Report: Long-time play-by-play announcer John Paul Dellacamera, known around the soccer world as JP, has been named the recipient of the 2018 Colin Jose Media Award.
Dellacamera will be honored at the 2018 National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will be held October 20, 2018, at the grand opening of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas.
“I am so honored and humbled to receive the Colin Jose Media Award, joining such a distinguished list of past winners,” Dellacamera said. “It is great to see the National Soccer Hall of Fame recognize those outside of the playing and coaching fields, as they pay tribute to others who have made significant contributions to the game.”
An accomplished radio and television announcer for both soccer and hockey, Dellacamera has called nine consecutive FIFA World Cups on television or radio, and five FIFA Women’s World Cups, including the 1999 and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cups won by the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Dellacamera’s voice has been heard by fans across the USA throughout the entire modern era of U.S. Soccer. It was Dellacamera who called Paul Caligiuri’s famous goal for the USA against Trinidad & Tobago from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on Nov. 19, 1989. The 1-0 victory sent the USA to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 40 years. It was also Dellacamera who took millions of fans through the legendary shootout that won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the United States.
“Calling soccer games has not only been a passion of mine for so many years, but it's also a labor of love,” Dellacamera said. “I have been fortunate in being able to call so many big games and big goals over the past few decades. Hopefully I will get to call more in the years ahead.”
Dellacamera was also on the broadcast teams for the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games for NBC Sports, and has called Major League Soccer games since the inaugural season in 1996 for ESPN, Fox and NBC. He has also worked as the play-by-player announcer for three MLS clubs: the Columbus Crew, the New York Red Bulls and, currently, the Philadelphia Union. He also called many indoor soccer matches during the 1980s.
Most recently, he called matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia for FOX Sports alongside color commentator and former MNT goalkeeper Tony Meola, who was in the net back in 1989 for that historic victory in Trinidad.
As the 11th recipient of the award, Dellacamera joins Jim Trecker (2017), Paul Kennedy (2016), George Vecsey (2013), Grahame Jones (2012), Paul Gardner (2010), Seamus Malin (2005), and Jerry Trecker (2004) as honorees.
The Colin Jose Media Award was created to honor the contributions of members of the print and electronic media, including reporters, columnists, authors, broadcasters, editors, public/media relations professionals and others who specialize in communications with respect to soccer in the United States. The award is named for Colin Jose, Historian Emeritus of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and the preeminent soccer historian of North America.
Past Colin Jose Media Award Recipients
2017 - Jim Trecker, Media Relations
2016 - Paul Kennedy, Soccer America - Print Media
2013 - George Vecsey, New York Times - Print Media
2012 - Grahame Jones, Los Angeles Times - Print Media
2010 - Paul Gardner, Soccer America - Print Media
2009 - Alex Yannis, New York Times - Print Media
2008 - Ike Kuhns, Newark Star-Ledger - Print Media
2007 - George Tiedemann, Sports Illustrated/Freelance - Photography
2005 - Seamus Malin, ESPN and other television broadcasters
2004 - Jerry Trecker, Hartford Courant - Print Media
My man, after years of deserving this honor J.P. Dellacamera finally earns what he should have years ago. When you think of American soccer broadcasters, which lets be honest is not very often he is the person you think of. He’s been around the game for forever and has been there for almost every big event.
He was on the call for ESPN radio when Landon Donovan scored that famous goal against Algeria. Yes it’s crap quality I don’t care, it’s the only one I could find with him on the call.
He also called some of the more memorable moments at Russia 2018.
Congrats to JP. He’s deserved this for quite some time and I look forward to hearing him calling games for many years to come.