Frank Carl Beckmann (November 3, 1949 – February 12, 2022) was a German-born American broadcaster and talk radio host on WJR in Detroit, Michigan. He also was the radio play-by-play announcer for University of Michigan football from 1981 to 2013.
Beckmann started his broadcasting career in 1969,[2] working by himself as news staff in Alpena. He was then employed by WKNR in Dearborn and WDRQ in Detroit for a brief period, before becoming part of WJR in 1972.[5][6] He was recognized with commendation for "Best Coverage of a Single News Event" while covering the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa.[5] He was subsequently chosen to be the primary substitute for J. P. McCarthy, the station's morning host.[6]
Beckmann moved to the sports department of WJR by 1975,[5] and eventually became its sports director. He became part of the radio team of the Detroit Lions in 1979, initially serving as an analyst for Bob Reynolds. He went on to succeed Reynolds as the team's play-by-play voice when the latter retired four years later.[5] Beckmann also replaced Bob Ufer as the radio play-by-play announcer for University of Michigan football in 1981, when the latter stepped down for health reasons.[6] Beckmann ultimately served in that capacity until 2013,[7] and oversaw the team's national championship in 1997.[6] He was also an announcer for the Detroit Tigers from 1995 to 2003.[6]
Beckmann hosted Sportswrap, an all-sports talk show he created in 1981 that was one of the first of its kind.[1][5] It ultimately ran for two decades.[6] He also hosted The Frank Beckmann Show, a daily late-morning talk show on WJR in Detroit, from 2004 till he retired.[8][9] Beckmann told his listeners on January 13, 2021, that he would retire on March 26.[10]
Political activism
In 2011, Beckmann considered a campaign for the United States Senate seat occupied by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, but said that the need to register as a Republican and to quit his broadcasting positions led him to decide against a candidacy.[11][12]
Personal life
Beckmann married Karen Beckmann on February 2, 1973. They first met at a driver's training class and remained married until his death. Together, they had two children, Jonathan and Tori Kughn (Andrew Kughn), and three grandchildren, Pierson, Brooks, and Sawyer.[1][8]
^ abc"Remembering Frank Beckmann". WJR-AM. February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022. Broadcasting veteran and longtime WJR host Frank Beckmann died Saturday night at a hospice center in Clarkston. Beckmann ... started with the station back in 1973 as the newsroom's youngest-ever reporter. ... Beckmann spent the last 17 years of his career at WJR hosting his late-morning talk program, "The Frank Beckmann Show." Beckmann was diagnosed in June with vascular dementia, a rare and untreatable brain disease. ... Beckman had since suffered four more strokes. ... Frank is survived by his wife Karen, son Jonathan, daughter Tori, and grandchildren Pierson, Brooks, and Sawyer.
