Fort Wayne, IN -- This Friday night when the Komets host the Evansville IceMen at 8pm, Komet radio broadcaster Bob Chase will share the Fort Wayne broadcast booth with special guest Mike “Doc” Emrick for the entire game as it is aired on WOWO AM 1190 and FM 92.3. The game will also be carried worldwide at Xfinity KometCast at
www.komets.com.
Chase is celebrating his 60th anniversary behind the Komet microphone this season and is partnered by former Komet goaltender Robbie Irons at home games. Emrick is enjoying his 40th career season as a professional hockey broadcaster. Currently, Emrick is the lead announcer for The NHL on NBC and has credited Chase with inspiring him to enter the field of hockey broadcasting. Emrick grew up in northeast Indiana near Wabash and was first introduced to ice hockey while listening to Chase announce the play-by-play of Komet hockey games on WOWO radio.
“Although my parents took my brother Dan and me to our first game in 1960 at the Coliseum, I first met Bob at WOWO radio in 1966 when I was a student at Manchester working on a school project on sports broadcasting,” Emrick said. “He was very generous of his time that day at the station and has been ever since. To be in the same booth with him and one of my favorite Komets, Robbie Irons, will be one of the most special nights of my 40 years in hockey. It will be fun to be a passenger while Bob drives the bus.”
Chase recently was awarded the NHL U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Lester Patrick Trophy honoring him for his service to hockey in the United States. Emrick is also a recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy, awarded in 2004. It is believed that Friday night will mark the first time two Lester Patrick Trophy winners have paired to broadcast a professional hockey game.