WJR-AM

Most little boys dream of playing professional sports; Frank Beckmann grew up wanting to broadcast them. As a teenager, his family moved so he could attend Cousino High School in Warren, which had its own 10-watt radio station. That station was soon carrying Beckmann’s first play-by-play broadcasts.

In 1969 Beckmann took his first radio job at an AM station in Alpena, working as a one-man news staff. Six months later he took a job at WPON-AM in Pontiac, where he did play-by-play for the Midwest Football League’s Pontiac Arrows.

After stints at WKNR-AM in Dearborn, WDRQ-FM and Channel 2, Beckmann joined the WJR news staff in 1972. As a news reporter he specialized in the kind of hard-hitting reporting that won him numerous awards, including the National Headliner. He also received a citation for “Best Coverage of a Single News Event” ... the Hoffa Disappearance.

Three years after joining the news team Beckmann switched to the WJR sports staff, where he eventually became sports director. Here, too, he has won numerous awards, including “Top Michigan Sportscaster” by The Associated Press and United Press International; and “Michigan Sportscaster of the Year” by the National Association of Sportscasters.

During his career, Beckmann as been the lead announcer for many of Detroit’s top sports teams, including the Detroit Lions, the Detroit Tigers and University of Michigan football.

In February of 2004, Beckmann launched his own weekday talk show on WJR, while continuing his role as the play-by-play voice of University of Michigan football.

In 2006, Beckmann was named the MAB (Michigan Association of Broadcasters) Broadcast Personality / Team of the Year, and won the MAB Award for “Best News Special” for his 9/11 Anniversary Broadcast in New York City. He was also cited by the Detroit Press Club Foundation as a 2007 Michigan Excellence in Journalism winner.

Beckmann was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame in 2008.