Members
Inductee
KRAFT, DENNIS
KRAFT, DENNIS
Born on December 30, 1935
South Bend
March 8, 2019.
Inducted On
June 23, 2006
Location Inducted
South Bend, IN
Region Number
2
Elkhart
Merit - Sportswriter
S. Bend Washington
1954
Wrote for the high school newsletter.
Butler University
Covered Indiana high school football from season openers to state tournaments; did the same for all Indiana high school sports; covered the Pan American Games, Indiana-Kentucky All-Star high school games, State fast pitch softball tournaments, Major League Baseball regular season, World Series, and All-Star games, World Championship boxing matches, professional golf and bowling tournaments, NBA All-Star games, Indiana Pacers, and was beat writer for Notre Dame, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears; staffed the 1989 Fiesta Bowl and two Super Bowl games; witnessed The Truth sports department grow from three full time staffers to 7; served in US Army 1958-1961.
Wife, Janice; children, Deborah (Michael), Donna, Denise, Dawn (Dale), Douglas (Veronica); grandchildren, Erin, Courtney, Jonathan, Cassandra, and Sofia.
Merit Contributor - Sportswriter: Sports writer for South Bend Tribune 1954-1956, Mishawaka Times 1961-1966, and Elkhart Truth 1966-2002, including 24 years as sports editor; annual contributor to the Hoosier Basketball Magazine through 2000-2001; covered sports 40 years.
Professional Honors: Was ISSA Corky Lamm Sports Writer of the Year, 1979; IHSAA Distinguished Service Award, 1988-1989 (for dedicated service to Indiana high school programs); Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA) District II Service Award (recognition of significant contributions to interscholastic athletics) 1993; Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Virgil Sweet District II Award 1999; inducted into Elkhart Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame 1997 and Elkhart Bowling Association Hall of Fame 1998; Indiana Sports Writers and Sportscasters Award 2003; Northern Indiana Conference Award (for dedicated work as a sports writer covering high school sports for over 40 years) 2001; inducted into Michiana Bowlers Association Hall of Fame 2006; charter member of St. Joseph Valley Chapter of Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Honors: Was ISSA Corky Lamm Sports Writer of the Year, 1979; IHSAA Distinguished Service Award, 1988-1989 (for dedicated service to Indiana high school programs); Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA) District II Service Award (recognition of significant contributions to interscholastic athletics) 1993; Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Virgil Sweet District II Award 1999; inducted into Elkhart Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame 1997 and Elkhart Bowling Association Hall of Fame 1998; Indiana Sports Writers and Sportscasters Award 2003; Northern Indiana Conference Award (for dedicated work as a sports writer covering high school sports for over 40 years) 2001; inducted into Michiana Bowlers Association Hall of Fame 2006; charter member of St. Joseph Valley Chapter of Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
