Sam Simmermaker: My Friend, the Hall of Famer

As a kid growing up in Bartholomew County and being involved with sports I had two desires. I hoped to have Bob Carroll write about me in the Hope Star Journal and I wanted to hear the dulcet tones of Sam Simmermaker say my name on WCSI.

Years later when I became the varsity boys’ basketball coach at Southwestern (Shelby) I became personally acquainted with Sam as he interviewed me prior to a sectional game at Columbus North. Over the next few years each time we talked I was taken by his friendly nature and the fact he showed me the same respect afforded the coaches at East and North.

When our son was born and had some health issues, I realized I could not put in the hours that a coach often does. However, I did not want to completely leave the game behind. Suddenly I got the brilliant idea maybe I could find a job as a radio analyst with absolutely no training or experience. Where to start? Well, contact Sam, of course. And talk about serendipity, he was in need of a new “color man”. So in 2000 I became White River Broadcasting’s basketball analyst and the person blessed to sit beside a consummate professional. He was impeccably warm, gracious, patient, and encouraging as he taught me the ropes.

Our initial partnership only lasted for two short years, but it was the beginning of a great friendship. We shared a love of high school sports, IU basketball, and baseball. Ever the St. Louis Cardinals fanatic—his word not mine—he somehow managed to stomach my devotion to the Reds. When I called to tell him I was returning to the sideline as the girls’ coach at Southwestern he became one of our biggest fans and one of my biggest encouragers.

After a short interlude, circumstances led me to a new job. I called to inform the sports reporter and my friend that I was leaving coaching again. And once again I got an immediate job offer. Talk about a blessing and to say I was thrilled to accept would be an understatement.

In November of 2005 we began a run that would last 19 years. Altogether we only did 21 years as radio partners, which seems small as one contemplates his incredible 64 years in this market. And yet these two decades have resulted in some of the highlights of my life. 

In those years we called state championships for Hauser’s boys in ’06 (my biggest high in radio) and the Columbus North girls in 2015. We also called other state tournament games even including a semi-state baseball game as well as games in the world’s largest high school gym as New Castle plays host to the Hall of Fame games each year. It was at one of those where Sam introduced me to Ray Pavy—if you don’t know who he was, you should look him up. Trust me when I say that once you meet Sam you have a friend for life and so this Indiana hoops history geek got to meet a lot of heroes and legends who just happened to be people Sam knew. I have to stop right here and mention that he invariable treated everyone, and I mean everyone the same with kindness and respect.

One thing that has meant so much to me, and my lovely wife, is that he always, without fail, would ask about the family. And when we would bump into his wife, Fran, in town she too would ask. I still remember his insistence that we work our schedule around my son’s varsity games his junior and senior seasons at Hauser. And when Andrew (AJ) moved on to play college soccer at Huntington University Sam would routinely ask for updates and ask if I had seen any of his HU friends.

Sam and Fran are not just staples of the community, but they are heavily invested in it. Over the years they have been involved in local church service, the arts, and charities. Every year for as long as I can remember after a particular Friday night broadcast, they arise early the next morning so they can take part in the Columbus Fire Department’s Cheer Fund Christmas deliveries.

I’m afraid if I keep going this may become a book and Sam would frown on that hoopla and folderol, so let’s see if I can move toward a suitable conclusion. 

How would I describe Sam as a broadcaster? He is a man who pays attention to detail, someone with a prodigious memory who loved quizzing me on local, state, and even sometimes national sports trivia, someone who is meticulous in preparation and was always ready for whatever might transpire during a broadcast, a partner with a great sense of humor and timing, a master of the English language, and one with a nonpareil ability to capture the action in a way that listeners could see the game he was calling. There is a reason he has won so many awards and been inducted into three Halls of Fame while achieving legendary status. Sam is also a fan of alliteration so Summing up Sam Simmermaker as a person has to end like this. He is Sincere, Second to none, Scintillating, and Simply wonderful.

I love the old Gospel hymn “Count Your Blessings”. Calling Sam my friend and knowing his retirement will not end our friendship is surely one I must count.