IU Radio Voice Don Fischer Reacts to the Death of Bob Hammel

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.–Hall of Fame Sportswriter Bob Hammel died over the weekend. Indiana University Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Don Fischer is remembering Hammel as a “wonderful man.”

Fischer also says Hammel was one of the smartest people he ever spent time around. Hammel spent 40 years with the Bloomington Herald-Telephone and later Herald-Times, including 30 as sports editor. Hammel won the Indiana Sportswriter of the Year award 21 times.

“If you asked him a question about IU athletics, he had the answer virtually every time,” said Fischer who worked with Hammel for three years on IU Radio broadcasts at the request of former IU Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Knight.

Hammel had a professional relationship with Knight that later blossomed into a friendship.

“It was the personality that Bob Hammel had. I think Knight immediately realized what a good person he was,” said Fischer.

Fischer believes Knight also respect Hammel’s work ethic.

“All of the books he wrote about Coach Knight were extremely well-written. I’ve loved each and every one of them,” said Fischer.

Hammel either authored or co-authored 14 books, including the 2002 autobiography of Knight, the fiery IU basketball coach who died in 2023. They also teamed up in 2012 for a book titled “The Power of Negative Thinking.”

When Fischer was recognized for being IU’s Radio Voice for 50 Years at a ceremony in February of 2023 at Assembly Hall, he paid tribute to Hammel by calling him the “greatest sportswriter ever.”

Hammel was a member of several halls of fame, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Football Writers Association of America, Indiana Journalism and Indiana University Athletics. He served terms as president of the Basketball and Football Writers associations. He received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Bert McGrane Award from the Football Writers Association.

“Without question, he was definitely the most prolific writer from a newspaper perspective that there has ever been. He influenced everyone around him with how hard he worked. You would sometimes see three or four stories after every ball game in the Bloomington Herald-Times all written by Bob Hammel,” said Fischer.

Before retiring from sports writing in 1996, Hammel even covered five Olympics.

Hammel is survived by Julie, his wife of 67 years, son Richard Hammel, and daughter Jane Priest. Hammel was 88 years old.