​1 / 31South’s Max Surdam (12) shoots during the Bloomington South versus Terre Haute North boy’s basketball IHSAA sectional final at Martinsville High School on Friday, March 7, 2026.(Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times)Editor’s note: This story will be updated.A most common name. A most uncommon voice.And Joe Smith’s voice was everything to him and his listeners.Through it he told the stories of local high school and Indiana University athletics for over 50 years. Through it, listeners heard the passion he had and how much he enjoyed being there to describe some of the biggest moments of those young athletes’ lives.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFrom the black and white halcyon days of Bloomington High School sports in the late 1960s and early 70s to the cream and crimson glory days at IU and the color splashed days of 2026, Smith was there.More: After near-death experience, Ike Martin grateful to be in City Golf semisMore: Joe Smith, who broadcast Indiana football and basketball games for 40 years, diesThe airwaves on 98.7 The Zone, formerly WGCL, will no longer be the same with Smith’s passing announced by the station on Monday evening.According to a story written by former H-T staffer Dustin Dopirak, Smith began his media career working for the Chicago Sun-Times in the back issues department, and then worked his way up to take charge of giving tours of the Sun-Times’ building. While he was there, he made friends with disc jockeys at Chicago’s WLS and WCFL and he got to spend time with them at the station. In 1969, he got his first radio job at WAIK Radio in Galesburg, Ill. as a news broadcaster.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSoon after, he was hired at WTTS in Bloomington.According to his bio when he was inducted to the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, he was a broadcaster for over 50 years in Bloomington (WTTS, WGCL, WBWB, Channel 4), covering five Bloomington state champions (South football, 1993, 1998; South basketball, 2009, 2011; North basketball, 1997). For 16 years (1973-89) co-hosted RFD 4 on WTTV and working with Don Fischer, covered five IU basketball Final Fours (1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 2002) and 11 IU bowl games.He hosted popular community sports shows Sports Sunnyside Up, Mid-Day Sports, Balls and Strikes and Sportstalk and was a 2003 inductee into the Indiana Sportswriters, Sportscasters Hall of Fame. He was a charter member of the Monroe County Sports Hall Fame board and emcee for the annual awards banquet. He was named Indiana Sportscaster of the Year in 1998.”‘Legendary’ doesn’t begin to describe Joe or his body of his work,” a statement from Brad Holtz, president of Sarkes Tarzian Radio said. “With nearly 50 years of service to Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. and 40 to Indiana University, Joe established himself as one of Indiana’s most respected and trustworthy broadcasters.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”He championed student athletes at the high school and collegiate level and approached his craft with a