RIP Mike Lange

[Weegie]

Started listening to him in the mid 70's as a young teenager in Allentown, PA., and of course all through the rest of his career. So unique and entertaining, and even though he was a Pens fan he would often give opposing players and teams credit when due.

Job well done Sir, thank you for the GREAT MEMORIES, Rest in Peace. Have a drink with Badger Bob....

[Badger Bob]

From the Captain:



I saw Mike and Borquie up at the UPMC practice facility in Cranberry a few years ago. It was right before he retired. I was surprised to see how small he was in stature and it was clear that he was becoming frail. He might have been a small man physically, but he had a huge heart and he loved the City of Pittsburgh and the Pens. And the fans loved him back. Sooooo many great memories of him calling games over the years. There will never be another like him.

[jeffshly]

Back in the 1980's, hockey was still a fledgling sport in Pittsburgh. Yes, they had Mario and slowly built a team around him, but unless you lived near one of the few rinks in town, hockey wasn't "for you." I can't be the only guy in his 50's who can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Mike Lange is THE reason I became a hockey fan.

I had some friends - guys who lived in Beaver County near one of those ice rinks, and they played and watched hockey. I went to one of their games and had no idea what I was watching, but it looked neat as hell! So I decided to try and learn a little about it. It's not like hockey was prevalent on TV, either. The local stations might air ten Pens games a year, so a lot of my introduction came via listening to Lange and Paul Steigerwald on the radio. On the days I could watch a televised game, Lange's description of every little detail - remember, they had a simulcast at the time, so they called the games on TV and radio when a game was televised - taught me a lot. I literally learned the game because of Mike Lange. They way they'd break down replays and the way Lange knew something was gonna happen before it happened helped me understand the intricacies of the game, at least as much as a guy who never played it could. Sure, his catchphrases entertained me, like everyone, but his play-by-play educated me.

I had the honor or attending the Mike Lange Hall of Fame Roast at Metropol back in 2001, just after he was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What a great night! It was a fun time, my wife got to meet Mario in the hors d'oeuvres line, and as everyone was roasting each other, I realized that no one had a bad thing to say about Mike Lange. The people on the dais poked fun at him, and then it was his turn, and he poked back in a sharp, yet all-in-good-fun and not mean-spirited kind of way. In addition, the proceeds from this event went to local charity. Just pure class all the way around.

Years later, my family and I were at Training Camp at Southpointe. We were walking to our car when we spotted Lange walking to his. My wife and daughter walked up to him - apparently, he was parked in an area where fans weren't supposed to be, but we were parked there too - and asked him to sign my daughter's jersey. He just smiled, happily signed it, and told my six-year-old daughter to scratch his back with a hacksaw. And he loved the fact that she knew what he meant!

As many have said, Mike Lange was the best hockey announcer we've ever seen. But he was so much more than that. A mentor to the younger broadcasters, a friend to so many, and just a genuinely nice guy. He'll definitely be missed.

[EndO FanEra]

RIP Mike. You will forever be the voice of the Pens for many of us. Thanks for everything!

[Lifetime Pens Fan]

Back in the day when the Pens were hardly ever on TV, listening to Mike Lange on the radio was like watching it on TV. The way he broadcast games was incredible. He truly was the best. RIP Mike.

[EndO FanEra]

Back in the day when the Pens were hardly ever on TV, listening to Mike Lange on the radio was like watching it on TV. The way he broadcast games was incredible. He truly was the best. RIP Mike.

No joke. He was amazing at painting a picture with his words. You could listen to him on the radio and have a better grasp on the game than you could by watching TV and listening to Steigy, lol.

[offsides]

Watching a Mike Lange profile on SNPHD. GREAT STUFF!!!

[Stillerz Bar]

This is my first game in person since the season opener following the last Stanley Cup win. Looking forward to the Mike Lange tribute before the game.

Also will be my first time seeing Ovechkin in person - can't stand him as a Caps player but I respect his scoring acumen and I love seeing the true greats play. Having watched Pittsburgh sports stars like Mario, Jags, Sid, Mean Joe, Bradshaw, Franco, Ben, Troy, Clemente and Stargell, I always try to catch other teams' transcendent stars when I can. I feel fortunate to have seen the likes of Gretzky, Nolan Ryan, and Michael Jordan over the years . Today will add to that list.

[Antonio]

Love my Mike Lange playing cards that I got one year from the charity bag. Each card has a phrase on it. A real collector item now my wife says.