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RIP Pete Van Wieren

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Steak Snabler, Aug 2, 2014.

  1. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Yeah, lots of people of my generation grew up listening to sports on the radio, long before cable TV became a mainstay. Having done a little radio broadcasting myself, I can appreciate the art and how great some of the legendary announcers were.
     
  2. 3_Octave_Fart

    3_Octave_Fart Well-Known Member

    I am truly saddened by this.
    For them both to be gone early just bites the big one.
    Pete was so, so good at his job it's a joke.
     
  3. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Darn. I was an Atlanta child of the 70s and 80s too and Pete and Co. were the voices of summer. And when you're a kid you don't really care that the team lost a crapload of games.
     
  4. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    In tribute, they should start the funeral at 7:35.
     
  5. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    I wonder if the Braves will wear a PVW patch on their uniforms.
     
  6. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Unless it's on Wednesday, when it's at 5:05 ET. Got to clear the church for Wednesday night movie midweek service.
     
  7. Followed by an episode of the Andy Griffith Show.
     
  8. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    The one for Ernie Johnson had an old microphone on it. Skip Caray's was just "SKIP"

    I think they should do Pete's with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses.
     
  9. spikechiquet

    spikechiquet Well-Known Member

    Our columnist, Dave Hackenberg, weighed in on this today:

    "Pete Van Wieren, who died of cancer Saturday at age 69, worked at Ch. 24, then known as WDHO, from September of 1972 to April, 1974, and was the Toledo station’s first sports director.

    One of his successors, local legend Jim Tichy, tells a story that explains why Van Wieren didn’t stick around longer.

    When the Genoa High boys basketball team advanced to the state tournament in March of 1974, Ch. 24 acquired rights to televise the game and had the option of providing the play-by-play announcer. Van Wieren wanted the job, but a misguided general manager said, “Pete, you don’t have what it takes to do play-by-play.”

    Van Wieren was so upset that he went job hunting and soon landed a 33-year gig as TV and radio play-by-play voice of the Atlanta Braves.

    I guess “The Professor” indeed had what it takes."
     
  10. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    Dating back to the station's WTCG days, I remember when they replayed Braves baseball games late at night. It was a fun way to hear the home broadcast team, even if players like Rowland Office and Biff Pocoroba were on a team that stunk. RIP Pete. :(
     
  11. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    That's a great story.

    RIP
     
  12. BTExpress

    BTExpress Well-Known Member

    WTCG, otherwise known as . . .

    [​IMG]

    Perhaps Ted Turner's greatest stunt.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
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