Media

Larry Duling

Year Inducted: 2016

Category: Media

Schools / Organizations: WGFA, WLKL, WLBH, WHOW, WJBC

Biography: Larry was a basketball manager for Watseka Community High School for 3 years which included the Warriors’ IHSA 3rd place finish in 1975.  He was inducted along with fellow WCHS basketball manager, David Mitchell (Friend of Basketball inductee).  Larry began his radio broadcasting career in 1975 while still in high school at Watseka’s WGFA.  As a student at Lake Land College from 1976-78, Larry broadcast his first play-by-play game, calling the Lake Land College men’s basketball games for campus station WLKL.  Beginning in 1978, Larry began working full time at Mattoon’s WLBH and through 1982 did play-by-play of Lake Land College basketball, Mattoon High School football and basketball games, the Charleston Holiday Basketball Tournament, American Legion State Baseball Tournament and numerous  sporting events in that region.  IBCA Hall of Famer, Ken Woodelll (1975 Media inductee) was his mentor during that time of his career.  From 1983-2007, Larry was the voice on Clinton Maroons football, basketball, baseball, and softball broadcasts for WHOW Radio.  He also did the Maroa-Forsyth post-season dual championship runs in football and basketball 2006-2007.  From 2008-2020, Larry was part of the high school sports coverage team at WJBC in Bloomington where he continued to do numerous football and basketball play-by-play.  This was highlighted by the basketball state final appearances of Normal University High School in 2012, Normal Community High School in 2015 and (Bloomington) Central Catholic High School’s 3 overtime state championship win in 2014.  He also called the football title game appearances by (Downs) Tri-Valley High School and Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School.  Larry retired at the end of 2020 so that he had his wife, Susan, could spend more time with family.  His sons were also involved in sports as Bryan was an assistant coach with Central Catholic during that 2014 championship run and Colin coached college football before becoming the Offensive Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings (he is currently the Offensive Coordinator for Berry (GA) College.

Pictured are Larry (L) and David Mitchell (R).