By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com

Known by his distinctive voice and smooth delivery, veteran play-by-play radio announcer Jim Radke has been selected by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association as a recipient of the organization’s Hall of Honor award.

“I just thought it was such a great honor to have been able to do this for so long in the community – all the great kids and all the great coaches I’ve come in contact with,” Radke said. “It’s just such a great honor to be recognized.”

Brand manager of WBCO and sports director for both WBCO and WQEL, Radke began his local sports broadcasting career in 1978. He has broadcast over 1,700 games during that span and also calls football and volleyball games on WQEL and baseball and softball games on WBCO.

Radke is this year’s recipient for the OHSBCA’s District 6. The organization created the Hall of Honor award to recognize individuals who provide exemplary service to high school basketball. Recipients are nominated by the district in which they live and work. Coaches, referees, announcers and administrators are eligible.

Radke has literally been behind the microphone for almost all of the great moments in Crawford County high school basketball for the past 36 seasons and reflected on some of those spectacular moments.

“There was a game down at Dayton when Ohio State was being redone or something and they played the state tournament games down there at UD. It was a Wynford team and there was a shot for Wynford that won it at the buzzer,” Radke said. “It was the last-second shots, they really do stand out.”

He also recalled a game between rivals Buckeye Central and Wynford when both the Bucks and Royals were undefeated going into the game.

“The thing that was the most remarkable about that game to me, it was played at Wynford, was about 10 minutes after they opened the doors the place was packed,” Radke said. “That to me is what high school basketball is all about.”

Radke is not the only Crawford County connection among this year’s honorees. Basketball official Tim Gebhardt is being recognized from District 2.

Gebhardt is a 1971 Wynford graduate and former standout in basketball for the Royals under the tutelage of former coach Jim Bauer. Gebhardt has been officiating basketball in the Cleveland area for over 38 years.

Radke, Gebhardt and the other honorees will be recognized April 19 at the North-South All-Star Game at Capital University.