Nielsen, Terry
A 1964 Sioux Falls Washington High/1968 SDSU graduate, Terry Nielsen has a lifelong passion for sports history and promotion. He’s volunteered thousands of hours over the years to keep three important South Dakota sports organizations thriving (Howard Wood Dakota Relays, SD Tennis Hall of Fame, and SD Sports Hall of Fame). He was a linchpin […]
Guenthner, Ken
Bridgewater. One of the most versatile sports personalities the state has ever seen. Guenthner owned the Sioux Falls Canaries baseball team from 1947-53. He also owned and operated the Black Hills Greyhound Track from 1964-82. He was twice elected national president of the Greyhound Racing Association. He worked as a sportswriter for the Argus Leader, […]
Grivna (Smith), Tim
TIM “SMITH” GRIVNA. Tim “Smith” Grivna, a 1968 Minneapolis Edison High School graduate and alumnus of the University of Minnesota and Brown Institute of Broadcasting, is one of South Dakota’s most iconic radio voices. His five-decade career began in 1973 at KORN Radio in Mitchell, and in 1979, he moved to KMIT, where he also […]
Grebin, Don
The “godfather of tennis in South Dakota,” Grebin has spent more hours coaching, promoting, supporting, volunteering and contributing to the growth of the sport in the state than any other individual. At 76 (as of 2008), he still is coaching, running leagues and organizing tennis tourneys at Sioux Empire Fitness. And he was a pretty […]
Egan, John
Born April 1, 1931. Minneapolis (Washburn HS). 1953 Augustana grad. Egan began a 35-year career with the Sioux Falls Argus Leader in 1955, serving as sports writer, sports editor and sports columnist. He was voted the South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year eight times. Egan was cited by the Associated Press and the South Dakota […]
Clement, Amanda
Born March 20,1888, in Hudson. 1909 University of Nebraska grad. Clement is recognized as the first woman to umpire baseball games. An exhibit at the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., honors her accomplishments. In 1904, at age 16 she umpired a game for the first time. At that time, the baseball game was […]
Wachs, Bob
Born Jan. 26, 1923 in Tracy, Minn. 1947 Northern Colorado grad. The winningest coach in the history of South Dakota men’s basketball, Wachs compiled a 532-286 record in 30 years at Northern State (1955-85). The Wolves were SDIC champions 10 times and NIC champs twice under Wachs, who also led the Wolves to the NAIA […]
Trautner, Phil
Born in Beulah, N.D. in 1926. 1944 Goodrich, N.D., HS grad. 1951 Minnesota grad. The most successful prep tennis coach in state history, Trautner’s teams were 361-61 from 1965-2002. He led the Governors to four state titles (1975, ’79, ’84-85), three runner-up finishes and 10 Eastern South Dakota Conference titles. Taught and/or coached in Pierre […]
Swisher, Clark
Born March 27, 1916 in Vermillion. 1934 Vermillion HS grad. 1938 USD grad. Was a coach and/or athletic director at Northern State from 1946-1986. When he started at NSU, he coached football, basketball, track, tennis and golf – with no assistants. The winningest football coach in NSU history, he was 146-42-4 with four perfect seasons […]
Hennies, Jay
Jay Hennies graduated from Wagner High School and the University of South Dakota. At Wagner, he was selected to the all-state basketball team two years and once in football. At USD, he played baseball and basketball for four years and was All-NCC in basketball his senior year. He played amateur baseball for 20 years. Hennies […]