Tom Carnegie

Tom Carnegie, born Carl Lee Kenagy, (September 25, 1919 – February 11, 2011) was an American radio and television broadcaster, public-address announcer, sports columnist, documentary filmmaker, and educator from Norwalk, Connecticut. Carnegie's radio and television broadcasting career, which spanned from 1942 to 1985, included work at KITE radio in Kansas City, Missouri; WOWO (AM) radio in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and WIRE (AM) radio in Indianapolis, Indiana. Carnegie was also sports director for WRTV television in Indianapolis for thirty-two years, and broadcast the Indiana high school boys' basketball tournament for twenty-four years.

Carnegie is best known for his deep and resonant voice as the public-address announcer from 1946 to 2006 for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which earned him the title of the "Voice of the Speedway." Carnegie's signature calls during the Indianapolis 500-mile race qualifying attempts were "He's on it" and "It's a new track record," which he repeated many times during his six decades as the Speedway's public address announcer.

Early life and education Born Carl Lee Kenagy on September 25, 1919, in Norwalk, Connecticut, his father, a Baptist minister, moved the family to Waterloo, Iowa, and Pontiac, Michigan.

During his high school years in Missouri, Carl wanted to be an athlete. He excelled in several sports, including football and basketball, but baseball was his favorite. Carl's interest in playing sports shifted to other activities after he contracted a polio-related virus before his senior year in high school. The illness affected the strength in his legs for the remainder of his life and caused him to begin training his voice for a career in broadcasting. Carl entered extemporaneous speech and debate competitions while still in high school, and won an American Legion oratorical contest during his senior year.

Carl continued his voice training while attending William Jewell College, a four-year liberal arts college in Liberty, Missouri, ten miles northeast of Kansas City. As a college student he majored in theater, was on the school's debate team and worked part-time at KITE radio station in Kansas City, his first radio job. Carl also did public-address announcements at the college's ball games. He graduated from college in 1942. At the Fort Wayne station Carnegie worked as a staff announcer, covered sporting events, including broadcasts of Fort Wayne Pistons games, and did a few comedy programs before taking a job in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 1945, Carnegie moved to Indianapolis, where he became sports director at WIRE (AM) radio. The station was owned by Eugene S. Pulliam, who also owned the Indianapolis Star. In addition to his radio broadcasts, Carnegie wrote a sports column for Pulliam's newspaper.

Television broadcaster In 1953, Carnegie became sports director for WFBM-TV, later known as WRTV (Channel 6), in Indianapolis. He remained at the station for thirty-two years, retiring in 1985. WRTV also aired one-hour broadcasts with Carnegie as the program's announcer on each of the four qualifying days in May.

In addition to his work at the Speedway, Carnegie's other assignments for the Indianapolis television station included covering the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. In the late 1960s he also covered the first U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned race outside the United States.

Carnegie got his start at the Speedway in 1946. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Wilbur Shaw, who was involved in helping revive the auto race on Memorial Day weekend, first heard Carnegie's voice in 1945, when Carnegie was announcing an antique car show in Indianapolis. Shaw urged Tony Hulman, the new Speedway owner, to hire Carnegie as the lead public-address announcer for the 500-mile auto race in May 1946, the first one held after its temporary suspension during World War II. Carnegie remained the Speedway's announcer for six decades. but he also wanted to create excitement for the fans, and considered his broadcasts as "speed theater." The last time race fans heard Carnegie say "It's a new track record!" during qualifications was for driver Arie Luyendyk in May 1996. Carnegie retired from his work at the Speedway in 2006.

Basketball tournament announcer Although Carnegie is renowned for his work as the Speedway's announcer, he is also famous in Indiana for his announcing the Indiana high school boys' basketball tournament, which he began broadcasting on television in 1953. He broadcast the state high school boys' basketball championships for twenty-four years.

Carnegie's later acknowledged his all-time favorite sporting event broadcasts were the 1954, 1955, and 1956 Indiana high school boys' basketball tournaments.

Community service Carnegie helped establish the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle, Indiana; it is the only statewide basketball hall of fame in the United States with a permanent facility. He also assisted in launching New Castle's annual Hall of Fame Classic basketball game. That May the race was held over three days due to bad weather and two drivers were killed: Art Pollard (during practice) and Swede Savage (from injuries during the race). By 2007 Carnegie had spoken at the memorial services of twenty-four racecar drivers.

Works

Books Indy 500: More than a Race (1987)

Film and television The Flying Scot (1965) – as producer and narrator. Hoosiers (1986) – a cameo appearance. ESPN SportsCentury documentaries: "A. J. Foyt," (2001) "Rick Mears," (2001) and "Al Unser Sr." (2002) – as himself.