Former Bloomington Herald-Times Sportswriter and 2015 Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Hammel Passes Away at Age 88 Former Bloomington Herald-Times sports editor Bob Hammel died on Saturday night at the age of 88, his family confirmed to South Central Indiana News Network. Hammel spent more than four decades chronicling IU athletics — he covered more than 1,000 Indiana football and basketball games — and earned national recognition throughout his time on press row. He covered the Hoosiers’ trip to the Rose Bowl in 1968, IU swimmer Mark Spitz winning seven gold medals in the 1972 Summer Olympics, 23 NCAA Final Fours and all three of Bob Knight’s national titles. Hammel later teamed with Knight to write the famed coach’s biography “Knight: My Story,” which reached No. 2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Hammel’s own memoir, “Last Press Bus out of Middletown,” was published in 2019. His first break in the newspaper business came in 1954, when he landed a job for his hometown paper in Huntington at 17 years old, having just finished his freshman year at Indiana University.
Hammel stayed on as a sportswriter and editor for the paper instead of going back to school and liked to joke that he gave more guest lectures to classes than he ever attended. He returned to Bloomington to become the sports editor of The Herald-Times (then the Herald-Telephone) in 1966, following stints with various papers around the state. Former Herald-Times sportswriter Andy Graham considered himself “tremendously lucky” to have spent 15 years by Hammel’s side covering IU basketball and football. Graham’s own career spanned three-plus decades after he was hired by Hammel in 1982. “He wrote a column every day for years in addition to the game coverage, preview stories, features and everything else he did,” Graham said. “That was the standard he set, that was just who he was. He did it year after year, decade after decade. I never really met anyone like him.”
The HT became known for its sizable sports fronts with Hammel oftentimes contributing four or five stories a day. “Kindness, humility, professionalism, he had all those virtues, but what was really galvanizing was his worth ethic and we all just wanted to follow his lead,” Graham said. Former Herald-Times editor Bob Zaltsberg echoed that sentiment. “He was the hardest worker I was ever around, he was tireless,” Zaltsberg said. “He wanted to make sure the kids who were playing the sports got the coverage they deserved. He would work whatever the hours it took to get that done.” Zaltsberg, who retired in 2019, started out at the newspaper working for Hammel as a part-time sports reporter. He wouldn’t have worked his way up to the top job at the paper without Hammel showing a little patience for a cub reporter who missed a sizeable portion of the first football game he assigned to cover back in 1976. “I thought I was going to get fired,” Zaltsberg said. “I was just a really young kid headed out to Cloverdale High School. I got behind a serious traffic accident on my way there and didn’t get there until halftime. I was just terrified when I got back, but Bob just laughed it off.”
Hammel would later tease Zaltsberg about it when the two would walk over to the Third Base Lounge for lunch. Zaltsberg has cherished memories of those moments where he would sit across the table from Hammel and listen to him share stories. “Bob was one of the kindest and funniest people I ever met,” Zaltsberg said. Hammel remained a fixture on the beat long after he retired in 1996 — his final assignment was the Summer Olympics that year — and had a seat reserved for him at Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall until his passing. The 16-time Indiana Sportswriter of the Year continued contributing guest columns to The Herald-Times in the decades that followed and wrote about Knight’s passing in 2023.
“He was an institution,” IndyStar sports reporter Zach Osterman said. “He was respected all over college basketball. He was an old-school sports writer that just covered everything.” Osterman, who has been covering IU athletics since 2007, first met Hammel when he was a student at the university working on a project for one of his journalism courses. He requested an interview with Hammel and the two spoke for more than 90 minutes about his time covering the Hoosiers. The former HT sports editor was a willing resource for students and reporters looking for a historical perspective on IU athletics that few people shared. “Bob always made time,” Osterman said. “He was a historian for everyone.”
Former Herald-Times sportswriter Lynn Houser put that encyclopedia-esque knowledge to use when he co-founded the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame with Grier Werner in 2009. The first call he made was to his former boss. “He was my No. 1 draft pick,” Houser said with a laugh. “He was the first person I wanted on the board of directors. He was a member for at least 10 years, I just thought you can’t have a hall of fame without that kind of knowledge.” Houser got emotional as he talked about the outsized influence Hammel had on his life, from hiring him at the Herald-Times in 1984 to being a calming presence during a handful of harrowing moments on the single-engine Cessna airplane the two periodically traveled on to cover IU basketball games together.
“He was not just my boss, he was a mentor, a role model and in some ways a father figure even though I had a wonderful father of my own,” Houser said. “He was there for me every day, always over in his messy corner of the HT’s sports department that was overflowing with magazines and books. I don’t know how he functioned, but he had a method to his madness.” Hammel also possessed an understated writing style that resonated with readers, including award-winning novelist Michael Koryta.
“It’s a business where many columnists second-guess coaches or GM’s or athletes,” Koryta said in an email exchange with the Herald-Times. “He never fell into that ego trap; he just told the story. His style was shaped by a Montaigne quote that he shared with me in our first meeting and quoted without missing a beat in one of our last conversations: ‘I love the simple and the natural. Eloquence prejudices the subject it treats.’” Koryta developed a lasting friendship with Hammel after landing him as a mentor for an independent study program at North High School. Hammel nurtured Koryta’s writing ambitions and helped him land his first publishing deal in 2002 as a 20-year-old sophomore attending Indiana University. “That was his writing philosophy — never drawing attention to his own talent, never showing off, always working to make the story easy on the reader,” Koryta said. “People who haven’t done it may not appreciate just how hard you have to work to create “easy reading.” He was the king of clarity, which is the writer’s paramount responsibility.”
Hammel received the Curt Gowdy Award from the National Basketball Hall of Fame, the Silver Medal Award from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame for distinguished service and the Bert McGrane Award from the College Football Hall of Fame. He’s been inducted into the U.S. Basketball Writers Hall of Fame (1990), Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame (1997), the IU Athletics Hall of Fame (2008) and the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame (2015). Those accolades are part of the reason Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson referred to Hammel as an “icon” to the Herald-Times. They initially met in 1984, when Dolson was starting out as a student-manager for Knight. Dolson got a clear sense of Hammel’s impactful presence as he moved up the ladder at his alma mater and heard industry leaders including former Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney speak about the journalist in revered tones. “Jim got up and started talking about Bob at this major Big Ten dinner with all the schools there,” Dolson said. “He told everyone there’s nobody that’s been more eloquent in his writing and knowledge about the Big Ten than Bob. I was taken aback by that, that’s our Bob Hammel, yet he’s being talked about on this national level. I was proud that he was Bloomington’s guy.” Hammel is survived by his wife, Julie, and two children, Richard and Jane. The family will receive visitors from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at The Funeral Chapel (3000 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN) with a service to follow.
Teri Moren and Zania Socka-Nugemen Bring Home the Gold at the FIBA U19 World Cup Team USA beat Australia 88-76 in the Gold Medal Game of the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in Brno, Czechia on Sunday. The United States has won 11 Gold Medals and four straight Gold Medals in this event dating back to 2017 and extends their record-breaking winning streak to 28 games. The United States and Australia have met four times for the Gold Medal in this event and the United States has won all four meetings in 1997, 2019, 2021 and now 2025. Indiana University Women’s Basketball Head Coach along with her assistants Notre Dame Head Coach Nielle Ivey and South Florida Head Coach Jose Fernandez saw the Red, White and Blue leave Brno with a 7-0 record for an average of 96.7 points per game on offense.
The United States lead 26-23 after the first quarter and 50–40 at halftime. Australia outscored the Americans 17-14 in the Third quarter as Team USA led 64-57 going into the final ten minutes. The Americans outscored Australia 24-19 in the fourth quarter as the Americans have won 11 of the 16 tournaments that began in 1985. The tournament was held every four years from 1985 through 2005 and every two years since. The Soviet Union won in 1985 and 1989 followed by Australia in 1993. The Czech Republic won in 2001 and Russia in 2017 with the rest being dominated by the United States who won in 1997 and then six straight from 2005-2015 and four straight from 2019 to 2025.
Sanyiah Hall led the Americans with 25 points. Jasmine Davidson added 21 points. Kayleigh Heckel added 16 points, and Sienna Betts recorded her fifth Double-Double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. 8 of the 9 Americans that played scored and 4 played saw more than 30 minutes of action as the USA reduced their rotation as three players did not play in the game. IU Sophomore Zania Socka-Nugemen played 1 minute and two seconds off the bench missing her only two shots of the game and pulling down a rebound. In the seven games the 6-3 forward who started her career at UCLA and transferred to Indiana in the offseason scored 22 points, 21 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, 2 fouls and committed 4 turnovers in 53 minutes. She averaged 3.1 points and 7.5 minutes per game. Socka-Nugemen went 8-16 from the field for 53 percent 1-1 from three-point range and 5-7 from the free throw line for 71 percent. Moren and Socka-Nugemen will head back to Bloomington to get ready for the 2025-26 Indiana University Women’s Basketball Season.
Aleksa Ristic and Serbia Finish Fourth at the FIBA U20 European Championships Incoming IU Men’s Basketball Freshman Aleksa Ristic scored 6 points, pulled down 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists as Serbia fell to France 73-62 in the third-place game of the FIBA U20 European Championships in Heraklion Greece on Sunday. Serbia finishes with a 5-2 record. Ristic started and played all 7 Games scoring 79 points in 224 minutes. Ristic dished out 44 assists, 13 rebounds, 6 steals and a block. He committed 11 fouls and 17 rebounds. Ristic finished 26-77 from the field for 33 percent, 9-40 from three-point range for 22 percent and 18-21 form the free throw line for 85 percent.
Against France Ristic played 31 minutes and 57 seconds going 2-9 from the field and 2-6 from three-point range. Ristic is a 6-3-point guard who committed to Indiana University in June and Signed the week before the tournament. He will head to Bloomington to play for new coach Darien DeVries and will join team that has 10 transfers and 2 freshmen along with 2 Walk Ons. Ristic and Indiana Native Trent Sisley will be the two freshmen on the team and he will bring a professional mindset and international experience to a brand-new Hoosier squad who travel to Puerto Rico for a 10-day trip and play three exhibition games in August in preparation for the 2025-26 season.
Team Collier beats Team Clark in the WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Team Collier took down Team Clark in the WNBA All-Star Game, 151-131. Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier led the game in scoring with 36 points, breaking the record for the most points in a WNBA All-Star Game. Indiana Fever All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell both started the game for Team Clark. Mitchell led the team with 20 points and Boston chipped in 9 points. The game capped off an exciting WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. All-Stars praised the Circle City for the event. “It was special,” Mitchell said. “It was really, really special. You guys made it special. I think everybody played a big part in making this weekend what it was supposed to be. Shoutout to the city of Indianapolis for putting a great show for everybody and I think, hopefully, that the players in the W from other teams enjoyed themselves.”
“It was an incredible weekend,” Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said. “This is my fourth time, and I thought by far, it was the most packed, not just from the game standpoint but every event that I saw that a player was doing was absolutely packed, lines wrapped around, and it was just really cool to see. So, I really appreciate Indy for showing out and this has been building for a while but I really do think that this is just the start of something massive.”
WNBA fans showed out to Indianapolis for WNBA All-Star weekend, selling out Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the WNBA All-Star Game. The reported attendance was 16,988. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was thankful for everything Indianapolis did to make the weekend special. “I wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to Herb Simon and Steve and the Simon family, Mel and Kelly and the entire Indiana Fever organization,” Engelbert said. : Their passion and commitment has truly made this All-Star experience unforgettable. Everybody was involved in a ton of planning around this. Our players, the fans, everybody who loves this game. I want to thank our amazing partners, our All-Star title partner, AT&T. The All-Star presenting partner for WNBA Live. Panini, I actually just came from there. The energy, I was just so impressed. Was incredible. I think it was our best yet. This was an idea a few years ago that was just kind of on the cutting room floor almost. We’ve really brought WNBA Live to life as an incredible Fan Fest.”
Caitlin Clark also had rave reviews for All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. “I think the weekend has been absolutely incredible and I hope every player in this league, whether you’re participating in the game tonight (Saturday) or were in the three-point competition, skills competition, or were just here to enjoy the All-Star weekend, I hope they feel the same and felt the love from the city,” Clark said. “Pacers Sports and Entertainment poured in so much time, money, and effort to really make this the best WNBA All-Star there’s been in this league and I’m pretty positive it’s been that.”
Indianapolis Colts Sign their last Unsigned 2025 NFL Draft Pick Before Training Camp Opens The Indianapolis Colts took care of one of their top offseason priorities when they signed rookie defensive end JT Tuimoloau just days before the start of training camp. The Colts selected the defensive end from Ohio State with the 45th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Tuimoloau was the last player of the Colts’ eight-man draft class to sign. Although the defensive end didn’t miss any part of the team’s offseason program, his unsigned status raised concerns as the mandatory rookie report date at Grand Park Sports Campus approaches July 22. NFL rules prohibit unsigned players from participating in training camp, a scenario the Colts were eager to avoid considering Tuimoloau’s expected role in their defensive front.
The Colts’ dealings showed a league-wide trend this season, with second-round picks seeking deals that included a larger amount of guaranteed money, to mirror deals of first-round picks. While first-round deals are fully guaranteed, the guarantee for second-round picks is limited to the signing bonus and the first two years of base salary. However, this year’s deals for Carson Schwesinger and Jayden Higgins were fully guaranteed, creating a new baseline that delayed several deals, including Tuimoloau’s. Tuimoloau reportedly signed a four-year, $9.94 million contract with a $3.87 million signing bonus. Though exact guarantee details have not been disclosed, recent contracts suggest a significant portion of the total is secured. Donovan Ezeiruaku, drafted one spot earlier by the Cowboys, inked a deal with 84% guaranteed, a likely benchmark for Tuimoloau’s terms.
Indianapolis anticipates Tuimoloau’s role in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme will be important. Tuimoloau is 6-foot-4 and weighs 264 pounds. He comes from the Buckeyes with a job resume that includes 23.5 career sacks, 43.5 tackles for loss, and a great 2024-25 season with 12.5 sacks. He will join a defensive line rotation of DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Kwity Paye, and Laiatu Latu and will provide them with versatility as both an edge rusher and interior lineman. With Tuimoloau now under contract, the Colts head into camp at full strength, relieved to have settled one of their top offseason priorities. The team’s first practice is July 23 in Westfield, Indiana.
West Lafayette HS and Purdue University Graduate George Karlaftis Signs a 4 Year $93 Millon Dollar Contract Extension with the Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are keeping one of their young stars on defense for the next few seasons. Kansas City and defensive end George Karlaftis have agreed to a four-year, $93 million contract extension with $62 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday, per sources. It’s a four-year extension at $22 million with incentives to get to $23.25 million per season, Rapoport added. Karlaftis, a first-round draft pick out of Purdue in 2022, has developed into an impactful piece in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense alongside Chris Jones. The Chiefs have seen how lethal the pairing of Karlaftis and Jones can be. Kansas City recently exercised Karlaftis’ fifth-year option in April.
Since being drafted by the Chiefs, Karlaftis has recorded 115 tackles, 56 QB hits, 24.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in 49 regular season games. In the Chiefs’ last two Super Bowl victories, Karlaftis contributed four sacks, four tackles for loss and eight QB hits over the two postseason runs. The 24-year-old Karlaftis ranked 13th among 211 edge rushers with 61 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. The 2022 Chiefs draft class has been one of the key reasons why Kansas City has been able to sustain Super Bowl appearances in the last handful of years. General manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid drafted All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, safety Bryan Cook, cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams along with linebacker Leo Chenal and running back Isiah Pacheco. McDuffie, who had his fifth-year option exercised this offseason, is now in line to get a contract extension after Karlaftis and Trey Smith have secured long-term deals with Kansas City. With training camp starting today for the Chiefs, Karlaftis could prepare for the 2025 season, knowing he’s financially secure in Arrowhead.