By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Former KFEQ broadcaster, Bob Orf, says his election to the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame surprised him.
Orf, the longtime voice of the Missouri Western State University Griffons, says it surprises him to be in the 2025 class.
“I’m not sure I belong in there. I thought maybe I’d be elected to a Hall of Shame, not a Hall of Fame,” Orf tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s great. It’s an honor to be sure. I look at some of the people that are already in there and some of the people going in and, boy, that brings back a lot of memories in many ways.”
Orf was among the nine individuals, one Special Olympian, and one team to be elected to the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
Though known as the Voice of the Griffons for years, Orf did much more than broadcast Missouri Western State University football and basketball. Orf, a huge fan of boxing, served as a ring announcer for boxing matches held at the Civic Arena and broadcast throughout the world.
“I was lucky enough to do two broadcasts on NBC-TV, one on ESPN, and one on Madison Square Garden Sports,” Orf says. “And those are live. They weren’t taped and shown at 2:30 in the morning or something.”
Orf says he is pleased to be included in the class that will also induct St. Joseph boxing legend, Rob Calloway. Orf sat ringside for many big Calloway victories and was ring announcer for one championship fight.
At one event at the Civic Arena, Orf got a chance to meet famed boxing promoter, Don King. Though, when he went to the Civic Arena offices to meet King, he was greeted by King’s body guard who gave him specific instructions.
“Stay here and don’t move,” Orf recalls the bodyguard telling him. “I’m not going to move and the guy turns away from me and I notice he’s got shoulder holster with a pistol in it. He was his bodyguard. Don King comes out smoking that cigar and said, ‘You did a great job. You were really good.’”
Orf also remembers when heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes, visited St. Joseph to be on hand when his brother, Mark, fought as the main event at the Civic Arena. Holmes entered the ring to wave to the crowd that night.
The 2025 class features NFL players, a sports broadcaster, coaches, and a men's softball star among the nine individuals chosen. One area team will also be enshrined, as well as a Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.
The 2025 Hall of Fame class includes:
Bob Boyles – Seven Time AAU Powerlifting Champion/Personal Trainer
Rob Calloway – Local Boxing Legend
Mike Habermehl – PGA Club Professional/Instructor/MWSU Golf Coach
Elijah Lee – Kansas State Football/National Football League
Chris Miljavac – Men’s Fastpitch Softball Star
Bob Orf – Radio Broadcasting Personality/Voice of Missouri Western Athletics
Justin Thornton – Multisport Central High School Star/University of Kansas Football
Adam Selkirk – Three-time Missouri State High School Tennis Champion
Don Tabor – Bishop LeBlond/Benton High School Football Coaching Legend
1977 Bishop LeBlond Boys Basketball State Champions
Chris Ringot – Special Olympics Area Athlete of the Year
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.