Former Flyers Broadcaster Doc Emrick Announces His Retirement
(CBS)- The voice of hockey, play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick announced Monday that he has decided to retire. The 74-year-old Emrick told the New York Post about the decision, saying that it just felt like the right time.
"I hope I can handle retirement OK, especially since I've never done it before," said Emrick. "But I've just been extremely lucky for 50 years. And NBC has been so good to me, especially since the pandemic, when I was allowed to work from home in a studio NBC created. Now, into my golden years, this just seemed to be the time that was right."
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While Emrick is known for his work as the voice of the NHL on NBC and his 22 years as the broadcasting voice of the New Jersey Devils, he spent time in the City of Brotherly Love as well. He worked as a spot announcer for the team's home broadcasts from 1983-1986 as well as an in-studio analyst between 1986-88. He then served as the team's lead broadcaster from 1988 through the 1992-93 season working with analyst Bill Clement.
In 1993 he returned to working with the Devils, staying with the team until 2011 when he began working exclusively for NBC.
Now, Emrick says that he will continue to write and narrate video essays for NBC's NHL coverage.
"Things change over 50 years, but much of what I love is unchanged from then to now and into the years ahead," Emrick said in a statement. "I still get chills seeing the Stanley Cup. I especially love when the horn sounds, and one team has won and another team hasn't, all hostility can dissolve into the timeless great display of sportsmanship -- the handshake line. I leave you with sincere thanks."