Remembering an icon, Bill Woodward
6/21/2022 8:30:00 AM | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball
FRESNO, Calif. – A month ago, Bill Woodward – who served as the "Voice of the Bulldogs" for 37 years – passed away at the age of 81 in the state of Washington.
Woodward's iconic career sharing the stories of Fresno State Athletics spanned from 1972-2008 with more than 2,000 broadcasts for KMJ 580 AM of Fresno State football, men's basketball and baseball as the play-by-play announcer.
With an innate ability to build relationships and describe every detail clearly, the Central Valley icon resonated deeply with the Red Wave and provided a vivid perspective for so many special moments in the Bulldogs' athletic history, which includes the 1983 NIT championship, the 1992 Freedom Bowl win over USC, the further rise of Fresno State Football into the national landscape and the College World Series in Omaha at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Paul Loeffler, who succeeded Woodward in the role, reflected on his predecessor's lasting legacy.
"Bill Woodward was a special gift to our Valley," Loeffler said. "His instantly recognizable, inimitable baritone brought to life so many of the greatest moments in Bulldog history, those calls delivered with a passion that made us all feel as if we were right there with him. Bill's dedication to his family, his alma mater, and to the Red Wave set the highest of standards."
Woodward, a native of Selma and graduate of Fresno State, earned multiple California Associated Press Television and Radio Broadcasters awards for best locally produced play-by-play and was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
"In 1981, I was driving into Fresno for the first time and heard Bill's voice on the radio – Wow! I remember thinking 'Fresno State has a big-time announcer doing the games,'" Ralph Wood recalled of Woodward, who later became a close friend and radio partner on KMJ while covering Bulldog football and men's basketball games across the country. "Bill was the best!"
The radio booth in the press box on the west side of Bulldog Stadium is named in Woodward's honor – the Bill Woodward Radio booth.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
Woodward's iconic career sharing the stories of Fresno State Athletics spanned from 1972-2008 with more than 2,000 broadcasts for KMJ 580 AM of Fresno State football, men's basketball and baseball as the play-by-play announcer.
With an innate ability to build relationships and describe every detail clearly, the Central Valley icon resonated deeply with the Red Wave and provided a vivid perspective for so many special moments in the Bulldogs' athletic history, which includes the 1983 NIT championship, the 1992 Freedom Bowl win over USC, the further rise of Fresno State Football into the national landscape and the College World Series in Omaha at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Paul Loeffler, who succeeded Woodward in the role, reflected on his predecessor's lasting legacy.
"Bill Woodward was a special gift to our Valley," Loeffler said. "His instantly recognizable, inimitable baritone brought to life so many of the greatest moments in Bulldog history, those calls delivered with a passion that made us all feel as if we were right there with him. Bill's dedication to his family, his alma mater, and to the Red Wave set the highest of standards."
Woodward, a native of Selma and graduate of Fresno State, earned multiple California Associated Press Television and Radio Broadcasters awards for best locally produced play-by-play and was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
"In 1981, I was driving into Fresno for the first time and heard Bill's voice on the radio – Wow! I remember thinking 'Fresno State has a big-time announcer doing the games,'" Ralph Wood recalled of Woodward, who later became a close friend and radio partner on KMJ while covering Bulldog football and men's basketball games across the country. "Bill was the best!"
The radio booth in the press box on the west side of Bulldog Stadium is named in Woodward's honor – the Bill Woodward Radio booth.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
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