KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

10/18/2026

The replays of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are now available on line. Click on the links below to watch the events from Wichita and Kansas City. Hear from numerous outstanding representatives of the Sunflower State.

Wichita Ceremony, July 25
https://youtu.be/eUNYRrdFNvc

Kansas City Ceremony, August 16
https://youtu.be/NuENrGAlRGk

10/17/2026

🏆 Celebrate Kansas sports legends! Tune in this Saturday at 7 PM to watch two Kansas Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies on Smoky Hills PBS! 📺 ⭐

⭐ EARLY ACCESS ⭐
Smoky Hills PBS Passport members can watch NOW ⬇
https://bit.ly/4dB3uF0


KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

10/17/2026

Along with Silver Lake Schools, USD 372, the KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame will formally induct former Eagle head football coach C.J. Hamilton, Friday, Oct. 23.

The ceremony will take place at. halftime of the Silver Lake - Osage City football game at C.J. Hamilton Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Hamilton amassed a 447-98 record in 47 years with the Eagles, giving him the most wins of any football coach in Kansas high school history. His teams made it to the state championship game 18 times, taking home eight titles.

Here's the column Kansas Pregame publisher John Baetz wrote about Hamilton for the 2022 football magazine:

As a boy growing up in Smith Center I had one goal from the moment I saw my older brother and his teammates win the 1982 3A State Championship over Wellsville; to do the same thing with my classmates!

I remember being very aware of who the best teams in the state were back then, even in elementary school, partly because many of them played in the Mid-Continent League – Norton, Osborne, Plainville, Victoria and Stockton all joined Smith Center as football State Champions from the MCL in the 1980s – and partly because of the excellent high school sports coverage by my hometown Smith County Pioneer, and the daily newspaper for the area, the Salina Journal – which back then provided the very best coverage of high school sports for teams in a huge swath of northwest Kansas.

In high school I was aware of the best teams in 3A because the goal was to beat them: Plainville with Scott Smetana and DJ Basgall, Norton with players like Mike Coffey and Jeremy Hawks, Smoky Valley under coach Gary Sandbo, the Hesston Swathers with their unique mascot and unbelievable kicker, Ryan Achilles, Riverton with standout Andy Ball, Wichita Collegiate and future Notre Dame offensive lineman Chris Clevenger, just to name a few.

But one team stood out above all others – the Silver Lake Eagles – and one name was synonymous with Silver Lake football – C.J. Hamilton.

I remember thinking early in high school, “I hope I get the chance to play Silver Lake.” (Full disclosure, I did not, my varsity career included zero trips to the playoffs, an embarrassing period in Smith Center that no one talks about, but I digress.)

From 1980 to 1989 Silver Lake made four 3A title games with three championships. The Eagles would add three more title game appearances in the 1990s – and two more titles, including one over Smith Center in 1997 in one of the all-time great championship games – before going on a historic run of 11 championship game appearances in 12 seasons from 2002-2013. The Eagles won just three of those title games, but the consistency, to finish in the biggest game of them all for over a decade, is unbelievable.

To put it in perspective, many of the seniors from the 2002 team were almost 30 when the run of championship appearances ended in 2013. The Eagles haven’t made a trip to the state championship game since the 2013 victory over Beloit – in large part due to the emergence of rival Rossville as a state dynasty – but the man responsible for that consistency continued to lead his hometown Silver Lake to winning seasons until his retirement earlier this year.

Coach Hamilton retires as the all-time wins leader in Kansas high school football history with 447 victories in 47 years, with a two-year stint coaching collegiately early in his tenure at Silver Lake. Hamilton led the Eagles to 39 Mid-East League titles and made the postseason 40 times. He ends his career 15th on the all-time high school football coaching wins list, according to High School Football America.

The consistency is staggering. It’s hard to imagine anyone will coach long enough, and be successful enough, to pass Hamilton’s all-time win mark. Winning the league title 39 times, in one of the state’s very best small school leagues, is another feather in Hamilton’s hat. Wanna know how tough the league is? All five remaining teams in the MEL posted winning seasons last year with four of them posting seven wins or better.

Entering the 2022 season knowing Hamilton will not lead the charge at Silver Lake makes it feel just a bit different, but in the past few years I’ve gotten to know new Silver Lake head coach Logan Pegram. One of the all-time great Silver Lake offensive linemen, and a proud son of the tradition-rich program, Pegram appears prepared to take on the challenge of following the G.O.A.T.

And it’s not as though there won’t be a Hamilton on the sideline for the Eagles this fall. Sons Travis and Trevor, and nephew Nick, are all on Pegram’s coaching staff, and the field that Hamilton watched over for five decades features a permanent memory of his success, his signature in the recently installed turf at a field named in his honor.

Congratulations on an incredible career leading an inspiring multiple generations of young men, coach Hamilton!

10/14/2026

Tune in Saturday night to watch the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony...

🏆 Celebrate Kansas sports legends this weekend!

Over the summer, the Smoky Hills PBS production team had the honor of capturing two of the three Kansas Sports Hall of Fame events! The Induction Ceremonies took place at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane and Sporting Park in Kansas City.
KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

📺 Watch both ceremonies this Saturday, October 17, at 7 PM on Smoky Hills PBS!

Join us as we celebrate the athletes, coaches, and sports figures who have made their mark on Kansas sports history! ⭐

10/13/2026

Looking forward to honoring Coach Hamilton Oct. 23 at halftime of the Silver Lake - Osage City game.

10/12/2026

We are excited to induct C.J. Hamilton, the winningest coach in Kansas high school football history, into he Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Join us Friday, Oct. 23 as Hamilton will be enshrined at at halftime of the Silver Lake vs. Osage City football game. See below for more information.

🏈 Honoring Coach C.J. Hamilton 🏈

Silver Lake Schools is proud to recognize Coach C.J. Hamilton in celebration of his selection as a Kansas Sports Hall of Fame honoree.

With an incredible 447-98 football coaching record, Coach Hamilton’s legacy at Silver Lake reaches far beyond the scoreboard. His leadership and impact have shaped generations of Eagles and remain an important part of Silver Lake history.

Join us Friday, October 23, as we honor Coach Hamilton during halftime of the football game at C.J. Hamilton Field. ❤️💛

📅 Friday, October 23
🏈 Halftime recognition
📍 C.J. Hamilton Field

10/09/2026

Obituary for KSHOF inductee Dennis Franchione.

Coach Dennis Franchione's Obituary

Dennis Wayne Franchione, affectionately known as “Coach Fran,” passed away peacefully at his home in Georgetown, Texas following a recent illness.

Born at the “7 Mile Corner” in Southeast Kansas to Theda (Chapman) and Pete Franchione, he spent his early years playing ball with his nephew, Joe Clark. He later earned his degree from Pittsburg State University.

Coach Fran, known for his offensive schemes, built a distinguished career as a highly respected football program turnaround specialist at the high school, NAIA, and NCAA levels. Among his many accomplishments, he transformed perennial losing programs at New Mexico and TCU into successful, formidable teams. He also stabilized the Alabama program after several seasons among the nation’s lowest rankings.

His notable achievements include being named NAIA Coach of the Year twice; leading New Mexico to the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division Championship in 1997; guiding TCU to a Sun Bowl victory over USC; and directing Alabama to an Independence Bowl win in 2001. He was also named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1990, WAC Coach of the Year twice, and was elected to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Coach Fran had many victories on a football field but his greatest victory was accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He is preceded in death by his Parents, Pete & Theda, his sister, Shirley Clark, nephew, Joseph Clark. father-in-law, Kenny Kraus, brother-in-law, Kent Kraus, He is survived by his wife, Kim; son, Brad; daughters, Ashley and Libby; grandchildren Preston, Easton, Wyatt, Isabella, and Gunnar; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at The Worship Place, 811 Sun City Blvd, Georgetown, TX 78633. A reception will follow from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St., Georgetown, TX 78626.

In honor of Coach Fran, attendees are encouraged to dress in their school colors or in golf attire.

In lieu of flowers, the Franchione family asks that memorial gifts be made in honor of Coach Dennis Franchione to help name the locker room in Pittsburg State’s new End Zone Facility.

Online gifts: https://psufoundation.givingfuel.com/psu-give-to-page

Please check the “In Memory Of” box and enter: Dennis Franchione

Pittsburg State will designate your gift to the Coach Fran locker room naming.

By check:
Make checks payable to:
Pittsburg State University Foundation, Inc.
Write “In Memory of Coach Fran” in the memo line.

Mail to:
Pittsburg State University Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 4005
Pittsburg, KS 66762

Services:

Memorial Service
Monday
October 19, 2026
2:00 PM
The Worship Place
811 Sun City Blvd
Georgetown, TX 78633

Reception
Monday
October 19, 2026
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Georgetown Community Center
445 E Morrow St
Georgetown, TX 78626

This obituary is published with permission of the family of Brenner Mortuary and may not be copied.

10/09/2026

Are all records made to be broken? Perhaps not. Former Silver Lake Schools, USD 372 football coach C.J. Hamilton retired after 47 years with 447 wins -- a Kansas record for high school football coaches. Hamilton will receive his plaque for induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, Friday, Oct. 23. It will be presented at halftime of the Silver Lake vs. Osage City contest at 7 p.m.

10/08/2026

Log on and listen as we discuss Kansas Sports Hall of Fame news from this summer's induction ceremony and highlight inductees.

On tomorrow's show...

*Maddyx Erwin (Kapaun Mt. Carmel XC)
*Koelton Erwin (Kapaun Mt. Carmel XC)
*Jeff Bollig (Kansas Sports Hall of Fame)
*Hanna Eilert (Osborne 🏐)
*Lucas Billups (Conway Springs 🏈)
*Kolby Van Camp (Garden City 📻)

Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School KSHOF Kansas Sports Hall of Fame USD 392 Osborne County Schools-Osborne, KS Garden City High School Broncbuster Athletics Western Kansas Broadcast Center Sports

10/07/2026

Happy Birthday Bill Snyder…

Former Kansas State University head football coach, Bill Snyder, turns 87 today (born October 7, 1939).

This 2006 photo shows the unveiling of signs when US-24 and K-177 were designated as the Coach Bill Snyder Highway. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Transportation.