Eastern Michigan Athletics
Former EMU Broadcaster John Fountain Honored by DSBA
9/27/2011 12:10:00 PM | General
Served EMU for more than 35 years
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — John C. Fountain, a former Eastern Michigan University sports broadcaster and long-time University employee, was presented the 2011 Ernie Harwell Lifetime Contribution Award by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DSBA) Monday, Sept. 26, at Fox Run Retirement Community.
Fountain received the award during an in-studio news broadcast program that aired on Fox Run's closed circuit TV station. George Eichorn, the Executive Director of DSBA, presented him with the accolade.
“John not only had a long career as the play-by-play voice of Eastern Michigan University but established, and carries on still today, a definite contribution to helping the future society of sports broadcasters and reporters,” said Eichorn. “He is most deserving of this honor.”
The DSBA Ernie Harwell Lifetime Contribution Award honors an individual in the broadcasting community who has made significant contributions to the broadcasting profession in Greater Detroit and the state of Michigan. Harwell was the first recipient in December 2009.
Fountain and his wife, Marge, established the J. Clarence and Courtney S. Fountain Sportscasters Scholarship Fund at Eastern Michigan University in 1984 to provide tuition grants each semester to a student who indicates a desire to pursue a career in telecommunications and sports broadcasting. In addition, the student receives 20 hours per week on-the-job experience at radio station WEMU-FM during the fall and winter semesters.
He started the broadcasting scholarship fund when he retired as vice president at EMU, with an original gift of $10,000. In the many years since, between gifts from his family and what he has raised from others, the fund is currently more than $50,000.
A side note, one of the scholarship recipients is currently broadcasting minor league baseball in Rockford, Illinois, and another, Ryan Wooley, is a sports reporter for WWJ/WXYT in Detroit and the play-by-play voice for for Eagle All-Access.
John has authored two books, "A View From the Board Room" and "Those 1940 Detroit Tigers," and donates all proceeds of those two books directly to his scholarship fund and the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association Grant Fund, which awards grants for the purpose of new broadcast equipment purchase at Michigan colleges, universities and high schools.
John is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the DSBA and a past president. John retired from his broadcasting duties in 2007, completing 55 years of calling play-by-play action for the University of Michigan on WAAM radio for three years and the last 44 years handling football, basketball and baseball broadcasts at EMU.
Fountain received the award during an in-studio news broadcast program that aired on Fox Run's closed circuit TV station. George Eichorn, the Executive Director of DSBA, presented him with the accolade.
“John not only had a long career as the play-by-play voice of Eastern Michigan University but established, and carries on still today, a definite contribution to helping the future society of sports broadcasters and reporters,” said Eichorn. “He is most deserving of this honor.”
The DSBA Ernie Harwell Lifetime Contribution Award honors an individual in the broadcasting community who has made significant contributions to the broadcasting profession in Greater Detroit and the state of Michigan. Harwell was the first recipient in December 2009.
Fountain and his wife, Marge, established the J. Clarence and Courtney S. Fountain Sportscasters Scholarship Fund at Eastern Michigan University in 1984 to provide tuition grants each semester to a student who indicates a desire to pursue a career in telecommunications and sports broadcasting. In addition, the student receives 20 hours per week on-the-job experience at radio station WEMU-FM during the fall and winter semesters.
He started the broadcasting scholarship fund when he retired as vice president at EMU, with an original gift of $10,000. In the many years since, between gifts from his family and what he has raised from others, the fund is currently more than $50,000.
A side note, one of the scholarship recipients is currently broadcasting minor league baseball in Rockford, Illinois, and another, Ryan Wooley, is a sports reporter for WWJ/WXYT in Detroit and the play-by-play voice for for Eagle All-Access.
John has authored two books, "A View From the Board Room" and "Those 1940 Detroit Tigers," and donates all proceeds of those two books directly to his scholarship fund and the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association Grant Fund, which awards grants for the purpose of new broadcast equipment purchase at Michigan colleges, universities and high schools.
John is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the DSBA and a past president. John retired from his broadcasting duties in 2007, completing 55 years of calling play-by-play action for the University of Michigan on WAAM radio for three years and the last 44 years handling football, basketball and baseball broadcasts at EMU.
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