Bill Campbell (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
Bill Campbell is a longtime sportscaster
in the Philadelphia area.
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 has been 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 to 1966, Philadelphia Phillies
from 1963 to 1970 and the Philadelphia 76ers
from 1972 to 1981.
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 to 1991.
Currently, Campbell does 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 2005.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
in the Philadelphia area.
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
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
in 1941 as a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
announcer, and then settled in Philadelphia in 1942, where he has been ever since. He first started at WIP before moving to WCAU
WPHT
WPHT is a CBS Radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, broadcasting on 1210 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it broadcasts in an omnidirectional pattern that allows it to cover most of the eastern half of North America at night. It uses the nickname "Talk Radio 1210 WPHT." The...
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
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
's 100-point game. He was also play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1952 to 1966, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from 1963 to 1970 and the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
from 1972 to 1981.
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 to 1991.
Currently, Campbell does 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
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 2005.