Mike Lange, long-time Penguins broadcaster, dies at 76
Legendary Pittsburgh Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange has passed away at the age of 76.
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OT - Legend Mike Lange dead at 76
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A part of the Penguins’ soul died tonight. He was there for 46 of their 57 seasons, only a few seasons removed from Michel Briere. And all of his creative catchphrases… there will never be another one like him!
Truly a Pittsburgh institution. When I was a kid I thought his goal calls where just common hockey jargon used everywhere.
As kids and then adults my friends and I always did his catchphrases. Rest in peace to a legend.
A guy impossible to replace. The guys who follow him simply have no chance of real success, no matter how good they actually are.
Wow. Sad news. My parents got me his autograph up at the Huddle when I was a kid back in the 80s, and I kept it for all these years.
He was definitely a reason alot of people in Pittsburgh were hockey fans.
The Penguins broadcasts were never the same after he left.
He was definitely a reason alot of people in Pittsburgh were hockey fans.
The Penguins broadcasts were never the same after he left.
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I saw and talked to Mike a few times at North Park Lounge in McCandless. A really nice guy. I watched a replay of a Pens game with him and Dan Potash. Mike signed autographs and talk to fans the entire time. He would ask people questions and have conversations with them.
R.I.P. Mike Lange
R.I.P. Mike Lange
RIP. He is as much a penguin legend to me as lemieux, jagr, Crosby, malkin, flower, Steven’s, Francis, etc.
Man I had a feeling this day was coming. Mike was every bit a part of the Pens as any player. He and Mario are the reasons I fell in love. Sad day indeed.
I did not know Lange was originally a baseball guy because it seemed he was born to do hockey.
Doug McLeod was a worthy successor when Lange moved to TV full time.
Trivia: Who were the two Pens announcers other than Lange in the 60s- early 70s? And who called the Pens on WIIC channel 11? Scroll down.
Jim Forney and Joe Starkey (better known as the guy who called the infamous Cal v. Stanford football game. Sam Nover and Terry Schiffauer on WIIC.
Doug McLeod was a worthy successor when Lange moved to TV full time.
Trivia: Who were the two Pens announcers other than Lange in the 60s- early 70s? And who called the Pens on WIIC channel 11? Scroll down.
Jim Forney and Joe Starkey (better known as the guy who called the infamous Cal v. Stanford football game. Sam Nover and Terry Schiffauer on WIIC.
As old as I am and as a long time Pens fan, I don't remember anyone else calling the games. I grew up with him as the voice of the Pens.
I think the only right thing to do is buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too. RIP
Crude question, perhaps, but does anybody know what did he die of? He wasn't that old. He's had significant limitations for a while now.
It sounds like it was cancer according DVE’s Sean McDowell. Greg Brown said he’s “no longer suffering”… sad to hear he had a rough go of it towards the end.
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He was a heavy smoker and drinker and it was cancer. His voice was really feeble the past few years. He couldn't even attend the Jagr ceremony last year. That is when I knew his health must have been failing him.
Mike Lange
Myron Cope
Bob Prince
Any city have more iconic announcers?
Myron Cope
Bob Prince
Any city have more iconic announcers?
I was too young for prince so Lanny was my pirate guy especially growing up when I didnt get to see the bucs on tv much. Is "go ball get out of here " and "there was nooooooo doubt about it" were also Pittsburgh iconic calls
Mike Lange, John Barbaro, and Vince Lascheid helped me love Penguins hockey just as much as the players when I first started watching in the early 90s. An absolutely legendary announcer who we would all imitate as kids.
What a legend. I’ve got a cassette tape from the late 80s of 5 or 6 year old me, playing knee hockey in the hallways of my childhood home, announcing games as if I were Mike Lange. RIP.
Fun fact, Lanny Frattare actually still does announcing for ESPN+’s WVU baseball games. It was pretty cool to still hear him doing it in his late 70s.
He sounds horrible these days. Didn't he openly battle alcoholism if memory serves correct
That sounds right; I think it actually started after he retired. Hope he’s doing well today.
He's been doing WPIAL football games on the Trib's high school network for years (maybe basketball too). I think he just likes calling games.
Was retiring from the Pirates his call? IIRC, it was pretty abrupt and even Greg Brown wasn’t aware it was coming. Was only 60 at the time, too.
I believe that he was getting tired of the constant road trips and asked the Pirates if he could essentially be a part time announcer, calling the home games and maybe some road games but not going on all the trips, and the Pirates weren't very receptive to that idea. Rather than try to force the issue, he just decided to quit altogether.
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