(Photo By Flickr User ChrisDag)
The local sporting fans have lost a voice. The radio voice of the Peoria Rivermen and local sports broadcaster Norm Ulrich, made his final call earlier this week.
A mainstay in local sports coverage from the 70’s into the 2000s, has passed away.
Ulrich was a sports broadcaster in local television for nine years and was the voice of the Peoria Chiefs and Peoria Rivermen in 1988-1989; he then moved on to sole duty as the Rivermen play-by-play man.
He worked 1,414 games over parts of 14 seasons for the Rivermen in the class-AAA IHL, class-AA ECHL, and class-AAA AHL. He delivered calls from two countries, 32 states and 77 arenas before retiring after the 2006-2007 season.
He called the pro hockey record 18-game win streak by the Rivermen in the 1990-1991 IHL season, later called their Turner Cup championship. He had the call for the 1999-2000 ECHL champion Rivermen, screaming “SCOOOOOORE!” in sudden-death overtime as Peoria clinched the Kelly Cup.
Peoria Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel, who spent his rookie season in the pros with Peoria and Ulrich. said,
“That’s a big figure in Peoria hockey leaving us. We had a friendship; Just a good man.”
Winger Dave Thomlinson, who captained the Rivermen IHL title team said,
“I don’t know where to start. Boy, was that guy ever the best. He was one of the many people who just fit with us on that team. He was a part of us. We loved him.”
Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said,
“Our entire Rivermen organization is saddened with the news of the passing of longtime voice of the Peoria Rivermen, Norm Ulrich, Norm’s voice was a legendary part of our team. The final goal call of two of our Rivermen championship games are still, to this day for me, some of the most exciting historical markers for our franchise. His enthusiasm and spirit for hockey and those unforgettable calls will forever continue to live on for many years to come with our fans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Pearl and family at this hard time.”
Ulrich is survived by his wife, Pearl, son Norm Jr., daughters Shirley, Lisa and Lana, plus nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Local sports broadcasting legend, Norman A. “Norm” Ulrich, Sr., dead at 78.
(Information courtesy of pjsatr.com & week.com)
