Monday, October 6, 2014

Remembering Bill Campbell, 1923 - 2014

One of the greatest voices in Philadelphia broadcast history has been stilled.

Though Bill Campbell was known primarily as a spoortscaster the truth is that he was equally at home reporting the news, weather or whatever else came his way. And he was a broadcast legend both on TV and radio.

Bill Campbell, who has died at 91, could read the Affordable Care Act -- all of it -- and make it sound interesting. And when Campbell promoted your product in a commercial, you had a leg up as soon as he started talking.

Campbell had an old-fashioned, resonant radio voice and a manner that made him seem like he was chatting with you as an old friend. Like all great brodcasters, he spoke not to an entire audience but to a single person: the rabid sports fan who lived for the game, this game; the mother who listened closely to find out if her kids had school on a snowy, blustery morning; the vacationer who needed to know whether the drive to the shore would be easy or harrowing; the consumer who might not otherwise know about a new product or service; the everyday Philadelphian who needed his daily fix of the news.

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 remained ever since.

He first started at WIP before moving to WCAU in 1946 as sports director, taking the same position when WCAU-TV signed on in 1948, a post he held until 1966.

He 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. 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.

He later held down the 10 AM to noon slot at his first employer, WIP, when it switched to an all-sports format, from 1987–91.

In his later years, Campbell did guest appearances, voice-overs, and a weekly commentary on KYW-AM in Philadelphia. He was awarded the Curt Gowdy Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

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

Bill Campbell resided in Haddonfield with his wife of 67 years, Jo. When his wife died at the beginning of this year Campbell's health began to deteriorate.

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