This article needs additional citations for
verification. (September 2012) |
Ted Darling | |
---|---|
Born | Edgar Lee Darling June 9, 1935 [1]
Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
Died | December 19, 1996
Lockport, New York, U.S. | (aged 61)
Sports commentary career | |
Team | Buffalo Sabres |
Genre | play-by-play |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Edgar Lee "Ted" Darling (June 9, 1935 – December 19, 1996) was a Canadian-American sports announcer. He is best known as the original "Voice of the Buffalo Sabres" ice hockey team for twenty-two seasons, calling the team's games on television from the team's inaugural season in 1970 to 1991. The title was originally bestowed by Sabres defenceman Jim Schoenfeld. [2]
Prior to his work with the Sabres, he hosted Hockey Night in Canada telecasts from Montreal. [3] Darling won the Sabres play-by-play job after submitting an audition tape of him calling a fictitious Sabres broadcast. [2]
Darling was close friends with Rick Jeanneret, with whom he rotated television and radio play-by-play duties from 1971 onward. For games that were not televised, Darling and Jeanneret would often work as a tandem, though neither had playing experience typical of most color commentators. [2] [4]
In October 1991, Darling was diagnosed with Pick's disease, an Alzheimer's-like degenerative illness, and thus, was on medical leave from October 16 to November 20. [5] He returned to call 6 more games before being relieved of his duties by the executive producer of Sabres broadcasts, Paul Wieland, on December 12, 1991. [6] [7] Darling called a total of 11 games during the 1991–92 season. He was brought back, however, as a studio analyst for games on WUTV in the 1992–93 season before announcing his retirement. [8] The illness took a significant toll on his health and after a five-year battle with the illness, he died on December 19, 1996, at the age of 61. [4] [9] [10]
Darling's son, Joel Darling, is an executive producer with Hockey Night in Canada, having begun his broadcast career as a gofer under his father and Jeanneret. [2]
When the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977 hit the city of Buffalo, Darling called a game between the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum from his apartment—phoning in his commentary while watching the action on his television. [12]
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (September 2012) |
Ted Darling | |
---|---|
Born | Edgar Lee Darling June 9, 1935 [1]
Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
Died | December 19, 1996
Lockport, New York, U.S. | (aged 61)
Sports commentary career | |
Team | Buffalo Sabres |
Genre | play-by-play |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Edgar Lee "Ted" Darling (June 9, 1935 – December 19, 1996) was a Canadian-American sports announcer. He is best known as the original "Voice of the Buffalo Sabres" ice hockey team for twenty-two seasons, calling the team's games on television from the team's inaugural season in 1970 to 1991. The title was originally bestowed by Sabres defenceman Jim Schoenfeld. [2]
Prior to his work with the Sabres, he hosted Hockey Night in Canada telecasts from Montreal. [3] Darling won the Sabres play-by-play job after submitting an audition tape of him calling a fictitious Sabres broadcast. [2]
Darling was close friends with Rick Jeanneret, with whom he rotated television and radio play-by-play duties from 1971 onward. For games that were not televised, Darling and Jeanneret would often work as a tandem, though neither had playing experience typical of most color commentators. [2] [4]
In October 1991, Darling was diagnosed with Pick's disease, an Alzheimer's-like degenerative illness, and thus, was on medical leave from October 16 to November 20. [5] He returned to call 6 more games before being relieved of his duties by the executive producer of Sabres broadcasts, Paul Wieland, on December 12, 1991. [6] [7] Darling called a total of 11 games during the 1991–92 season. He was brought back, however, as a studio analyst for games on WUTV in the 1992–93 season before announcing his retirement. [8] The illness took a significant toll on his health and after a five-year battle with the illness, he died on December 19, 1996, at the age of 61. [4] [9] [10]
Darling's son, Joel Darling, is an executive producer with Hockey Night in Canada, having begun his broadcast career as a gofer under his father and Jeanneret. [2]
When the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977 hit the city of Buffalo, Darling called a game between the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum from his apartment—phoning in his commentary while watching the action on his television. [12]