Former Purdue, Pacers, Colts Announcer Dies
The longtime former voice of Purdue University football has died. Joe McConnell’s career included 15 seasons on Boilermaker radio broadcasts and stints behind the mic for five National Football League teams, including the Indianapolis Colts; two National Basketball Association teams, including the Indiana Pacers; and two Major League Baseball teams. He was 79.
The visiting team’s radio booth at Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium is named in McConnell’s honor and his industry recognition included AP/UPI Play-by-Play Sportscaster of the Year Award five times, 2000 Indiana Sportscaster of the Year, 1981 Illinois Sportcaster of the Year and 2017 induction into the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.
McConnell’s radio play-by-play experience included:
- Denver Broncos in 1969
- Phoenix Suns from 1970-1972
- Minnesota Vikings from 1971-1976 and 1985-1987
- Indiana Pacers from 1972-1977
- Chicago Bears from 1977-1984
- Minnesota Twins from 1978-1979
- Indiana State University 1978-1979
- Chicago White Sox from 1980-1984
- University of Illinois from 1987-1988
- University of Notre Dame from 1987-1988
- Northwestern University football in 1988 and basketball from 1989-1994
- Indianapolis Colts from 1992-1994
- Tennessee Oilers from 1997-1998
McConnell also lead national NBA radio broadcasts, called three Super Bowls, NBA and ABA Championship games, the NBA All-Star Game and MLB’s American League Championship Series.
He graduated from Franklin College in 1962 and started his broadcasting at WBAA on the Purdue campus