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Steelers Radio Commentator history

T

timmyb

hi there.

i am trying to compile a full history of every nfl teams' radio annuouncer history.

but being that the steelers are my favorite team, i thought i'd post my findings here and see if anybody can punch holes in what i have uncovered as i'd like this to be accurate as possible.

here then is what i have come up with:

1936-1940: joe tucker (solo?)
1941-1947: joe tucker, bill cullen, woody wolf (41 is certain)
1948-1955: joe tucker, bob prince (tucker was solo while prince finished covering the pirates season).
1956-1957: joe tucker (home games only), red donley
1958-c.1961: joe tucker (home games only), red donley, jack fleming
c.1962-1963: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack fleming
1964: tom bender, jack fleming
1965-1967: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack fleming
1968-1969: tom bender, jack fleming
1970-1993: jack fleming, myron cope
1994-1999: bill hillgrove, myron cope
2000-2004: bill hillgrove, myron cope, tunch ilkin
2005: bill hillgrove, tunch ilkin

the steelers had three guys with over 30 years of calling action,
tucker 1936-1963, 1965-1967
fleming 1958-1993
cope 1970-2004

the years that tucker called only home games were the years that he did steelers away games for cbs. he may have done all games on radio in 1960 and 1961 also as nbc had the steelers rights and i believe that lindsey nelson and frankie albert called those games, but i can't confirm that.

regarding flagship stations:
1936-c.1961: wwsw (when double-double had the pirates rights as well, wpit normally flagged the first and maybe second game of the season)
c.1962-1969: kdka
1970-1999(?): wtae
2000(?): wdve

any help on the above would be very appreciated!!

tb
 
Timmy B:

Can't help you on the Pittsburgh Steelers' broadcast history, but I wanted to reply to say "Welcome Back!".

I've missed your comments, especially those on the history of sports broadcasting.

I hope you'll once more be a regular presence on these boards. Your comments are always interesting and add a lot.
 
> hi there.
>
> i am trying to compile a full history of every nfl teams'
> radio annuouncer history.
>
> but being that the steelers are my favorite team, i thought
> i'd post my findings here and see if anybody can punch holes
> in what i have uncovered as i'd like this to be accurate as
> possible.
>
> here then is what i have come up with:
>
> 1936-1940: joe tucker (solo?)
> 1941-1947: joe tucker, bill cullen, woody wolf (41 is
> certain)
> 1948-1955: joe tucker, bob prince (tucker was solo while
> prince finished covering the pirates season).
> 1956-1957: joe tucker (home games only), red donley
> 1958-c.1961: joe tucker (home games only), red donley, jack
> fleming
> c.1962-1963: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack
> fleming
> 1964: tom bender, jack fleming
> 1965-1967: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack
> fleming
> 1968-1969: tom bender, jack fleming
> 1970-1993: jack fleming, myron cope
> 1994-1999: bill hillgrove, myron cope
> 2000-2004: bill hillgrove, myron cope, tunch ilkin
> 2005: bill hillgrove, tunch ilkin
>
> the steelers had three guys with over 30 years of calling
> action,
> tucker 1936-1963, 1965-1967
> fleming 1958-1993
> cope 1970-2004
>
> the years that tucker called only home games were the years
> that he did steelers away games for cbs. he may have done
> all games on radio in 1960 and 1961 also as nbc had the
> steelers rights and i believe that lindsey nelson and
> frankie albert called those games, but i can't confirm that.
>
>
> regarding flagship stations:
> 1936-c.1961: wwsw (when double-double had the pirates rights
> as well, wpit normally flagged the first and maybe second
> game of the season)
> c.1962-1969: kdka
> 1970-1999(?): wtae
> 2000(?): wdve
>
> any help on the above would be very appreciated!!
>
> tb
>

If you include sideline reporters, then add Craig Wolfley to the mix from 2000 to present. Otherwise, this is very well-done.
 
Here's an additional place to try

As good as this forum is for discussion of radio current events, you might also want to try:

http://www.voy.com/152202/

That's the Pittsburgh Radio Nostalgia forum. There seems to be more participants there who remember stuff about the good old days.


> hi there.
>
> i am trying to compile a full history of every nfl teams'
> radio annuouncer history.
>
> but being that the steelers are my favorite team, i thought
> i'd post my findings here and see if anybody can punch holes
> in what i have uncovered as i'd like this to be accurate as
> possible.
>
> here then is what i have come up with:
>
> 1936-1940: joe tucker (solo?)
> 1941-1947: joe tucker, bill cullen, woody wolf (41 is
> certain)
> 1948-1955: joe tucker, bob prince (tucker was solo while
> prince finished covering the pirates season).
> 1956-1957: joe tucker (home games only), red donley
> 1958-c.1961: joe tucker (home games only), red donley, jack
> fleming
> c.1962-1963: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack
> fleming
> 1964: tom bender, jack fleming
> 1965-1967: joe tucker (home games only), tom bender, jack
> fleming
> 1968-1969: tom bender, jack fleming
> 1970-1993: jack fleming, myron cope
> 1994-1999: bill hillgrove, myron cope
> 2000-2004: bill hillgrove, myron cope, tunch ilkin
> 2005: bill hillgrove, tunch ilkin
>
> the steelers had three guys with over 30 years of calling
> action,
> tucker 1936-1963, 1965-1967
> fleming 1958-1993
> cope 1970-2004
>
> the years that tucker called only home games were the years
> that he did steelers away games for cbs. he may have done
> all games on radio in 1960 and 1961 also as nbc had the
> steelers rights and i believe that lindsey nelson and
> frankie albert called those games, but i can't confirm that.
>
>
> regarding flagship stations:
> 1936-c.1961: wwsw (when double-double had the pirates rights
> as well, wpit normally flagged the first and maybe second
> game of the season)
> c.1962-1969: kdka
> 1970-1999(?): wtae
> 2000(?): wdve
>
> any help on the above would be very appreciated!!
>
> tb
>
 
> Timmy B:
>
> Can't help you on the Pittsburgh Steelers' broadcast
> history, but I wanted to reply to say "Welcome Back!".
>
> I've missed your comments, especially those on the history
> of sports broadcasting.
>
> I hope you'll once more be a regular presence on these
> boards. Your comments are always interesting and add a lot.
>
joseph,

thanks & i certainly intend to be back.

what happened was a technical glitch, and i couldn't log on here for the longest time. my password(s) got screwed up more and more, so i simply gave up.
then a bout a week ago, i thought "what the heck" i tried and lo and behold, here i am!

tb
 
> I believe Merril Hodge was in the booth at one time as well.
>
i know he was a part of the broadcasts, but was he in the booth or not? if he was, i'll try and pinpoint the years he was.

btw, i am NOT counting the field reporters. no disrespect to "wolf" and others, but the men in the booth is what i'm after.

tb
 
WDVE began carrying games in 1999. Also, from 1985-1998,
96.1(WHTX/WVTY) was a co-flagship station with WTAE.




> > I believe Merril Hodge was in the booth at one time as
> well.
> >
> i know he was a part of the broadcasts, but was he in the
> booth or not? if he was, i'll try and pinpoint the years he
> was.
>
> btw, i am NOT counting the field reporters. no disrespect to
> "wolf" and others, but the men in the booth is what i'm
> after.
>
> tb
>
 
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