(L-R) Al Ackerman, Jack Ebling, John Keating, Tim Staudt, Paul Woods.

The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame has announced that five broadcasters have been put on the 2026 ballot for voting by the general public.  The Hall of Fame was established in 1954 to honor the athletes, coaches, contributors, and personalities who have made a great impact on the State of Michigan’s sports history and success. The Hall of Fame’s annual Election Ballot is comprised of candidates nominated by the public and separated into five (5) categories: Amateur, Professional, Coach, Media, Contributor.

The broadcasters appearing on this year's media section of the ballot are:

Al Ackerman.  Over a 25-year career spanning the 1960s through the 1980s, Ackerman became one of the city’s most influential and recognizable sports broadcasters, working for both WDIV (Channel 4) and WXYZ (Channel 7). Ackerman is widely remembered for coining the phrase “Bless You Boys,” a rallying cry that became synonymous with the Detroit Tigers 1984 World Series championship season. Beyond his on-air impact, he was honored for his contributions to sports and the community with induction into the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Ackerman passed away June 6, 2016, at the age of 90.

Jack Ebling.  Ebling grew up in Redford Township and graduated from Michigan State University. Beat writer and sports columnist at the Lansing State Journal from 1978 to 2003. Three-time National Sports Media Association Michigan Sportswriter of the Year, two-time NSMA Sportscaster of the Year. Has received over twenty major state and national sports writing awards. Served as Michigan chairman for the Heisman Memorial Trophy for 36 years. 2006 Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame inductee.  Since 2013, he has hosted Press Pass with Jack Ebling on WSYM-TV in Lansing, the state's longest-running hour-long, year-long sports TV show.

John Keating.  Born and raised in Madison Heights and a graduate of Grand Valley State University, Keating’s broadcasting career began in Detroit in the 1990s. Retiring in 2025, as an anchor and host for Fan Duel Sports Network, Keating also worked at FOX Sports Detroit and PASS winning more than a dozen Emmys in his 45-year career that included a 29-year tenure as host of Red Wings and Tigers broadcasts. Keating’s tenure saw the Red Wings win Stanley Cup Championships in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, as well as two Tigers World Series appearances in 2006 and 2012.

Tim Staudt.  A native of East Lansing and graduate of Michigan State University, Staudt has been the “Dean of Sports” in his hometown for more than 50 years. He has hosted the “Staudt on Sports” radio show daily since 1993 and worked as a sports anchor at WILX-TV since 1980. He previously anchored sports at the former WJIM-TV throughout the 1970s. This marks the longest tenure on television of any sportscaster in the State of Michigan. Staudt is a member of the Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame and Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Paul Woods.  Woods became the youngest captain in Detroit Red Wings team history prior to Steve Yzerman and played 501 games in seven seasons as a member of the Red Wings. The 1983-84 season was his last in the NHL and in 1987, Woods transitioned to the broadcast booth as the Red Wings radio color commentator. On October 17, 2022, he reached a remarkable milestone by providing color commentary in his 3,000th game, cementing his status as the longest-serving radio color commentator in Detroit sports history. Woods retired after the 2025-26 season, his 40th with the Red Wings.

Voting is taking place online here through Friday, June 12.