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{{Short description|Canadian sports announcer (1935–1996)}}
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'''Edgar Lee "Ted" Darling''' (June 9, 1935 – December 19, 1996) was a Canadian sports announcer best known as the original "Voice of the [[Buffalo Sabres]]" [[ice hockey]] team for twenty-two seasons, calling the team's games on television from the team's inaugural season in 1970 to 1991. Prior to his work with the Sabres, he hosted ''[[Hockey Night in Canada]]'' telecasts from [[Montreal]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.staffannouncer.com/teddarling.htm | title=Ted Darling: The Voice of the Sabres At His Finest | publisher=Staffannouncer.com | access-date=September 22, 2012 | author=Cichon, Steve}}</ref>
'''Edgar Lee "Ted" Darling''' (June 9, 1935 – December 19, 1996) was a Canadian-American sports announcer. He is best known as the original "Voice of the [[Buffalo Sabres]]" [[ice hockey]] team for twenty-two seasons, calling the team's games on television from the team's inaugural season in 1970 to 1991. The title was originally bestowed by Sabres defenceman [[Jim Schoenfeld]].<ref name=lenzi>{{Cite web |last=Lenzi |first=Rachel |date=2023-08-19 |title=How Rick Jeanneret paid homage to Ted Darling, the original voice of the Sabres |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/how-rick-jeanneret-paid-homage-to-ted-darling-the-original-voice-of-the-sabres/article_58bf216a-3e15-11ee-b307-8b4f70e854e6.html |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref>


==Career==
In October 1991, Darling was diagnosed with [[Pick's disease]], an Alzheimer's-like degenerative illness, and thus, was on medical leave from October 16 to November 20. He returned to call 6 more games before being relieved of his duties by the [[executive producer]] of Sabres broadcasts, Paul Wieland, on December 12, 1991. Darling called a total of 11 games during the 1991–92 season. He was brought back, however, as a studio analyst for games on [[WUTV]] in the 1992–93 season before announcing his retirement. After a five-year battle with the illness, he died on December 19, 1996 at the age of 61.<ref>{{cite news | title=TED DARLING, VOICE OF THE BUFFALO SABRES FOR 22 YEARS, DIES AT 61 | date=December 20, 1996 | agency=The Buffalo News | author=Anderson, Dale}}</ref>

Prior to his work with the Sabres, he hosted ''[[Hockey Night in Canada]]'' telecasts from [[Montreal]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.staffannouncer.com/teddarling.htm | title=Ted Darling: The Voice of the Sabres At His Finest | publisher=Staffannouncer.com | access-date=September 22, 2012 | author=Cichon, Steve}}</ref> Darling won the Sabres play-by-play job after submitting an audition tape of him calling a fictitious Sabres broadcast.<ref name=lenzi/>

Darling was close friends with [[Rick Jeanneret]], with whom he rotated television and radio play-by-play duties from 1971 onward. For games that were not televised, Darling and Jeanneret would often work as a tandem, though neither had playing experience typical of most [[color commentator]]s.<ref name=lenzi/><ref name=tbnobit/>

In October 1991, Darling was diagnosed with [[Pick's disease]], an Alzheimer's-like degenerative illness, and thus, was on medical leave from October 16 to November 20.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warner |first=Gene |title=DISEASE TAKES CRUEL TOLL ON DARLING, FAMILY EX-VOICE OF SABRES STRUGGLES WITH ALZHEIMER'S-LIKE ILLNESS |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/disease-takes-cruel-toll-on-darling-family-ex-voice-of-sabres-struggles-with-alzheimers-like/article_d9ae1f6c-dbbd-5bb2-be4d-3746953b7bfc.html |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref> He returned to call 6 more games before being relieved of his duties by the [[executive producer]] of Sabres broadcasts, Paul Wieland, on December 12, 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pergament |first=Alan |date=1991-12-13 |title=TV VOICE DARLING IS REMOVED FROM SABRES' BROADCAST TEAM |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/tv-voice-darling-is-removed-from-sabres-broadcast-team/article_601903dc-a6b8-5109-902b-4f9db2450be6.html |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=1992-01-01 |title=SABRES TAP GURTLER TO DO PLAY BY PLAY |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/sabres-tap-gurtler-to-do-play-by-play/article_6ecf6987-3860-5686-b99e-8d860f01daa5.html |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref> Darling called a total of 11 games during the 1991–92 season. He was brought back, however, as a studio analyst for games on [[WUTV]] in the 1992–93 season before announcing his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pergament |first=Alan |date=1992-06-12 |title=GURTLER TO COME BACK WITH LORENTZ, SABRES PARE ROBITAILLE FROM TV BOOTH |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/gurtler-to-come-back-with-lorentz-sabres-pare-robitaille-from-tv-booth/article_a00d3dde-7b20-55fb-ae4f-7064e3a63a27.html |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref> The illness took a significant toll on his health and after a five-year battle with the illness, he died on December 19, 1996, at the age of 61.<ref name=tbnobit>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Dale |title=TED DARLING, VOICE OF THE BUFFALO SABRES FOR 22 YEARS, DIES AT 61 |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/ted-darling-voice-of-the-buffalo-sabres-for-22-years-dies-at-61/article_86f1a7cf-e121-576d-af77-e431fd57bdc9.html |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Buffalo News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ANNOUNCER DIES |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/12/22/announcer-dies/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 20, 1996 |title=Hall of Fame broadcaster Darling dies - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/12/20/Hall-of-Fame-broadcaster-Darling-dies/9938851058000/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>

Darling's son, Joel Darling, is an executive producer with ''Hockey Night in Canada'', having begun his broadcast career as a gofer under his father and Jeanneret.<ref name=lenzi/>


==Awards and accolades==
==Awards and accolades==
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{{succession box|before=[[Tim Ryan (sportscaster)|Tim Ryan]]| title=[[Stanley Cup Finals]] [[NHL Network (1975–79)|American]] network television play-by-play announcer | years=[[1976 Stanley Cup Finals|1976]] (with [[Marv Albert]]; Darling called Game 2) | after=[[Dan Kelly (sportscaster)|Dan Kelly]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Tim Ryan (sportscaster)|Tim Ryan]]| title=[[Stanley Cup Finals]] [[NHL Network (1975–79)|American]] network television play-by-play announcer | years=[[1976 Stanley Cup Finals|1976]] (with [[Marv Albert]]; Darling called Game 2) | after=[[Dan Kelly (sportscaster)|Dan Kelly]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}



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[[Category:Canadian people of British descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of British descent]]
[[Category:Canadian sports announcers]]
[[Category:Canadian sports announcers]]
[[Category:Deaths from dementia in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Deaths from Pick's disease]]
[[Category:Deaths from Pick's disease]]
[[Category:Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winners]]
[[Category:Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winners]]

Latest revision as of 18:40, 10 April 2024

Ted Darling
Born
Edgar Lee Darling

(1935-06-09)June 9, 1935[1]
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
DiedDecember 19, 1996(1996-12-19) (aged 61)
Lockport, New York, U.S.
Sports commentary career
TeamBuffalo Sabres
Genreplay-by-play
SportIce hockey

Edgar Lee "Ted" Darling (June 9, 1935 – December 19, 1996) was a Canadian-American sports announcer. He is best known as the original "Voice of the Buffalo Sabres" ice hockey team for twenty-two seasons, calling the team's games on television from the team's inaugural season in 1970 to 1991. The title was originally bestowed by Sabres defenceman Jim Schoenfeld.[2]

Career

[edit]

Prior to his work with the Sabres, he hosted Hockey Night in Canada telecasts from Montreal.[3] Darling won the Sabres play-by-play job after submitting an audition tape of him calling a fictitious Sabres broadcast.[2]

Darling was close friends with Rick Jeanneret, with whom he rotated television and radio play-by-play duties from 1971 onward. For games that were not televised, Darling and Jeanneret would often work as a tandem, though neither had playing experience typical of most color commentators.[2][4]

In October 1991, Darling was diagnosed with Pick's disease, an Alzheimer's-like degenerative illness, and thus, was on medical leave from October 16 to November 20.[5] He returned to call 6 more games before being relieved of his duties by the executive producer of Sabres broadcasts, Paul Wieland, on December 12, 1991.[6][7] Darling called a total of 11 games during the 1991–92 season. He was brought back, however, as a studio analyst for games on WUTV in the 1992–93 season before announcing his retirement.[8] The illness took a significant toll on his health and after a five-year battle with the illness, he died on December 19, 1996, at the age of 61.[4][9][10]

Darling's son, Joel Darling, is an executive producer with Hockey Night in Canada, having begun his broadcast career as a gofer under his father and Jeanneret.[2]

Awards and accolades

[edit]
  • Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1994.
  • Inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
  • Inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2002.[11]
  • The press box at KeyBank Center is named the "Ted Darling Memorial Press Box" in his honor.

Memorable calls

[edit]

When the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977 hit the city of Buffalo, Darling called a game between the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum from his apartment—phoning in his commentary while watching the action on his television.[12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Edgar L. Darling: Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Death Record - GenealogyBank". genealogybank.com.
  2. ^ a b c d Lenzi, Rachel (2023-08-19). "How Rick Jeanneret paid homage to Ted Darling, the original voice of the Sabres". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  3. ^ Cichon, Steve. "Ted Darling: The Voice of the Sabres At His Finest". Staffannouncer.com. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Anderson, Dale. "TED DARLING, VOICE OF THE BUFFALO SABRES FOR 22 YEARS, DIES AT 61". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  5. ^ Warner, Gene. "DISEASE TAKES CRUEL TOLL ON DARLING, FAMILY EX-VOICE OF SABRES STRUGGLES WITH ALZHEIMER'S-LIKE ILLNESS". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  6. ^ Pergament, Alan (1991-12-13). "TV VOICE DARLING IS REMOVED FROM SABRES' BROADCAST TEAM". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  7. ^ Staff (1992-01-01). "SABRES TAP GURTLER TO DO PLAY BY PLAY". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  8. ^ Pergament, Alan (1992-06-12). "GURTLER TO COME BACK WITH LORENTZ, SABRES PARE ROBITAILLE FROM TV BOOTH". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  9. ^ "ANNOUNCER DIES". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  10. ^ "Hall of Fame broadcaster Darling dies - UPI Archives". UPI. December 20, 1996. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  11. ^ "Hall of Fame - 2002 Inductees". Buffalo Broadcasters Association. Archived from the original on March 27, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  12. ^ "Ted Darling: Buffalo Sabres Broadcaster". Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
Preceded by Stanley Cup Finals American network television play-by-play announcer
1976 (with Marv Albert; Darling called Game 2) 		Succeeded by


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