Media

Les Hodge

Year Inducted: 1989

Category: Media

Schools / Organizations:
Aurora Beacon News
Batavia Chronicle
WGSB (now WFXW)

Biography: For nearly 40 years, Les Hodge covered high school basketball. Hodge began as a stringer for the Aurora Beacon News in 1950 because he wanted to give the athletes from the Fox Valley region and particularly Batavia added coverage. In 1970, Hodge joined the Batavia Chronicle on a steady basis, covering the schools in Batavia, Geneva, St Charles and Elburn areas. Hodge also began doing color commentary of basketball and football on WGSB (now WFXW) in Geneva in 1966. Hodge’s writings have earned him awards from the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, the Illinois Press Association and the National Newspaper Association (1978 best sports story nationwide). Hodge felt he had gained satisfaction for himself by taking a positive approach in both newspaper and radio work and attempting to promote participation in sports by both fans and athletes. Four times Hodge columns were published in the Illinois High School Association’s Interscholastic Magazine.  Les Hodge died in 1998 at the age of 74.