Chasing Dreams

Jim Host arrived at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1955. He majored in radio arts and joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He made numerous lifetime friends and found important mentors, including Professor Len Press. On the baseball diamond, Coach Harry Lancaster’s tough methods taught Host the importance of hard work and discipline. During the summers, Host worked various construction jobs and played semipro baseball. During the school year, he broadcast games on the student-run radio station WBKY and announced games on WVLK, where he learned from legendary broadcaster Claude Sullivan. After Host’s senior year, he was invited to try out for the Chicago White Sox. He made the cut and joined the organization’s minor league team. During one of the final games of the season, however, Host suffered a career-ending shoulder injury. He then returned to Lexington, Kentucky, where he planned to pursue a career in broadcasting.