Hall of Fame broadcaster Chris Schenkel dies; was voice of PBA Tour for 35 years

By Jerry Schneider
USBC Communications
9/12/2005
 

United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Chris Schenkel of Leesburg, Ind., one of the nation's most popular and widely honored sports announcers, died Sept. 11 after a long battle with emphysema. He was 82.

Schenkel was announcer for ABC-TV's Pro Bowlers Tour telecasts from 1962 until the telecasts were discontinued in 1997.

A member of both the USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Halls of Fame, Schenkel covered virtually every major sporting event in his 60 years as a broadcaster, but was most closely associated with his commentary in bowling.

 

Schenkel, whose career brought him into contact with the all-time greats from virtually every sport, singled out his American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame induction in 1988 as perhaps the highest recognition he ever achieved.

"I'm flabbergasted," he said during his Hall of Fame induction speech. "I've been honored similarly by the Professional Bowlers Association and now this from the amateur arm of bowling. Where do I go from here?

The late Roone Arledge was responsible for getting Schenkel into bowling announcing and from the very start it seemed to be a good fit for Schenkel, who used to say, "The nicest athletes I've ever been around are bowlers."

In addition to his work on PBA telecasts, Schenkel served as Honorary Chairman for the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. His contributions to bowling also were recognized as a Salute to Champions Honoree in 1990.

Schenkel came to national attention as a radio announcer for New York Giants football games and after joining ABC -TV became one of the network's primary college football announcers as well as a fixture on ABC's Wide World of Sports telecasts. He covered major sporting events such as the World Series, golf's Masters, Kentucky Derby, Indy 500 and several Olympics.

Schenkel was named Sportscaster of the Year four times and was inducted into the Sportscasters Hall of Fame in 1981. He also earned an Emmy for lifetime achievement in 1993.