Medicine Hat Tigers announce retirement of legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Ridley
Voice of Western Hockey League‘S Tiger wearing a medical cap hanging up its microphone, the group announced Tuesday.
“In 52 years, Bob Ridley are the voices of tigers wearing medical caps,” the team tweeted. “Bob will be greatly missed and we wish him all the best in retirement.”
In 2021, Ridley hit an impressive broadcast milestone, calling it his 4,000th WHL game. He told Global News at the time that since becoming a Tigers announcer, he has only missed a game in more than 50 years.
READ MORE: Legendary WHL broadcaster Bob Ridley hits 4,000 game mark
Based on CHAT News, with whom Ridley also worked, this broadcaster missed all but one game of the 2021-22 season because he had to undergo cancer treatment. Ridley said to CHAT News that experience gave him a long time to think and he realized “maybe it’s time to step back.” He said he wanted to be able to spend more time with family and friends.
“I just thought it was the right time,” he said CHAT News.
In February 2021, the WHL recognized Ridley’s impressive career by announcing the newly created Bob Ridley Award for Outstanding Communication.
Ridley told Global News in 2021: “I have been very fortunate to have a passion for the game.
“That’s what has kept me going all these years and I hope I can do it a little bit longer, because goodness has happened. After all, that’s all that happened.”
Ridley is not simply a broadcaster for Medicine Hat’s WHL club. He also spent decades on dual duty, driving the Tigers team bus while also calling team games.
READ MORE: Behind the game: The life behind both the microphone and the wheel
In 2011, Ridley was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame and in 2019 he was inducted into the Western Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame.
–With files from Cami Kepke, Global News
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