Hank Booth, beloved LHS football radio announcer, to retire following 2022 season
Long standing announcer will announce a reduced schedule of games this year
Radio announcer Hank Booth observes the field from the press box during the senior night game against Shawnee Mission West.
October 25, 2022
LHS alumni Hank Booth has been the voice of LHS football for generations of students, doing live broadcasts of games on the local radio station KLWN. After doing this for more than half a century, he is cutting back to just a few games per year.
His dedication to sports and announcing for Lawrence High surpasses any other local announcer by a long shot. And he did all of this on top of running a beloved radio show on KLWN.
“Hank has always remained the voice of the Lions,” Booth’s protege Mark Luellan said. “He has never had a bad word to say about his alma mater. He always speaks fondly of his memories of LHS on his daily radio show.”
LHS assistant principal, football coach, and athletic director Mike Gillman holds Booth in high regard for his involvement in the LHS community.
“This is a person that has lived and breathed Lawrence High football for 50 years,” Gillman said. “He’s part of what makes Lawrence High, Lawrence High.”
Shop teacher Mike Evans has nostalgic memories of Booth and his sports announcing.
“I know even back when I was a kid, I used to listen to the games when he was announcing. He’s always been on the radio, always announcing the games,” Evans said. “If you listen to a game, you hear Hank Booth.” One of the things people will miss the most about Hank Booth’s football game announcing is his recognizability. He became almost synonymous with the game itself.”
“It doesn’t matter if its a playoff game or first game of the year or just an average, run-of-the-mill Friday night football game. He makes it seem like it’s a state championship game every time, it’s really nice,” Gillman said.
To celebrate Hank Booth’s outstanding dedication to Lawrence High, there are plans to name the press box in his honor. There will also be an internship to support continuity for the craft of sports announcing at LHS.
“The football team honored him [Booth] with a monogrammed Chesty Lion chair to sit in while calling the games which will also serve as a chair for a prospective LHS Radio Broadcaster,” Luellan said. “The radio station will now forever call the press box Hank booth.”
What a fitting tribute.
