DES MOINES, Iowa – Jim Duncan, known to many as the "voice of the Drake Relays" for 38 years, will be honored posthumously as recipient of the 2026 Paul Morrison Legacy Award during an April 23 luncheon at the Schickler Club in the Knapp Center on the Drake University campus.
 
Recognized as one of the premier track and field announcers in the United States, Duncan's meet preparation was thorough, and he was admired by athletes, coaches and fans. He knew the favorites, the colors of their uniforms, and the athletes' history and capabilities as he called races and field events. 
 
Duncan's station was an elevated platform near the finish line. The green golf cap was settled firmly over his ears as he pivoted slowly, following the runners. He always stood, microphone in his left hand with an information card in his right. 
 
But it was his distinct voice and its urgency that competitors and fans would remember forever. It didn't matter if it was Jim Ryun of Kansas or a local high school athlete going all out, the current race was the most important event as his voice cut through the mounting din: "They're on record pace…let's hear it east side."
 
Duncan served as the public address announcer for the Drake Relays from 1951 through 1988. The Blue Oval was renamed the Jim Duncan Track during the 1988 Drake Relays in honor of the longtime announcer. He died three weeks before the 1989 Drake Relays at the age of 77. 
 
"Jim Duncan was a titan of the Drake Relays and Drake University community," Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon said. "To this day, fans, officials, and volunteers alike laud his impact on America's Athletic Classic. His dedication and preparedness alone make him an obvious candidate for this honor, but the man Jim Duncan was confirmed his enshrinement in Drake Relays legend long before this recognition."
 
The Drake Invitational track and field meet, held annually two weeks before the Drake Relays, was renamed the Jim Duncan Invitational in 1990. The Drake Relays women's university division 4x400 relay is also named after Duncan. He also is an inductee in the Drake Relays Wall of Honor, which recognizes longtime Drake Relays officials.
 
A large stretch of Drake's history involves Duncan, and he took part in many Drake traditions. He was a professor of radio and TV in the Drake School of Journalism for 31 years until his retirement in 1981. An exceptional teacher, he was named one of the nation's 33 "Super Profs" by Esquire magazine in 1966. A beloved educator for many, Duncan had a major impact on the lives of his students. He was enthusiastic about his job and carried a passion for helping his students succeed. He took interest in his students' futures outside the classroom and did whatever was in his power to help them improve.
 
A native of Clearfield, Iowa, Duncan graduated from high school at the age of 14 and enrolled at Drake University at the age of 16. He majored in philosophy with minors in French and English, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his degree in 1931. Along the way he ran the long sprints for the Drake track and field team under coach Pitch Johnson, winning a Missouri Valley Conference 440-yard title in 1930.
 
The Paul Morrison Award is named in honor of longtime Drake University athletic historian Paul Morrison, a beloved figure on the Drake campus who passed away at the age of 100 on Nov. 30, 2017. Morrison took pride in and maintained historical Drake athletics narratives while attending 80 Drake Relays. A half-mile stretch of Forest Avenue in front of the Knapp Center is named in his honor.
 
Morrison was the initial recipient of the Legacy Award in 2017, followed by Franklin (Pitch) Johnson in 2018; the Gary Osborn family and Scott Osborn in 2019; Bob Clark, 2021; Dave Mills, 2022; Pete Guerrini, 2023; Mike Henderson, 2024; and Bill Keck, 2025.