Bob Hammel, who covered 23 NCAA Final Fours and 29 Indiana high school basketball tournament championships during a 52-year sports writing career that included a close friendship with late Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, has died. The lifelong Indiana resident spent 40 years with the Bloomington Herald-Telephone and later Herald-Times, including 30 as sports editor. Hammel was a member of several halls of fame, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Football Writers Association of America, Indiana Journalism and Indiana University Athletics.
Bob Hammel, legendary Indiana sports writer and friend of Bob Knight, dies at 88
