Wyatt Thompson to Receive Sportscaster of the Year Award

The Kansas Association of Broadcasters has selected Wyatt Thompson, Voice of the K-State Wildcats, as the Hod Humiston Award winner for 2011.  The Award is named for Hod Humiston of Hutchinson, (now deceased) who was the first television sportscaster in Kansas for KTVH (now KWCH TV) in Wichita.  The KAB established the award in Humiston’s honor in 1979, to recognize broadcasters who have made significant contributions to sports broadcasting.

Thompson is in his ninth year as the play-by-play voice of the Kansas State Wildcats. He started his broadcast career in 1976 covering high school sports at stations in Abilene, Goodland, Great Bend and Hays.  In 1984, he replaced former Hod Humiston winner Bob Davis as the play-play voice of the Fort Hays State Tigers at KAYS radio in Hays.  In 1989, he moved to Colorado to join the broadcast team at Colorado State and spent five years as the play-by-play voice of Rams football and basketball.

Thompson has previously earned a first place in sportscast play by play from the KAB, as well as the Colorado Broadcasters Association.  He was named the Oscar Stauffer Sportscaster of the Year from the Kansas State High School Activities Association in 1989.

He will receive his award at the annual KAB Sports Seminar held at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City May 4th.  (A list of previous recipients can be found below)

The KAB is a statewide trade association serving a membership of free-over-the-air radio and television broadcast stations.

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PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF THE HOD HUMISTON AWARD

1979    Hod Humiston  (d. 12/28/87)
1980    Dev Nelson, KKSU AM, Manhattan
1981    Max Falkenstein, Lawrence
1982    Bob Hilgendorf, Manhattan
1983    Bob Pratt, KGGF/KQQF, Coffeyville
1984    Tom Hedrick KU, KLWN/KLZR, Lawrence
1985    Bob Fromme, KC Royals Radio Network, Kansas City
1986    Ed O’Donnell, WIBW AM/FM, Topeka
1987    Bill Miller, KLEO/KZSN, Wichita
1988    Tad Felts, KKAN/KQMA, Phillipsburg
1989    Fred Conger, KWBW/KHUT, Hutchinson
1990    Kay Melia, KLOE AM, Goodland
1991    Bob Davis, KMBZ Radio, Westwood
1992    Tony Jewell,  KIUL/KWKR, Garden City
1993    Nelson Hartman, KSHSAA (retired)
1994    Ron Paradis, WIBW TV/Radio, Topeka
1995    Mitch Holthus, WIBW Radio, Voice of the K-State Wildcats, Voice of the K.C. Chiefs
1996    Bob Wells, Retired, Harris Co., Garden City now of Lawrence
1997    Dale McCoy, Jr., KKOY Am/FM, Chanute
1998    George Donley, Great Bend (posthumously, d. 1997)
1999    WIBW Radio Sports Department, Topeka
2000    Dewey Terrill, KJCK AM/FM, Junction City
2001    Rich Epp, KLBY TV, Colby
2002    Rocky Downing, KCLY/KFRM, Clay Center
2003    Cliff Shank, KGGG/KSKU/KXKU, Hutchinson
2004    Fred White, Kansas City Royals
2005    Rusty Hilst, KWBW AM, Hutchinson
2006    Gary Bateman, KOFO AM, Ottawa
2007    Bruce Haertl, KWCH TV, Wichita
2008    Randy Goering, KVGB AM-FM, Great Bend
2009    Brock Kappelmann, KSCB AM-FM, Liberal
2010    Mike Manns, KMAJ AM-FM, Topeka
2011    Wyatt Thompson, Voice of the K-State Wildcats