) a documentary I produced.

He was gracious, talented and hard-working. We'll miss him.

Jon Merritt, Los Angeles

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.