Former “Voice of the Tigers” and Hays broadcaster Steve Webster is being honored by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters with the Hod Humiston Award. The award is given annually to a Kansas broadcaster who has made significant contributions to the field of sports broadcasting, and is named for Hod Humiston who was the first television sportscaster in Kansas when he did play-by-play coverage of college games for KTVH (now KWCH TV), Wichita.
Webster is a former sports director at KAYS in Hays and was the play-by-play voice of the Fort Hays State Tigers from 1989-2002. In 2002, he was named the Executive Producer for the Mid-America Sports Network and the play-by-play voice for the Kansas State women, a position he would hold until 2005. In 2005, Webster helped launch Sports Radio 1410 KGSO in Wichita and also served as the play-by-play voice of the Wichita Wranglers in 2006 before the team moved to Arkansas. In 2009, he returned to Eagle Communications where he now serves as News Director and sports reporter for Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting in Great Bend.
Webster began his broadcast career in 1984 at KWLS in Pratt when we was named the play-by-play voice of the Pratt High Greenbacks and Pratt Beavers. After four years in Pratt, he moved to Great Bend for two years broadcasting the Great Bend Panthers and Barton Cougars before moving on to Hays.
Webster has earned multiple awards from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for broadcast excellence in news, sports, and special programming. In 2010, he was inducted into the Fort Hays State University Athletics Hall-of-Fame in the contributor category.
Webster is the fourth broadcaster from KAYS in Hays to receive the Hod Humiston Award joining Bob Davis, Wyatt Thompson and Gerard Wellbrock.
Webster will receive his award during the KAB Sports Seminar in Kansas City April 21.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
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, Manhattan
2012 Gerard Wellbrock, KAYS AM, Hays
2013 Eddie Lomshek, KKOW AM, Pittsburg
2014 Mike Kennedy, Voice of the Wichita State Shockers, Wichita
2015 Jenn Bates, KWCH TV, Wichita