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Kansas Unemployment Fraud | Sportscasting Legend Bob Davis

By Steve Kraske,
Zach Wilson, Danie Alexander, Chris Young
Published March 8, 2021 at 2:02 PM CST
Bob Davis was the voice of The University of Kansas sports for 32 years and would go on to call games for the Kansas City Royals for 16 years.
Jeff Jacobsen
/
Courtesy of Jeff Bollig
Bob Davis was the voice of The University of Kansas sports for 32 years and would go on to call games for the Kansas City Royals for 16 years.

A legislative audit estimates there was $600 million in unemployment fraud in Kansas in 2020, and legendary sportscaster Bob Davis remembers his career calling games for the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas Jayhawks in his memoir.

Segment 1, beginning at 5:07: An audit from the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit estimates that there was about $600 million in unemployment fraud in the state in 2020.

The Kansas Department of Labor was not equipped to deal with the number of bogus unemployment compensation applications that occurred last year. The system primarily detects fraud manually instead of through automated means. That, coupled with an easy-to-crack federal assistance program, led to the overpayments.

Segment 2, beginning at 29:26: Bob Davis called competitions from the high school to the major university level and from the minor to the major leagues.

In his new memoir 'The Dream Is Real: My Life on the Airwaves' co-written by Jeff Bollig, Davis recounts some of the iconic moments of his sportscasting career. Davis called nearly 5,000 games over 48 years of broadcasting, and is known for his dramatic flair and 'folksy' style.

  • Bob Davis, sportscaster
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Up To Date Talk Showkansas department of laborDivison of Legislative Post Auditkansas unemploymentunemploymentfraudKU AthleticsKansas City Royalssportscollege sportsCoronavirusKU BasketballBooks
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Zach Wilson
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I construct daily conversations that give our listeners context to the issues of our time. I strive to provide a platform that holds those in power accountable, while also spotlighting the voices of Kansas City’s creatives and visionaries that may otherwise go unheard. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
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Danie Alexander
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
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Chris Young
Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.
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