Tigers announce new radio voice
The Medicine Hat Tigers have tabbed their new radio voice ahead of the 2022-23 WHL season.
In a tweet on Friday the Tigers announced Gino De Paoli as the new radio play-byplay voice of Tigers hockey.
De Paoli is picking up the microphone in Co-op Place after longtime broadcaster Bob Ridley announced his retirement from the booth in mid-August. The 78-year-old had famously missed only one game in 52 seasons of Tigers hockey before having to undergo cancer treatment in Lethbridge last fall. He returned to the Tigers booth for their final game of the 2021-22 season against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Apr. 15 to continue his streak of calling a game in every season of Tigers history.
De Paoli was not made available to the News on Friday. He posted a thread on Twitter speaking about his excitement on taking the position.
“It’s an honour and privilege to be a part of one of the most storied franchises in JR Hockey,” De Paoli said.
“I’m looking forward to working to earn the trust and respect of the WHL and Tigers communities while bringing the most entertaining broadcast I can every night. It’s been quite the road to get here, so let’s ride Medicine Hat. I look forward to meeting all of you.”
The Cayley product took over as the play-by-play voice of the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers in 2012. He was also on the mic to call the WCBL’s Okotoks Dawgs, including their 2019 and 2022 championship seasons.
“When I started my playby-play career I set a list of goals. For the most part I’ve hit most of them. Today I’ve hit another one, I couldn’t be more excited to join the WHL ranks and become the new voice of Tigers Hockey,” De Paoli tweeted.