Bill Campbell (sportscaster)

Bill Campbell (September 7, 1923 – October 6, 2014) was a sportscaster in the Philadelphia area. He was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey .

Campbell began his broadcasting career at the age of 17 at a radio station in his hometown of Atlantic City. He moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1941 as a Minor League Baseball announcer, and then settled in Philadelphia in 1942, where he lived the rest of his life. Campbell first started in area radio at WIP, before moving to WCAU in 1946 as sports director, taking the same position when WCAU-TV began its historic telecasts, in 1948; he remained in that position until 1966.

Campbell was play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Warriors from their debut in 1946 until their move to San Francisco in 1962, calling Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.[1] He was also play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1952–66, Philadelphia Phillies from 1963–70, and Philadelphia 76ers from 1972–81.

Campbell later held down the 10 AM to noon slot at his first Delaware Valley broadcasting employer, WIP, when it switched to an all-sports format, from 1987–1991.

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Campbell into their Hall of Fame in 1999[2] and named him their Person of the Year in 2008.

Campbell was awarded the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.[3] He died on October 6, 2014, aged 91, at a hospital in Camden, New Jersey.[4]

On February 1, 2016, the inaugural Bill Campbell Broadcast Award was presented by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association, to longtime Eagles announcer Merrill Reese.[5]

References
  1. Robbins, Liz (12 June 2005). "'Wilt, 1962': 48 Minutes, 100 Points". The New York Times.
  2. "Bill Campbell". The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. "Curt Gowdy Media Award Winners". Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  4. Morrison, John F. (October 8, 2014). "Bill Campbell, 91, legendary Philly sports broadcaster". Philly.com. Interstate General Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. Carchidi, Sam (January 28, 2016). "Lloyd highlights sports writers banquet". Philly.com. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital), LLC. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
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