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Lange Returns to Penguins' RadioWinner of NHL's Hewitt Award Begins 32nd Season as Pens' Broadcaster
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced in July that Mike Lange will be back as the team's radio PBP announcer. The 2007-08 season will be Lange's 32nd on Penguins' broadcasts.
There will be another series of hockey nights in Pittsburgh, PA during the 2007-08 National Hockey League season. The Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans hope those nights (and days in the rare instances when a day game is on the schedule) carry on past the regular season and deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But on a day when hockey probably wasn’t a hot topic in Pittsburgh and everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere, the Penguins released news that had to warm the hearts of their fans, especially long-time supporters. It was news that had nothing to do with developments that NHL teams typically announce during the middle of the summer – the re-signing of players and the signing of free agents. On Thursday, July 26, the Penguins announced that Mike Lange will return as the team’s radio play-by-play announcer. The 2007-08 season will be the 32nd for Lange as a member of the Penguins’ broadcast crew. Terms of Lange’s one-year contract were not announced. His description of Penguins’ games will be heard on the Penguins’ radio network, the flagship station of which is WXDX-FM, 105.9, and over the Internet (NHL Game Radio at www.nhl.com). For the second straight season, Lange will team on radio with Phil Bourque, the color commentator. Bourque is a former player who was on both Penguin teams that won the Stanley Cup. Lange is best-known for the myriad of unique, colorful phrases of his own creation -- "Lange-isms" -- that he uses during Penguins’ broadcasts. One of those phrases – “It’s a hockey night in Pittsburgh!” -- isn’t on the high end in terms of being colorful. But it is memorable since Lange has used it to open broadcasts since he first became the Penguins’ radio voice for the 1974-75 season. After doing radio solo in 1974-75, Lange was not part of Penguins’ broadcasts in the 1975-76 season. The team was in bankruptcy and he had no guarantee of a job. After calling games for the Washington Diplomats of the now-defunct North American Soccer League for one year, Lange returned to the Penguins for the 1976-77 season and has done play-by-play on radio and/or television ever since. Mike Lange Signature Line of MerchandiseIn an interesting twist, the Penguins will market a signature line of Mike Lange merchandise, such as shirts, that will be emblazoned with “Lange-isms.” Which “Lange-isms” will be used will be determined in a vote by fans. Some that may find their way onto shirts, T-shirts, caps, etc. could include:
The Penguins and their fans certainly hope Lange gets a chance to use the last two “Lange-isms,” which are reserved for “special occasions.” For the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons, both of which the Penguins capped by winning the Stanley Cup, Lange was the team’s play-by-play announcer. Games were simulcast on radio and television. This likely is the first instance of a professional sports team marketing merchandise bearing the name of one of its broadcasters. That’s because Lange is so beloved by the fans. Lange: 2001 Winner of NHL's Foster Hewit Memorial AwardIn addition, Lange has the respect of his peers. Lange already has earned the highest honor possible for a National Hockey League broadcaster. In 2001, Lange was selected as the winner of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. Named after the great Canadian hockey announcer, the award is presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to members of the radio and television industry who make outstanding contributions to their profession and the game of hockey during their broadcasting career. The annual winner is chosen by the NHL Professional Broadcasters’ Association. In Lange, the Penguins have a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the broadcast booth. They also have one in the owner’s box -- Mario Lemieux, who is enshrined as a player. On the ice, Pittsburgh has a player who could end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame if his career is not interrupted or cut short for any reason. Penguins’ center Sidney Crosby at only 20 years of age is arguably the greatest hockey player in the world. With Crosby and a supporting cast that includes fellow youngsters Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Ryan Whitney and Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins definitely are on the way up in the NHL. How far and how fast they rise remains to be seen. One thing is certain. The Penguins are a fun team to watch, with their speed and creativity on offense and Fleury extremely mobile and acrobatic in goal. The Penguins will provide Lange with plenty of fodder to describe as only he can to fans via radio and the Internet. Lange Goes HollywoodHere’s one other interesting anecdote about Lange. When Hollywood needed a play-by-play announcer for a movie that included a seventh game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Lange got the call. Lange played himself in the movie “Sudden Death,” which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme. The movie was filmed during the lockout that wiped out half of the 1994-95 NHL season. The Game 7 in the movie was played between the Penguins and the Chicago Black Hawks at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, now known as Mellon Arena. In the movie, Lange’s lines included some of the colorful phrases that he regularly uses during Penguins’ broadcasts, such as “Call Arnold Slick from Turtle Creek!” and one mentioned above, “Scratch my back with a hacksaw!” For more information about "Sudden Death, please see: http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_Death_(film). Turtle Creek, PA is a suburb of Pittsburgh. Lange pronounces the Creek in Turtle Creek as “crick” to rhyme with Arnold’s last name.
The copyright of the article Lange Returns to Penguins' Radio in National Hockey League (NHL) is owned by John S. Chester Jr.. Permission to republish Lange Returns to Penguins' Radio in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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