Each year, members of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association cast their vote for the top sportscaster and sportswriter for the past year, both locally and nationally.
The results are in.
The great Don Fischer, the radio voice of the Indiana Hoosiers, earned the top sportscasting honor in Indiana for the 24th year. On the sportswriting side, Bob Kravitz of Indianapolis’ only local paper, The Star, won for the second year in a row.
It is a well-deserved honor for them both, and as I told them, I’m excited. Fischer has an iconic voice, one that you immediately know is his when your turn on the radio. His style is distinct, and appreciated by fans in Indiana. Fisch is so good at what he does. He’s called IU games through the good times and bad, and isn’t a homer. Coming from someone in the media business, I truly appreciate that.
Meantime, Kravitz is terrific as well. He takes heat in Indy, primarily because he’s the only columnist in town, . He has built a great network of resources and folks value opinion, even though they disagree. He takes heat in Indy, primarily because he’s the only columnist in town, but that means he’s also doing his job. He’s getting people talking, and that’s what you want in a columnist. It’s not just about the story, but how it’s written. He can be brutally honest, write a heartwarming story, or have a little fun — like with his annual Thanksgiving piece. (Spoiler alert: Heyward-Bey dropped the basket of rolls.)
One trait they both share is their willingness to assist. When I called Fisch in high school to talk about the business (basically, I just wanted to hear him talk about his life), he answered and gave me as much time as I wanted — more than an hour. Whenever he was at a North Central High School game, you bet I would ask him to join my radio broadcast and he happily participated.
As I met Kravvy while doing whatever I could in the media business, he’d listen. And he’d advise — some thoughts better than others. He’s good for both an insightful discussions and casual ones with beverages involved. Like me, Kravvy’s an IU grad. He worked for a number of publications in various cities before coming to Indy in the 90s, so he has a lot of interesting experiences.
Indiana has a number of great sportscasters and sportswriters. In fact, I wish more would get the respect they deserved and be included on the ballot.
We’re all spoiled getting to hear Fisch or read Kravvy each year. Both of them have been great mentors to me and so I am proud to see them add another trophy to the shelf.
Congrats, gentlemen.