KSTP's Joe Schmit reflects on his decades-long career in sports broadcasting
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KSTP-TV sports director Joe Schmit has received a lot of love since announcing his retirement in March. His last day on air was April 30.
“It's almost embarrassing, because I'm like, I am not worthy,” he said on Morning Edition.
Schmit worked with KSTP-TV in the Twin Cities for 40 years, starting in 1985. Before that, he worked as the sports director at WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Wis., the station he grew up listening to.
As a kid, Schmit was obsessed with sports. He would stay up late to watch the evening news and his favorite sports broadcaster.
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“I had to watch John Campbell at 6 and 10 every night,” Schmit said.
When he went to college, he knew he wanted to be like Campbell. His first job after graduation was at a TV station in La Crosse, Wis., but as he was getting ready to move on he got an unexpected call.
“The guy said, ‘Is Joe Schmidt there?’ And I paused for a second. I said, ‘Is this John Campbell?’” Schmit recalled. “[He] was looking for a weekend sports anchor. I think I got hired on that phone call.”
Campbell and Schmit went on to have a close professional relationship. Schmit said he helped mold him into a professional.
“He’s on my Mount Rushmore,” he said.
Schmit followed in Campbell’s footsteps and made a name for himself in Minnesota. His career in the state started just after Kirby Puckett began playing baseball for the Minnesota Twins. After he became a star, Puckett would sign baseballs as trophies for Campbell’s charity golf tournaments.
“Kirby would always give me grief — ‘I know you're selling them on eBay, Schmitsy,” he recalled.
Later in his career, Puckett gave Schmit a special gift.
“He grabbed, in his closet, he grabbed a bat, and he signed me a bat that said, ‘To Joe, my friend, thank you for doing such a great job covering me,’” Schmit said.
Schmit said he plans to be busy in his retirement. He is developing a play out of his children’s book, “The Right Thing to Do,” which he co-wrote with Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.
“But the goal is, some nights, I'm gonna be in bed by 10 o'clock instead of doing the news,” he said.
To listen to the conversation with KSTP-TV sports director Joe Schmitt, click the player above.
