Meet Irish Bill

Irish Bill Hammel

Irish Bill’s passion for sports and stats began in the late 1960’s in small town Kendallville Indiana. Every morning he would fight his dad and brother for the sports page of the Kendallville News-Sun so he could read and memorize the articles and box scores before heading out to school. He remembers fondly the many nights he would tune into AM radio station 1190 out of Ft Wayne Indiana and listen to the call by Bob Chase covering the Ft. Wayne Komets Hockey team, and Cincinnati’s AM 700 WLW’s Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall for their call of the Big Red Machine. Their spirited passion, their detailed story telling, and skillful ability to bring the games to life to their radio listeners, formed an indelible mark on Irish Bill’s LOVE of sports broadcasting.

For the past 17 years Irish Bill has brought that same play-by-play spirited passion, detailed story telling, and LOVE of the game to thousands of Navarre Raider listeners around the world. His accuracy of every detail down to the color of the uniforms, who is on the field, the weather, the band, and which end zone the teams are defending. This allows his listeners to feel like they are seated in the stands.

Once we get to 125 days to kickoff, he provides a historical countdown on Navarre and all the players that wore that particular number starting on Day 99.

Every Tuesday night this year during football season, Irish Bill broadcasts LIVE with Mardie Wilson from Culver’s in Navarre from 8-9 PM central time. He recaps highlights from the previous weeks game, calls out his Super 7 Panhandle Power Rankings for both Large and Small Schools, as well as selecting his Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, and then goes through his infamous “Where are they Now”.  

You can also find daily blog information and updated sports information on IB’s Sports on his Facebook page and on X @IrishBill63 and on Instagram @irishbillsports.

During football season, you can also find him on Wednesday nights at Buffalo Wild Wings in Navarre from 8-9 PM central for the Buffalo Wild Wings Coaches Show with Bob Grant, Mardie Wilson and Paul Villanova, where they conduct live interviews with the Navarre Football Family to include coaches, players, cheerleaders, managers, ROTC and band members.

Each and every week during the season, his cast of characters known as the Pick Wizards, pick every Panhandle and Big Bend high school games as well as an assortment of college games for seasonal bragging rights.

Remember this final thing when it comes to Navarre…it’s Always Greater to be a Raider!