Larry Porter

(Bio prepared by the Committee for 2017 TJ Hall of Fame Induction)

Larry Porter graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1959 and gained his first experience in journalism as a member of The Signal staff. He played football and was a member of the Letterman’s Club. He also was involved in basketball on the junior varsity level, ROTC, Jr. Red Cross and choir.

Larry enlisted in the U.S. Army upon graduation from TJ. Following his three-year tour of duty, he enrolled at the University of Omaha. He began part-time work in the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil’s sports department shortly after enrolling in college, and in the spring of 1965 became the Nonpareil’s assistant sports editor. That fall, he accepted a position as sports information director at Omaha U and remained there for two years. The Omaha World-Herald then beckoned, and Larry spent the next 40 years as a member of the sports department. He continued as a sports writer for 24 years, and in 1976 was moved to the World-Herald’s Lincoln bureau to cover Nebraska high school athletics and University of Nebraska football.

At age 35, he was introduced to hunting and fishing.  During the remainder of his time as a sports writer, he nourished a love of the outdoors. He competed on the professional walleye tournament circuit for 10 years. Larry became the World-Herald’s outdoor writer in 1990. He enjoyed his dream job—getting paid to hunt and fish. He retired from the World-Herald in 2007 and spent the next nine summers as a fishing guide on Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir in South Dakota.

For the past five years, Larry and former World-Herald colleague Bill Hord have teamed as the Old Rusty Minstrels, a singing duo that performs about 150 times each year at retirement homes, senior centers, church groups and civic events throughout western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. He has also received the Nebraska Sports Writer of the Year, AP Nebraska Sports Story of the Year, Ducks Unlimited Journalist of the Year, Outstanding Service Award from the Nebraska High School Athletic Directors Association, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Coaches Association.