Jack Payne, voice of College World Series, dies

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Omaha lost a beloved member of its sports community this week: Broadcasting pioneer Jack Payne, 99, died Thursday.

For 37 years, he was the voice of the College World Series, announcing games at Rosenblatt Stadium.

In the span of his 47-year career in broadcasting, he served as sports anchor at 6 News WOWT — known as WOW-TV at the time. H began his tenure at the TV and radio stations in 1951.

He spent 22 years at KFAB and served as the public address announcer at the CWS from 1963 until 2000, which is how many will forever remember him.

6 News talked with Payne about his love of baseball 15 years after he retired from the announcer’s booth.

“I’m a fan. I’m a fan — listening to people, seeing people, watching their reaction,” he said then. “And people are what make this thing successful here in this city, and they worked hard at it, and they deserve anything they’ve got coming their way now.”

Funeral services for Payne will be private, but a memorial service will be held at a date not yet determined.

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