Pat Foley, Voice of the Chicago Blackhawks, Says Goodbye.
'There's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.'
Pat Foley, the play by play announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks, is a legend. Since 1980, he has been calling the Hawks games with class, world class professionalism, and enthusiasm for his team, that is second to none. This is his last season with the Hawks, as he has informed the organization about that, prior to the season opener. Most die hard Hawks fans feel melancholy, as many grew up listening to him call the Hawks games.
Foley was is a Chicago native, born in Glenview IL in 1954. In 1964, Foley was allowed into the radio booth at Wrigley Field and sat alongside announcers Lou Boudreau and Jack Quinlan. Foley fell in love with the position, immediately . After calling baseball and hockey games at Michigan State University, in 1977 he began his career in Grand Rapids, Michigan announcing minor league hockey games. His father would take the recordings of the Grand Rapids Owls' games and pass them along to Michael Wirtz, brother of Bill Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks. This secured Foley at position at the company, and his first game was on October 19, 1980. Foley worked for the Blackhawks as a play-by-play radio commentator from 1981�2006. He was fired 'amid a rift with the Blackhawks management' in 2006. Foley spent the 2006�07 and 2007�08 AHL seasons calling games for the Chicago Wolves. He returned to the Blackhawks in 2008, following the death of Bill Wirtz, and partnered with color analyst Eddie Olczyk. On June 23, 2021, the Blackhawks announced via Twitter that 2021�22 would be Foley's final season calling games.
Foley was highly remembered for the call during the Blackhawks' game against the Minnesota North Stars. It was during the 1985 Stanley Cup playoffs. When Murray Bannerman made a game saver type save on a breakaway, Foley cried out, 'BANERRMANN!' This famous call was heard by hawks fans up until this day. John McDonough described Foley as 'synonymous with Blackhawks hockey with a voice that resonates loudly to our entire fan base'
Foley won Emmy Awards in 1991, 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2015. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. On April 19, 2013, NBC Sports Chicago honored Foley for his 30th season with the Blackhawks. In 2014, he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2019, the National Sports Media Association named Foley the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year
The Hawks announced in June that the season would include a �'season long celebration' and that Foley would call some of the games this season, while grooming his successor.
But Foley's sporadic visibility in his farewell season has led to fans expressing their frustration and confusion on social media. He's only done about half of the games so far this season.
Foley has a light schedule in the second half of the season, but that's partly by his choice. He and the Hawks have mapped out a schedule with his preferences, some of which have been affected by travel restrictions. Covid has also played a roll in making things difficult. Teams have had to cancel games and reschedule because of the new Covid Protocol.
Life long fans have been grumpy about the revolving interview door of announcers. The lack of consistency makes it hard for viewers to enjoy the broadcasts. Foley was supposed to call more games, but the cancelations and rescheduling have directly affected this.
The Hawks have auditioned seven broadcasters. ( Chris Vosters has the most appearances with five.) And there are other ways to audition. The announcers and analysts on NFL broadcasts generally audition by calling a recorded game in a studio. By industry standards, the Hawks' process is unique.
The Hawks will celebrate Foley by having 'Pat Foley Night' on April 14. The fans hopefully will be able to relive more of his famous calls during NBCSCH broadcasts. April 27th will be the last home game of the season for the Hawks. They will be playing the Vegas Golden Knights. Knowing they most likely wont qualify for the playoffs, it could very well be his last game. There is a game at Buffalo on the 29th, being the last scheduled game for the 21-22 season, but Foley will most likely opt out, as he has done for most away games. Pretty sure there will be a tear drop or two from the lifelong fans. As the saying goes, 'Men only cry when a family member dies. Or when a beloved sports hero retires'. Well, Foley falls into both categories, and the tears will flow.
