HAROLD ENSLEY
1912-2005
Inducted – 2005

Known world-wide as “The Sportsman’s Friend,” Harold Edward Ensley of Healy grew up in western Kansas and parlayed his love of the outdoors into a pioneer broadcasting career. Ensley produced a television show on hunting and fishing for 48 consecutive seasons and for 21 years, “The Sportsman’s Friend” was seen 52 weeks a year in eight Midwestern states. In 1973, the show became syndicated and remained a dominant force in outdoor broadcasting for more than a quarter-century. When the show went off the air in 2001, Ensley had produced more than 5,000 radio and 1,500 television shows. Ensley challenged the waters of four continents and became one of the world’s foremost anglers. He won the World Championship of Freshwater Sport Fishing in 1960 and was named the National Freshwater Fisherman of the Year in 1962. As a child growing up in Lane County, Ensley spent countless hours fishing in a procession of pools known as Salt Creek. The fixation was so strong that his mother worried he wouldn’t succeed in life. He worked for a radio station in Joplin, Mo., before moving to Kansas City where he started his outdoor show in 1953. Ensley rubbed elbows with several famous celebrities, teaching Jimmy Stewart how to cast and Henry Fonda how to catch trout. He fished with baseball greats’ Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. Inducted in National Fishing Hall of Fame; Legends of Outdoors Hall of Fame; Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame; Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Born – November 20, 1912 – Healy, Kansas. Died – August 24, 2005, Overland Park, Kansas. Graduated Healy(KS) High School, 1930; Salt City Business College (Hutchinson), 1932.