Born December 14, 1915 in Muskegon, Michigan, died November 21, 1996 in Fort Wayne. He was a well known sports announcer who launched the first local television station, WKJG NBC. Born as Hilliard Gates Gudelsky in Michigan, the sportscaster dropped his last name when he started broadcasting in 1936. Moving here in 1940 to take a job at WOWO, Hilliard switched to WKJG in 1947, later becoming the station’s vice president and general manager.
Copied from the Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard .
- Hilliard Gates Gudelsky BORN: DECEMBER 14, 1915, MUSKEGON, MI, DIED: NOVEMBER 20, 1996, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA on Find A Grave.
- Hilliard Gates at Indiana Broadcast Pioneers
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RAE GUDELSKY Obituary RAE L. (GATES) GUDELSKY, passed away Saturday, June 18, 2011. Born Oct. 11, 1920, in Muskegon, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Mauritz and Euphemia (Lund borg) Petersen. She was a homemaker and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Psi Iota Xi, the Fort Wayne Country Club, numerous bridge clubs and a Trustee of Allen County Public Library. Surviving are daughter, Marsha Gates White of Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Justin A. White of Fort Wayne and Sarah R. White of Carmel; one great-grandson; and sister, Muriel Kintner of North Muskegon, Mich. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Hilliard Gates Gudelsky; son, Brian Gates Gudelsky; and three sisters. Private services were held. Preferred memorials to the Allen County Public Library Foundation. Arrangements by Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home, Wayne Street Chapel, 420 W. Wayne St. www.klaehnfahlmelton.com. Fort Wayne Newspapers Legacy.com obituary.
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May 27, 2013 post by the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook:
IPFW Hilliard Gates Sports Center ( He Deserves this) Hilliard Gates (December 14, 1915 - November 21, 1996)
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December 21, 2014 post by the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook:
Election Night coverage in the WKJG-TV studios November 8, 1960. Jack Gray and Hilliard Gates are at the anchor desk, with announcer Bill Foster in the background ready to deliver a live commercial.
- Hilliard Gates 2018 at the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.
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March 7, 2018 post by The News-Sentinel on Facebook:
A legend finally gets his due.
Do you remember listening to Hilliard Gates?
Legendary Fort Wayne WKJG broadcaster Hilliard Gates to be inducted posthumously into Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame by Reggie Hayes published March 7, 2018 in The News-Sentinel newspaper now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine
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March 8, 2018 post by The News-Sentinel on Facebook:
When Bob Knight has only good things to say about you, you know you are doing it right: “He was a guy who really enjoyed sports. He really worked at making sports enjoyable for the people who listened to him or watched.
Gates spoke the first words ever broadcast by a Fort Wayne station when he signed WKJG-TV on the air. At 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 21, 1953, he said,
Copied from Hilliard Gates lived a life devoted to sports, his craft and his admirable work ethic by Kerry Hubartt published March 7, 2018 now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. You are watching history being made. These are the first words and pictures to emanate from WKJG-TV, Fort Wayne’s first television station.
- Hilliard Gates on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
- Hilliard Gates an icon, pioneer of TV in city, Blake Sebring May 27, 2020 The Journal Gazette newspaper.
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November 10, 2021 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:
Thirty-five years ago today, the movie "Hoosiers" premiered at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. Filming for the movie took place in several Indiana towns including New Richmond, Nineveh, Knightstown, and Indianapolis.
One of the most popular sports movies of all-time, it is loosely based on the 1954 Milan High School basketball championship.
Visit the Grand Hall at the Indiana State Library to see an exhibit from the Indiana Archives including memorabilia from the filming and premier of Hoosiers!
Learn more about the real story behind the film here: Milan Miracle That Inspired Hoosiers Film Turns 60 [ Hilliard Gates was the original announcer during the Milan Miracle basketball game ]
The image below, showing the cast and crew applauding extras, is courtesy of the Hoosiers Archive website.
- Storytime with Doc: Hilliard Gates January 12, 2022, Doc Emrick shares the legacy of the late legendary sportscaster Hilliard Gates, his role in the classic sports movie, Hoosiers, and the craziest sporting event Gates ever did play-by-play for. At NBC Sports.
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April 27, 2021 post by the Greater Fort Wayne Aviation Museum on Facebook:
You may recognize this familiar name: Hilliard Gates!
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July 16, 2022 post by the Greater Fort Wayne Aviation Museum on Facebook:
A few notes from Cpl. Hilliard Gates at Baer Field in 1944!