For more than 30 years Alan Hoskins has been a fixture at the score table at Kansas City Kansas Community College basketball games, recording every basket, rebound, assist and assorted other pertinent statistics.
Now his name is headed for a banner high over the KCKCC Field House as the 15th member of the KCKCC Athletic Hall of Fame. Formal induction will come about 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, in ceremonies between the Blue Devil women’s and men’s game on the final night of the annual Keith Lindsey Classic.
“A great guy who truly has a servant’s heart,” said KCKCC athletic director Tony Tompkins. “Over the years he has done so much for our Athletic Department in communicating the great accomplishments of our student-athletes. He truly cares about our student-athletes, coaches and the further success of our Athletic Department and is truly deserving of this honor.”
“To join the likes of people who I’ve worked with and respected so much – Duane Shaw, Steve Burleson, Nancy Allen, Keith Lindsey – and major leaguers David Segui and Kevin Young is both flattering and humbling,” Hoskins said.
Hoskins came to KCKCC in May of 1983 after more than six years as sports editor of The Kansas City Kansan newspaper. As Public Information Supervisor, he was responsible for writing press releases on all aspects of the college and producing various publications. While not included in his job description, Hoskins immediately added athletics to his other responsibilities including keeping statistics on all home basketball games.
“Two men, Bud Roberts and Ron Mears, both of whom have passed on, believed I could be a viable contributor to the college and to them I shall always be indebted,” Hoskins said. “I could never have envisioned all the opportunities coming to the college afforded me.”
As part of his responsibilities, Hoskins wrote press releases about spring trips abroad initiated by Social Science Dean Dr. Henry Louis.
“I’d write about these great trips and want to go so bad,” Hoskins said. “In 1999, I finally did – to Turkey and was hooked.” Since then he’s literally traveled around the world a couple of times, making 31 trips overseas and after the passing of Dr. Louis, he’s served as coordinator of the college’s trips abroad. Officially retired in 2013, he returned to the college as sports information director on a part-time basis that fall and continues in the position.
Hoskins grew up in Zearing, a small Iowa town near Iowa State University in Ames but chose the University of Iowa for its journalism program. While at Iowa, he was the editor of the first Rose Bowl edition in 1956 and for two years was sports editor of the award-winning Daily Iowan student newspaper. He began his journalistic career as copy editor, reporter and photographer for two years with the Muscatine (Iowa) Journal, then moved to the Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier as assistant sports editor, sports editor and managing editor. During a 15-year career with The Courier, he was voted Iowa Sportswriter of the Year in 1969.
He came to The Kansan in the fall of 1976 and during his 6½ years, served a year and a half as official scorer with the Kansas City Royals, traveled extensively with the Chiefs and kept statistics for Kansas City Kings games in the NBA. Hoskins later returned to The Kansan as a contributing columnist and twice (1992-93) was named winner of the O.P. Smith Award given annually by the Greyhound Track Operators Association for contributions to the promotion of greyhound racing.
Hoskins has written three books including “Wolf Creek’s First 25 Years” and “Warpaths: The Illustrated History of the Kansas City Chiefs,” the only history book written on the Chiefs. Hoskins has two sons, James Edward Coil of Sarasota, Fla.; and Paul Hoskins, an employee of Bluescope Steel in Kansas City; and a daughter, Ginger French, an adjunct instructor and tutor at KCKCC.