Media

Les Winkeler

Year Inducted: 2021

Category: Media

Schools / Organizations:
Southern Illinoisan

Biography:  Les was a sportswriter at The Southern Illinoisan for 31 years, serving as sports editor for the final 14 years before retiring in December, 2019.  He covered six straight postseason trips for the SIU Salukis as either a beat writer or columnist. 

People knew it was a big game when they saw Les walk through the doors.  He held the Southern Illinoisan sports department together in the late stages of his career while the newspaper business underwent enormous change.