Reply To: Articles

[hockeygod]

Tigers play-by-play man Ridley to call No. 3,000:
He's also driven the team bus on the majority of their trips – all told, a 'pretty incredible' feat, says Flames play-caller Maher

Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald With Files From Scott Cruickshank, March 6, 2012

When Bob Ridley hits the Chat 94.5 airwaves Wednesday as the Medicine Hat Tigers take on the Kootenay Ice, it'll mark his 3,000th game broadcasting Western Hockey League action.

"It's been awesome," said Ridley, who will be honoured in a pre-game ceremony. "The reason is it's been like one big family. I just feel so very, very fortunate to have been involved for so long. I've been getting texts and e-mails and phone calls from numerous players for the Tigers over the years. It's really, really special for myself, my family, and the Tigers and everybody that's been involved."

In the past few days, Ridley has heard from former Tigers coach Willie Desjardins and former players like Dean Chynoweth, now a coach with the New York Islanders, Dallas Stars forward Vern Fiddler, Clarke MacArthur of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Darren Helm of the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Kris Russell, to name a few.

"It goes on and on," Ridley said. "I feel very proud of it.

"It's incredible how quickly time has gone by. When I started back in 1970, I never thought I'd see 3,000 games, that's for sure. But here it is."

And, from one voice to another, Peter Maher can relate. However, the longtime play-caller of the Calgary Flames, who recently celebrated his own 3,000th game behind the microphone, believes Ridley's milestone might have been tougher to accomplish.

On top of calling all of the Tigers' WHL games, Ridley has driven the team bus on the majority of their trips during his career – and, at 67 years old, he is still occasionally behind the wheel.

"I would say, his calling 3,000 games have been a whole lot more of a rigour than my 3,000 games," Maher said. "Even if he didn't drive the bus, just busing to all those games all over the place would be a real chore."

Like, for example, the trek from Medicine Hat to Prince George for a pair of games, then on to Vancouver – which was the club's most recent road trip.

"It's a real tribute to his stamina and his abilities to be able to travel as much as they do and broadcast all those games," Maher said.

"And driving the bus on top of all that? I can't comprehend doing what he's done.

"Pretty incredible."

Since the Tigers joined the WHL in the 1970-71 season, Ridley has been the team's only play-by-play broadcaster. And, amazingly enough, after nearly 42 campaigns, the Drumheller native has only missed one game – not because he was sick, either. He had to cover a national women's curling event, which his boss's wife was competing in.

Calgary Flames defenceman and former Tiger Jay Bouwmeester said Ridley is a fixture around the team.

"He's been the glue there – the one thing that never changes," he said. "Some of those long trips, you don't realize the time that he puts in. When you think about it, he's announcing the game, then driving the bus and you're at the back sleeping – and taking for granted what he's doing."

Bouwmeester arrived in Medicine Hat just shy of his 16th birthday and appreciated Ridley's friendly face.

"When you're a young kid like that – and you go off and you're away from your parents and family for the first time – to have a guy around like that? He's almost like a grandpa," he said. "He's just there to support everyone. He's so friendly. As the generations go by, not much changes. He's always open to the kids. He's got a lot of knowledge.

"He can share a lot of things. A really neat guy. An awesome guy."

The sentiments were shared on the Twitterverse when word got out that Ridley would be celebrating the milestone soon.

In fact, a few Twitter followers started a hashtag (#putbobridleyinthehhof), informally petitioning his inclusion in the Hockey Hall of Fame (he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2000).

Maher likes the idea. "I'm going to bring that up with the broadcasters group for the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award (which Maher won himself in 2006)," he said. "He'd be a really worthy recipient."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."