Gary Thorne

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Gary Thorne (born June 9, 1948 in Maine) is a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC, working Major League Baseball, College Football and Frozen Four hockey contests.

Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Controversy 4 Memorable Calls 5 References

[edit] Background

Thorne is well-known in the business not only for his versatility (with experience calling MLB/Little League baseball, hockey, and college football) as well as his seemingly tireless dedication to his job (on one particular night, he did the play-by-play for a hockey telecast then took a red-eye flight to call an MLB telecast the very next day). Thorne has called some of the most memorable games in Stanley Cup Playoff history, and his voice is probably the most recognizable voice to hockey fans in the United States. He was almost always paired along with analyst Bill Clement during hockey telecasts. NBC enlisted Thorne to call the hockey tournament with John Davidson during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. However, despite his longevity, Thorne has been named hockey's "Worst Play-by-Play Announcer" by the magazine, Hockey Digest, many times, with fellow hockey broadcaster Mike Emrick being named the best.

After graduating from the University of Maine and Georgetown Law School in 1976 (while paying tuition as a sportscaster/disc jockey), Thorne became Bangor district attorney and joined the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. But eventually, Thorne found courtrooms dull when compared to broadcasting. In 1977, Thorne called hockey games for Augusta radio and television. By 1984, Thorne had enough leverage with baseball's Triple-A Maine Guides to name himself a co-owner.

Thorne's son-in-law, Damian DiGiulian, is an assistant coach for the University of Vermont hockey team; Maine (Thorne's alma mater) and Vermont are rivals in the Hockey East conference of Division I hockey.

[edit] Career

In 1985, Thorne began a four year stint as a radio announcer for the New York Mets. Thorne was present in the booth at Shea Stadium along with the late Bob Murphy for the now famous sixth game of the 1986 World Series between the Mets and Boston Red Sox. Thorne was one of the first people to criticize the Red Sox for leaving ill-fated Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner out in the 10th inning over Dave Stapleton.

From 1987-1993, Thorne served as the play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. By this time, Thorne's hockey duties started to conflict his job with the Mets so he left New York in favor of a one year stint with the Chicago White Sox.

In 1989, Thorne was named a back up play-by-play announcer (behind Al Michaels) for ABC's Thursday Night Baseball telecasts with Joe Morgan. Thorne also served as a field reporter for the World Series and covered the World Series Trophy presentation for ABC. Like his ABC Sports colleagues, Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, and Joe Morgan, Thorne was at San Francisco's Candlestick Park when the infamous Loma Prieta earthquake hit on October 17, 1989.

Beginning in 1997, Gary Thorne has served as the play-by-play man for the World Series on Armed Forces Radio/Major League Baseball International-TV[1][2]. He also calls ABC's coverage of the Capital One Bowl. In 2005 when ESPN dropped out of the bidding for NHL hockey games, Gary Thorne began doing play-by-play for baseball and college football on ESPN.

He is known for his signature calls of "Goodbye! Home run!" and "Mercy!"

[edit] Controversy

In 2004, Thorne wrote an article for The Bangor Daily News in which he described the National Basketball Association as "quickly becoming the nation's most expensive gang, if not the most dangerous."

The article attracted derision from some corners, with some people, a majority of whom were African American, viewing the comments as 'code' and/or racist. The comments did not attract a firestorm outside of online discussion boards and were never picked up by the national media. Thorne has not spoken about them publicly.

[edit] Memorable Calls

One of the greatest games he covered was Game 6 of the 1994 NHL Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils, it was a game in which Mark Messier guaranteed a Rangers win. He called the game on ESPN.

"Leetch drops it, Kovalev again, save Brodeur rebound score!!! Mark Messier gets his second score, The Rangers lead 3-2."

"John McLean center, for the open net, Mark Messier, DO YOU BELIEVE IT!!! DO YOU BELIEVE IT!!! He said we will win Game 6, he has just picked up a hat trick."

Another memorable NHL game Thorne called was Game 7 of the 1996 Western Conference Semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues. This game was won in double overtime, on a blue line slapshot by Steve Yzerman.

"Gretzky had it, lost it. Yzerman picks it up. Yzerman moving, blue line chance SCOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!! Steve Yzerman!!! Detroit wins!!!"

One of the most memorable calls in baseball history came when Thorne called Game 2 of the 1995 American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. The game was especially important because it was the first playoff series held in historic Yankee Stadium since 1981 and was also the first playoff series for beloved Yankee Captain Don Mattingly. Mattingly stepped to plate during in a tie game and Thorne made the call: "(before the pitch) The fans want a dinger out of him...This one by Mattingly, OH HANG ON TO THE ROOF...GOODBYE, HOME RUN! DON MATTINGLY!!! (Note: It would be the only postseason Home Run of Mattingly's career and the last home game he would ever play in)

"Fly ball, center field. It is way back, at the wall...GOODBYE, HOME RUN!!! TINO MARTINEZ!!!--After Martinez's two run home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4 of the 2001 World Series.

"That one hit in the air to left field. DO YOU BELIEVE IT?!! GOODBYE, HOME RUN!!! THEY HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!--Thorne's call after Yankee Scott Brosius did the exact same thing the following night (Game 5).

In his most recognizable football broadcast to date, Thorne called the final moments of the 2005 Capital One Bowl, won by Iowa over Lousiana State University on a 66 yard touchdown pass on the final play. "Tate...wants to go deep for the touchdown, a man open at the 20, it is caught! 10! 5! TOUCHDOWN! HALLOWAY! OH MY! And they're on the field, the clock...has expired!"

[edit] References

1. MLB Should Thank NBA For Turkeys
2. Gary Thorne Disses the NBA
3. ABC Sports - Gary Thorne