Former KDHL Sportscaster Gordy Hinck Passes Away

Gordy Hinck, 75, of Lake City, passed away at his home Friday.

Gordy shared my mom's birthday of January 13th and told me many stories about his early years playing sports at Lake City High School. He graduated in 1960. He was the captain of the basketball team his senior year.

Like the late Mike Morrissey and I, Gordy attended Brown Institute in Minneapolis and studied broadcasting and engineering.

He married Geri in 1962, and they were a great couple enjoying their walk through life together. They had a son and a daughter.

Gordy had a 46-year broadcasting career, 33 of them at KDHL.

We shared the microphone many times over the years. Most notably during State High School Basketball Tournament games like the legendary contest between Wabasso and Red Lake. Still the highest scoring game in the tournament's history.

We joined forces in the memorable Section final game between St. Charles and Kenyon-Wanamingo in 2001 when Eric Sviggum hit the buzzer beater to send the Knights to the State Tournament and an eventual state title. I remember during a time-out telling Gordy the game was probably over for K-W with just seconds to go and St. Charles having a foul to give.

I assisted Gordy at a couple of Wabasha County Fairs over the years. It was brutally hot, but he was the same silly guy.

He left The Mighty 920 to become the first announcer on a new radio station in his hometown in 2001 and retired after eight years there.

The awards are many and very deserving.

Affectionately called the "Mouth of the Mississippi," in 2007 he was inducted into the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame for broadcasting and just last year was enshrined into the Lake City High School Hall of Fame.

Gordy was a member of the Lake City Lions club for nearly 40 years and was the recipient of the Melvin Jones Award, which is Lions International's highest honor.

He was also a longtime member of the Lake City Golf Course. I had the pleasure of golfing a few times with Gordy there.

He enjoyed calling games, but it was very evident his passion went up a notch when he called his Lake City Tigers games.

Gordy also broadcast a midday news report from Lake City for a number of years on KDHL and sold radio advertising for Lake City and area communities during his legendary career here.

To show you his impact, I still have many people ask me about Gordy while on my travels around the Hiawatha Valley League.

They would always have a twinkle in their eye when thinking of him just as I do writing this.

A funeral service will be at 11AM Tuesday, August 8, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Lake City. Visitation is Monday, August 7, from 4-7PM at Mahn Family Funeral Home Anderson-Peterson Chapel Lake City and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorial are preferred to the donor's choice.

Online condolences may be sent to http://www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.

We would love to have you share your memories of Gordy with us also at www.kdhlradio.com.

The last time I saw Gordy was at the State Basketball Tournament in March and he looked to be in good health.

There are many stories I could share that Mike and others related to me over the years about Gordy, but I will choose to simply say he not only had a passion for calling games but equally enjoyed visiting with people and was a very genuine person who loved life.

Rest in peace my friend.