RAY FRANKS - INDUCTEE #95
hall of fame fast fact:
Ray Franks was born in North Platte, Neb., and his family moved to southern Illinois during the Great Depression. Franks grew up on a farm. He attended grade school in Carmi, Ill., and completed eight grades in six years. Franks entered high school when he was 11 years old, graduated from high school when he was 15, and graduated from Evansville College at 21.
Ray Franks
Ray Franks was stationed at the Amarillo Air Force Base in 1951. He started his first publication, the Panhandle Pigskin Review, launching the regional football magazine in 1953.
After getting his discharge from the Air Force, Franks took a job as sports information director and journalism instructor at WT.
While at WT, Franks had continued to publish the Panhandle Pigskin Review (until he sold it in 1959) and started a new publication in 1955, the Texas Sports Guide, a 154-page directory listing key information on Texas high school and college departments.
He left WT to expand his directories and soon had eight directories covering 12 states. In 1965, Franks moved his operation from his home into the newly built Ray Franks Publishing Ranch in Amarillo.
Three years later, he made his biggest breakthrough when he printed his first National Directory of College Athletics.
In 1973, Franks added an NCAA directory for women’s athletics.
His association with the directories has enabled Franks to cover sporting events across the world.
