2011 Legacy Inductee
Jack Hurst
1924 - 1993
For 32 years, the voice of Jack Hurst graced the airwaves of Georgia radio and is best remembered for his signature signoff, "Keep Your Eye on the Ball". Hurst was born in Jacksonville, Florida. After graduating from high school in 1942 he joined the Navy and served during World War II. Upon his discharge, he entered Ithaca College, earned degrees in physical education and commercial broadcasting. In 1950, Hurst landed his first radio job at WKBS in Oyster Bay, Long Island. After stops in Huntington, West Virginia, and Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was sports director and called 18 football games and 70 basketball games every season. Next, Hurst became the news and sports director at WLEE in Richmond and play by play announcer for VMI football. He also contributed regularly to NBC radio’s legendary weekend news magazine, Monitor. In 1959, Hurst came to Atlanta as play-by-play announcer for Georgia Tech football and news director at WGST. For the next five years, he shared the booth with 2009 GRHoF Legacy inductee Al Ciraldo. In 1966 with the arrival of the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons franchises, Jack was selected to become the first Voice of the Falcons, joining WQXI radio. For 10 years, he called every Falcon game working with color sidekicks Bud Erickson, Alex Hawkins, Jimmy Orr and Billy Lothridge. After the Falcons tenure at WQXI ended in 1975, Hurst moved to WFOM radio in Smyrna. As sports director, he called local high school football and basketball games. In 1983, Marietta's WYNX hired Hurst to be sports director and continued calling Cobb County high school football and basketball games until his retirement in 1991.
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