BLACK-N-GOLD N'AT

Slow sports day today. Naturally, this got Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinking that not only have we, as black-n-gold sports fans, been blessed with many outstanding, championship teams. But if you're an oldie but a goodie like me, you've also had the pleasure, at one time or another, of listening to three of the greatest announcers to ever get behind a microphone. I am talking about the fact that Pittsburgh has also been blessed with champion-caliber, award-winning broadcasters: Bob "The Gunner" Prince for your Pittsburgh Pirates, Myron Cope for your Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Lange for your Pittsburgh Penguins. Today we look at legendary announcer Bob Prince.

Bob Prince was the voice of the Pirates for 28 years. He was dubbed "The Gunner" for his rapid-fire- like delivery in the broadcast booth(there was a rumor it was due to a confrontation with a jealous husband) He wasn't born in the 'Burgh but he did graduate from Schenley High School in Pittsburgh as well as attend the University of Pittsburgh. Although the Gunner did some broadcasting for the Steelers and Penguins, it was his Pirates career that was his claim to fame, calling games for the Bucs from 1948-1975, and, all too briefly, again in 1985. He was behind the mike for the Pirates World Championships in 1960 and 1971. The Gunner also brought the famed "Green Weenie" good luck charm to prominence in Pirates broadcasts. In 1975, KDKA made the mistake of firing the Gunner. Ultimately, they brought him back in 1985, in a limited role due to his failing health. He would stay on until his death in June of that year. The Gunner also worked for ABC's "Monday Night Baseball" for a season as well as the 1965 All-Star Game for NBC. He will forever be known in these parts for his famous "Gunnerisms" such as "Kiss It Goodbye" and "Chicken on the Hill with Will". Bob Prince posthumously received the Ford C. Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986. He was also honored with the Pride of the Pirates Award in 1999 as a lifetime achievement. Today baseball seems to frown upon broadcasters of Prince's ilk. The Jack Bucks and Ernie Harwells have mostly passed on to the Big Ballpark in the Sky. Vin Scully is one of the few contemporaries of Prince's that is still sitting in the press box. I never had the distinction of meeting Bob Prince. The closest I ever came was when I was a little black-n-gold fan. The Gunner shared the same birthday as my brother. Every year my brother would send him a card, wishing the Gunner happy birthday. And the Gunner always would return the favor on the Pirates broadcast that day. They just don't make them like the Gunner, anymore. "How sweet it is" to have had Bob Prince. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!