Frank Buetel

Inducted 2011

Frank Buetel, one of the top sports announcers in the broadcasting industry, began his career in 1949 by writing Don Hawkins’ overnight newscasts on KSTP radio. He eventually went on the air reading the newscasts in the early morning hours. In 1950, Frank became Sports Director at KAUS in Austin, MN, handling play-by-play for all boys’ sports. Two years later he was heard by Jack Thayer of WLOL and was hired. Less than a year passed, and in the fall of 1952, Frank went to work for WDGY announcing Gopher football. In the spring of 1953, Ed Smith, the GM at the soon-to-be WTCN-TV met with Frank to offer him the Sports Director position, where he remained for the next twenty years. During his career, he was the first play-by-play TV announcer for the Minnesota North Stars, did play-by-play for the Twins, called numerous U of M events, announced seven high-school hockey and fourteen basketball tournaments, and became the first ever voice of the Minnesota Fighting Saints and the Minnesota Kicks. Frank Buetel’s career-long contribution to sports nnouncing earned him recognition by Sports Illustrated as Sportscaster of the Year.

Frank passed away peacefully, on August 15, 2012 at the age of 88, surrounded by family in Boca Raton, Florida.