Former Indianapolis Televison Sportscaster Don Hein Passes Away at Age 85 Don Hein, who worked as a sports director and anchor at WTHR in Indianapolis for 33 years, has died at 85 years old. Hein’s daughter confirmed his passing to 13News reporter Rich Nye. According to Hein’s obituary, which was shared with 13News by his family, Hein lived in Fishers and died Tuesday, July 3. Nye spoke with Hein in November 2023 after former Indiana University men’s basketball coach Bobby Knight died. “No question, he was as he is,” Hein said at the time on Knight. “You know, at the time he was … Bob really, I don’t think, gave a diddly what people thought of him. He was going to do his stuff, and he did it for a long time. I saw him do a lot of things for little kids. He especially was very kind to women. If you could be an old woman, you were on his team.”
In high school, Hein was a football, basketball and baseball standout, having been named First-Team All-State in basketball when he led his team to the championship game of the Iowa State tournament. After high school, Hein attended the University of Northern Iowa, where he started for the legendary coach, Norm Stewart. It is that background that brought Hein to be a sportscaster in Indiana. In addition to being named Sportscaster of the Year three times by the Associated Press and United Press International, Hein was honored as the state’s best play-by-play announcer for nine consecutive seasons. Hein also received the Distinguished Award from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and was winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for exemplary reporting. He is a member of the Indiana Sportscasters/Sportswriters Hall of Fame, the Indiana Associated Press Hall of Fame and the Indiana Television Pioneers Hall of Fame.
Hein also won acclaim from the National Association of Racing Writers and Broadcasters, special awards from the Indiana State Football and Wrestling Coaches Associations, and distinguished Media Service Award by the Indiana High School Athletic Association. Prior to joining WTHR as sports director, Hein worked for three years at WMBD –TV in Peoria, Illinois, with his long-time weather compatriot, Bob Gregory. According to his obituary, Hein was an avid golfer and racquetball player, as well being a board member of the Indianapolis Symphonic Band and a tuba player. The obituary says Hein enjoyed ballroom dancing with his wife, Helen, and also volunteer taught at Butler University, read to people who are blind and officiated youth sports.
Hein is survived by his wife, Helen (Battles) Hein, daughters Lisa (David) Goode and Amy Armstrong, step-children Danell (Gary) Duff, Doug (Jennifer) Dulin, and Darron (Teresa) Dulin, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren and siblings. A celebration of life will be held in Hein’s honor, with details to come in the near future. In lieu of flowers, Hein’s family is requesting donations be made to dementia research at this site. The final line of the obituary reads: “Donald Ray Hein may have left this world, but his legacy, compassion and success will continue to live in the hearts of all who admired him. In the words of Don Hein, ‘That’s All, Sports Fans!'”
Indiana Fever Dominate the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse The Indiana Fever (9-8) earned a dominant 27-point win over the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night. Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell combined for 45 points in the 81-54 victory. Indiana’s defense held the Aces scoreless through the first 3:31 to open the game, setting the tone for the team’s defensive performance on the night. On the other end of the court, the trio of Boston, Mitchell and Natasha Howard combined for 21 points to give the Fever a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter. The Fever continued to lead the Aces throughout the second quarter, leading 46-24 at the end of the first half. Indiana held the visiting teams to only 10 points in the second, while Boston and Aari McDonald scored six points apiece. With 10 points scored throughout the third quarter by Mitchell, the Fever were able to maintain their 20+ point lead over Las Vegas. Indiana closed the game out, holding the Aces to just seven points in the fourth to secure the win.
Aliyah Boston moved to fifth overall for total rebounds in Indiana Fever franchise history at 3:27 in the first quarter, surpassing NaLyssa Smith, Boston ended the night with seven rebounds. With 1:36 remaining in the second quarter, Kelsey Mitchell recorded her fifth assist of the game, marking her 700th career assist, the fourth-most in Indiana Fever history. Kelsey Mitchell finished the night with 25 points, extending her double-digit scoring streak to 17 games, posting 10+ points in every game so far this season. Natasha Howard earned a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, the 52nd of her career and fourth of the season. With her 52nd double-double, Howard now has the 27th most double-doubles in WNBA history. Kelsey Mitchell & Aliyah Boston became the third Fever duo to each score 20+ points in under 30 minutes. The Fever earned their first win over the Las Vegas Aces in 17 games, the first since August 27, 2019. he 27-point margin of victory ties the largest margin of defeat for the Las Vegas Aces this season. The last time Las Vegas was held below 55 points was on July 31, 2015, when the team was still the San Antonio Stars. The Indiana Fever continue their five-game homestand, hosting the LA Sparks tonight at 7 pm with the game will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on WTHR.
Indianapolis Indians Dominate the Louisville Bats 11-3 On the Road The Indianapolis Indians scored six runs in the top of the first inning to rout the Louisville Bats,11-3, on Thursday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Ronny Simon hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season, setting a single-season Victory Field era record. He became the second player in the era to hit leadoff homers in back-to-backgames, joining Brian Bixler on July 6-7, 2009.The Indians (6-3, 48-35), burst out of gate when Simon launched Jose Franco’s (L, 1-1) first pitch into right center field for a 1-0 lead. He is now tied for second with Max Moroff in Indy leadoff homers in the Victory Field era, trailing Ji Hwan Bae’s franchise record of five.
The Indians scored five more runs in the frame. After Nick Solak singled and Jack Suwinski walked, Nick Yorke drove home Solak on an RBI fielder’s choice. Yorke stole second and Malcom Nuñez walked, setting up Liover Peguero to bring home Suwinski on another fielder’s choice RBI. Franco then exited the game, having recorded just one out in his second career Triple-A start. Hunter Park entered the game and surrendered a run on a wild pitch, scoring Yorke. Shawn Ross walked and Alika Williams doubled home Nuñez and Peguero for a 6-0 advantage. Franco was tagged with six runs, but just one was earned as the Bats (4-5, 36-48) also made two errors in the inning. In the second inning, after Suwinski singled and Yorke walked, Nuñez doubled home two more runs for an 8-0 lead. The Bats tacked on two runs in the bottom half of the frame on opener Sean Sullivan, who allowed just the two runs in 3.0 innings of work. Indy tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Ross, and an 11thrunin the seventh on an RBI single by Nuñez. Louisville concluded the night with one run in the bottom of the ninth. Randy Labaut (W, 3-1) earned the win with 3.0 scoreless innings in relief following Sullivan. Solak and Simon each extended their on-base streaks to 19 games, trailing only Ji Hwan Bae’s 20-game stretch from April 13-May 21 for the longest by an Indian this season.
Indiana Native Colson Montgomery to Make His Major League Baseball Debut with the Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox promoted infield prospect Colson Montgomery for last night’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver. The news was first reported by Kris Norton of WITZ Radio in Jasper. Montgomery, 23, is a 6-foot-3 left-handed hitter, who the White Sox selected with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Indiana. Primarily playing shortstop with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights this season, Montgomery slashed .218/.298/.435/.733 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, 30 RBIs, two stolen bases, 19 walks and 82 strikeouts in 242 plate appearances.
White Sox director of player development Paul Janish talked Monday about Montgomery’s recent stretch of play and when he could be promoted. “[Montgomery] having a little bit of a lull and coming out of it this past week, I think is a really good indicator that he’s – both mentally and physically – in a better place,” Janish said. “I mean, the ability to get out of that little, small funk was something that I thought was really telling. Talking to Colson and just watching his body language on the field, he’s in a confident place. So relative to him getting the opportunity to go to Chicago, we’ll see what the future holds.”
“But just really excited about the consistency that he’s shown over the last six weeks, which to be transparent, had eluded him a little bit most of the last year. So, he’s in a good spot. He’s hitting the ball hard; he’s having good at-bats. One of the homers yesterday was a really tough at-bat off of a left-handed pitcher throwing hard, slider, and he had fouled some tough pitches off, took some tough pitches and then ran one out of the yard. So, there’s some context there that is super encouraging for sure.”
Notre Dame Football to Host Rice University in 2026 While the 2025 college football seasons is approaching, Notre Dame football has been busy getting its 2026 schedule in order and made an announcement on Thursday morning that they’ll be hosting the Rice Owls at home on Sep. 12th. A start time has yet to be announced, but the Irish now knows one of their foes for next year. There are multiple other games that have been released which include against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, at North Carolina, at USC, at Florida State and hosting Miami. Many often have criticized Notre Dame for its schedule, but they’re making strides to show that they aren’t afraid to play anyone.
After the 2024 run to the College Football Playoff, no one is questioning if the Irish have a great program, but there are still plenty out there that still believe that Notre Dame is overrated. Another good year in 2025 will go a long way to squashing those ideas. In 2024, Rice went 2-6 before firing head coach Mike Bloomgren and finished the season with a 4-8 record. They hired Scott Abell last November, as this will be his first season as a head coach at this level. Notre Dame leads the all-time series record at 5-0, with the last game against the two teams was a 48-17 Irish victory in South Bend in 2014 according to winsipedia.com.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett declares July Indiana Fever/WNBA All-Star Month Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett is recognizing the Indiana Fever. He’s proclaimed the entire month of July as Fever and WNBA All-Star Month. Hogsett made that declaration at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Thursday afternoon. He says he is excited for the attention the Fever are getting, and the city is about to get with the All-Star game. “The whole world is coming to Indianapolis for the WNBA All-Star Game,” Hogsett said. “And I think no city in the world could host this type of sporting event quite like Indianapolis.” The WNBA All-Star Game begins on July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.