Great Balls of Fire, Penguins Announce Mike Lange Night, Oct. 19

Great Balls of Fire and Hallelujah Hollywood. The Pittsburgh Penguins schedule just added a can’t miss night. The team will honor their legendary announcer Mike Lange, who retired this summer after more than 46 years in the Penguins broadcast booth on Oct. 19.

Lange won’t call the game but attend as a fan. The team will feature in-game video tributes, and all fans in attendance will get “cheer cards” featuring a Mike Lange saying.

“She wants to sell my monkey,” and “Scratch my back with a hacksaw,” should be popular gets. Or perhaps “Let’s hunt moose on a Harley,” or “He doesn’t know whether to cry or wind his watch.”

I was a little older before I understood, “He hasn’t scored since the eighth-grade picnic.”

Later, I was curious just which school did that person attend?

Before Stanley, Mario & Sidney, Penguins Fans Had Mike Lange

“Mike is family. He will forever be a part of our team,” said president and CEO David Morehouse via the Pittsburgh Penguins website. “It is important to us that he receives the recognition and adoration that he deserves. There is no better way to show him our appreciation than to honor him in front of a full arena of Penguins’ faithful.”

Indeed there is not if you miss that one, shame on you for six weeks.

“I am more than honored to share this night with the fans of Pittsburgh,” said Mike Lange. “I’ll be smiling like a butcher’s dog while I enjoy the hockey game.”

The Penguins open their regular season on Oct. 12 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and will be forced to watch the Lightning’s Stanley Cup banner raising ceremony. The Penguins home opener is Oct. 15 against old friend Marc-Andre Fleury and the Chicago Blackhawks. So, the Penguins schedule will be an emotional triple header to begin the season.

The Penguins will host the Dallas Stars on Mike Lange night.

So, get your tickets. Get there early. And buy Sam a Drink, and get his dog one, too.