Rod Trongard

Inducted 2003

Rod Trongard’s distinctive voice was part of the lives of listeners and viewers throughout the Midwest for over fifty years.

His distinguished career began in 1953 at KXRA Alexandria, followed by positions at KSDN Aberdeen, South Dakota, and KDIO Ortonville. He moved to the Twin Cities in 1959 as news director at WLOL, which soon put his play-by-play talents to work on Minneapolis Lakers and Minnesota Muskies basketball and University of Minnesota football and basketball. He joined KSTP in 1968, where he broadcast Minnesota Pipers basketball, produced Minnesota Vikings football and Minnesota North Stars hockey broadcasts, and did player and coach interviews. He also hosted Minnesota Gopher football coach Cal Stoll’s show on KSTP TV. He was the public address announcer for Minnesota Kicks soccer, and also did professional wrestling telecasts for eight years. He joined KEEZ FM Mankato in 1982, where he did morning drive, news, and sports for eleven years before moving to KTOE/KDOG Mankato in 1993. He continued to broadcast sports on KTOE/KDOG and on KXAC/KRRW St. James for many years, and was an important part of the community in southern Minnesota until he passed away in June of 2005 at the age of 72.