Longtime IUP Sportscaster Releases Memoir

The decades-long radio voice of IUP’s Crimson Hawks – and the Indians before that – this week released his long-awaited memoir.

Jack Benedict, the play-by-play announcer for IUP since 1969, announced earlier this year his intent to release the self-published tome “My Major League Life in Broadcasting”, based on his oft-used sign-off phrase to radio listeners: “Have a major league day”. The book went on sale this past Tuesday at the Book Nook in Indiana, the IUP Co-op Store (also available to purchase online through its website), and the offices of Renda Broadcasting.

“It’s not a ‘totally sports’ book,” said Benedict. “It’s got my life there, leading into it, from my days in Mount Pleasant, where I was born and raised.”

Benedict first began calling games for IUP upon his arrival at WDAD and WQMU radio in Indiana in late August of 1969, with his wife and young daughter in tow. Prior to that, Benedict had just completed a seven-year tenure at WCVI in Connellsville, which left the air permanently after the turn of the century.

Since 1969, Benedict has called over 550 IUP football games and 2500 men’s and women’s basketball games on the radio. The games were first broadcast on WDAD, and when they moved to then-crosstown competitor WCCS in the spring of 1989, Benedict went with them. After Renda Broadcasting completed the purchase of all four stations in 2003, the games moved to WQMU, where they have remained ever since.

Having been approached to write a book in the past, Benedict was unable to find the time, until the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in his furlough by Renda Broadcasting in March 2020. Having been used to starting his day at 4:00am for decades, it took a bit of adjustment on his part.

“I’ve never been fired,” Benedict once said. Once the pandemic had eased and sports schedules resumed, he was off the sidelines and back on the mic after a year and a half hiatus. He used that time to put his memories on paper.

As Benedict is a longtime cat lover, a portion of his book’s proceeds will be split between the Indiana County Humane Society and Four Footed Friends.

“I’m not out to make a buck,” said Benedict. “I’m out to give something back, have some fun, and you know, go from there.”

Andy Hart, operations manager for Renda Broadcasting in Indiana, has nothing but praise for the genteel Benedict, who turns 80 in February.

“Jack is one of the best to ever call a game,” said Hart. “He’s also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Over the years, it has been an honor to work with Jack,”