R.I.P.: Nebraska Broadcaster Mark Ahmann

Mark Ahmann

Funeral services for longtime radio and television broadcaster Mark Ahmann will be Tuesday in Wayne, Nebraska.

Ahmann died Thursday at the age of 83. He had been dealing with several health issues.

“His career probably was, other than family, the most important thing in his life,’’ his wife Jane said. “He lived and died sports. Everything revolved around sports.’’

His baseball talents landed him a spot with the New York Yankees farm club in McAlester, Oklahoma in 1953, but he returned home after just 2 months--following an injury.

After 2 years of service in the U.S. Army, he graduated from the American Institute of the Air in Minneapolis (later known as Brown Institute) and took his first radio job in Pontiac, Michigan.   He then took a News/Sports postion at KCIM in Carroll, Iowa.

Ahmann moved to television in 1959 as Sports Director for KTIV in Sioux City.   In 1963, he moved back to Michigan as Sports Director for WJIM Radio and TV in Lansing.   He called the 1966 "Game of the Century" between Michigan State and Notre Dame.  Following a one year stint as General Manager of WVIC Radio in East Lansing, Ahmann was back in Sioux City at KMEG-TV.

He was the primary face and voice of Nebraska high school sports while hosting KOLN/KGIN's Friday Night Sports Roundup from 1972-1980.  In the early 80's he managed KAMI Radio in Cozad.  And in 1986, following a stint as Sports Dierctor at Channel 9 in Sioux City, he was hired as General Manager of KTCH in Wayne, Nebraska, where he served until 1997.

Throughout his radio/tv career, high school sports always got first-class treatment.  In 2007, Ahmann was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.  He continued his weekday show, "The View from Wayne American" on KTCH and also filled in on play-by-play when he could.

Ahmann is a member of the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame, the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame and Nebraska’s Broadcasters Hall of Fame.