John Gilmore Bansch

John Gilmore Bansch, long-time Indianapolis sports journalist and The Indianapolis Star’s first Indianapolis Colts beat writer when the team moved to the city in 1984, passed on March 8, 2017.
He was 81. John is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Joyce, daughters Pam (Jim) Dickerson and Paula Bansch of Indianapolis, sister Kathy (Bill) Hanchett of Twin Falls, ID., three nephews, three great nieces and three great nephews.
A native Hoosier born on Nov. 27, 1935 in East Chicago to G.H. and Dorothy Bansch, John spent his formative years in his beloved “Big Sky” Montana, graduating from Helena High School where he was a four-year letterman in baseball, a three-year letterman in track and a two-year letterman in football.
He was graduated in 1957 from the University of Montana with a degree in journalism where he also lettered in baseball and was editor of the school newspaper, the Montana Kaimin. John also was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
Upon his graduation from Montana, John was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He worked for a brief time as a general assignment reporter for the Great Falls Leader. He moved to Indianapolis in February of 1958 to attend Adjutant General School at Fort Benjamin Harrison. While attending AG school, John also began working weekends on The Star copy desk. Upon completion of AG school, Bansch was assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., as a personnel officer and reached the rank of captain before being honorably discharged.
John then returned to Indianapolis to work at The Star as a copy editor, moving to the sports department in 1960. John eventually was promoted to assistant sports editor while also covering college sports, Rose, Sugar, Cotton and Orange Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, golf, boxing, the Indianapolis 500, and hockey. When the Colts re-located to Indianapolis, John became the team’s beat writer for The Star and for 11 years served as a member of the selection committee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A gregarious man with a hearty laugh who was known as “The Captain” or “Griz” to his friends and journalism colleagues, John retired from newspapering in October of 1999, ending a multi-faceted 41-year journalism career that included not just writing, but editing, layout and staff management. John was universally respected by the coaches, athletes and team officials he covered.
Following retirement, John maintained his passion for sports with season tickets to the Colts and the Butler basketball Bulldogs. And even though separated by distance, he enthusiastically followed and supported Grizzlies athletics at his alma mater, the University of Montana.
John also served as president of the Indianapolis Press Club, was a director of Indiana Golden Gloves from 1960 through 2017, served as secretary of Maple Creek Country Club and was a member of Phi Delta Theta’s Lou Gehrig Award Selection Committee.
Visitation will take place on Saturday, March 11, from noon to 2:30 p.m., followed by the memorial service at Geist Christian Church, Mud Creek Campus, 8550 Mud Creek Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46256.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the School of Journalism, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, Mt., 59812.