Joe Fonzi
Sports Broadcasting
Athlete: Football - Basketball - Baseball
Joe Fonzi is a 1972 graduate of Linden High School. During his time at Linden High, Joe earned 8 varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. He earned two varsity letters as a forward on the Lions basketball team his junior and senior seasons. In baseball, Joe lettered all 4 years while at Linden High as a catcher and second baseman. Playing on winning teams all four years, Joe capped off his high school career by helping the Lions to the league championship his senior season.
In football, Joe once again lettered his junior and senior seasons as a guard on offense and a linebacker on defense. Serving as team captain his senior season, Joe earned All T.V.L. 1st team honors at linebacker and helped lead the Lions to within one game of the league championship. Joe still holds the Lions record for most interceptions in a game with 3 in a game against Bret Harte in 1971.
Upon graduation from Linden High School, Joe attended California State University, Chico and majored in communications. Joe was a member of the baseball team at Chico for two years but after his sophomore season, he decided to end his college baseball career to focus on his life long dream of being a sports broadcaster. After earning his Bachelor's of Arts degree in communications at Chico, Joe began his 33 year professional broadcasting career at KHSL-TV in Chico.
In 1977, Joe spent several months at KXTV in Sacramento and then moved to KSBW-TV in Salinas from 1977 through 1982. In 1982, Joe's career grew even more when he landed a position with KPIX in San Francisco, where he stayed until 1994. In 1994, Joe moved to Bay Area rival KTVU as the lead weekend sportscaster where he remains today. In addition to his duties as the lead weekend sportscaster, Joe also is host of the weekly show, 49ers Total Access and is part of the broadcasting team on 49ers Point After following every 49er game.
Joe's career prospered in what proved to be a golden era for sports in the Bay Area. During this time Joe covered 5 Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, 3 World Series with the Oakland A's, 2 World Series with the San Francisco Giants, another Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders and 5 Major League Baseball All-Star games. Add to that covering some of the most accomplished athletes and coaches in their respective sports and you have the recipe for a great success story.
Joe's knowledgeable and professional approach over his career has earned him the respect of both his broadcasting peers and the athletes and coaches he covers. Over the years, Joe has been recognized with a number of professional accolades for his work. He has been awarded a Regional Emmy for Best Regularly Scheduled Sports Program and another for Bests Sports Special. Joe has also been recognized by the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) four times for his outstanding work and has won numerous awards from the San Francisco Press Club.
While Joe's career has kept him rooted in the Bay Area for the past three decades, he always finds time to support the sporting activities here in Linden. Joe has been a strong supporter of the Linden Athletic Boosters Club over the years by offering his time and financial support whenever possible. With his parents, Sam and Jaquie, still living here in the Linden area, Joe finds time to get back to Linden on a regular basis. Joe will be the first to tell you that no matter where he lives, Linden will always be home.
Joe and his wife Lori live in Danville and have three daughters, Jennifer, Kaela and Karina. The Linden Athletic Hall of Fame is proud and honored to induct Joe Fonzi into its Athletic Hall of Fame for his athletic career at Linden High School and his success in the field of sports broadcasting.
