Confirmed with Link: Pat Foley to Call Final Season of Blackhawks Hockey in 2021-22

[Brightwing]

The transition and development would be smoother if the person they brought on had any interest in the sport they're calling. Vosters knew nothing about the game before getting a shot. That's truly bizarre to me.

I think the thing is play-by-play is a pretty niche skill related to radio broadcasting. It's actually probably easier to teach a person who doesn't know the sport as well the sport as opposed to teaching someone who knows the sport the skill of play by play. It's like not everyone can be an auctioneer. Play-by-play is about catching the play and reacting in real time more so than analyzing play. The latter is for the colour commentator. Analysis skills come with time. It's just like how sports reporting and analysis aren't the same. One is about interviewing/people skills/colour description and the other is about analyzing the game.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Pat Foley's last game tonight.

End of an era.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I think the thing is play-by-play is a pretty niche skill related to radio broadcasting. It's actually probably easier to teach a person who doesn't know the sport as well the sport as opposed to teaching someone who knows the sport the skill of play by play. It's like not everyone can be an auctioneer. Play-by-play is about catching the play and reacting in real time more so than analyzing play. The latter is for the colour commentator. Analysis skills come with time. It's just like how sports reporting and analysis aren't the same. One is about interviewing/people skills/colour description and the other is about analyzing the game.

Plenty of places to cut your teeth in hockey play by play. The Chicago Blackhawks television broadcast shouldn't be one.

 

[Nellie Fox]

Yep, there are dozens and dozens of college hockey, Junior A, Canadian Major Juniors, AHL, etc. play by play people who are really good, and should be considered for a step up after years of "paying their dues."

 

[Marotte Marauder]

1C one SOG -1

2C one SOG -2

 

[No Fun Shogun]

For people looking for one last Foley fix, he’s apparently going to be on the broadcast team for the night game of a Cubs/Cards doubleheader on August 23rd:

Pat Foley checks bucket list item with Cubs-Cardinals game

Blackhawks' legendary broadcaster, Pat Foley, will call the night game of a Cubs-Cardinals double-header.

www.nbcsports.com

With an odd itinerary, though:

Now, it's all coming together. Foley will call the night game of a double-header between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. He’ll call the first three innings on 670 The Score before moving to the Marquee Sports Network booth for the middle three and end the game on the radio, according to the Sun-Times.

My wife reminded me that’s how Harry used to do it, too.