While earning his electrical engineering degree at Purdue University, John DeCamp was a student announcer as a sophomore at WBAA-AM/FM, Indiana’s first broadcast station. His broadcasting career began there as program director in 1946. From 1960 to 1975, DeCamp was station manager of WBAA-AM/FM, and then he was named director of sports promotions for the Purdue Athletic Department. DeCamp retired from that position in 1986. For 43 years, DeCamp was the “Voice of Purdue,” doing play-by-play for Boilermaker basketball and football. In 1957, he was a supporting member of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Network. Then in 1964, he gained a speaking role on the network as chief statistician. DeCamp served in this role through the 1988 Indianapolis 500, having worked for the race-day worldwide network for 32 years. In 1971, he was named “Sportscaster of the Year” by the Indiana Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. In 1974, he was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. In 1996, DeCamp was recognized as a charter member of the Indiana Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, and was also inducted into the Purdue University Sports Hall of Fame. DeCamp died Dec. 5, 2003.
John DeCamp was inducted into the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011.
Indiana Broadcast Pioneers
Related Items
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John DeCamp's Hall of Fame Video Bio Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Collection |
2011 |
Video bio of John DeCamp, inducted to Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011. Producer/Voice-over: Mike Piggott; |
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