PATS FANS REMEMBER SANTOS AS TRUE ICON
Late radio broadcaster’s calls of 3 titles will live on forever
His calls were great, even when the Patriots weren’t.
That’s how fans outside Patriots Place remembered legendary New England Patriots radio broadcaster Gil Santos yesterday.
“It was amazing listening to him. There will never be another Gil Santos,” said Tom Haverty, 45, of Medfield, as he walked with his son.
Santos died Thursday on his 80th birthday, which was also his 57th wedding anniversary.
“On Sundays you still expect to hear him on the radio. I remember listening to him when the Patriots weren’t so good, but it was just enjoyable to hear him call the game. Nobody could call the game like he did,” Haverty said. “Even when they were down 38 to nothing, he could still call a game.”
Santos began his Patriots broadcasting career in 1966, first as a color analyst and then taking over Patriots play-by-play duties in 1971. He left the Patriots booth when WBZ lost radio broadcast rights in 1980, but returned along with WBZ in 1991 and served in the play-by-play role until his retirement following the 2012 season. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013.
Christopher Sheehan, who works at Gillette Stadium, said he knew Santos and his family.
“I used to live in Raynham and I played softball with his son,” Sheehan said. “They’re a really nice family. He was a wonderful guy. He was a gentleman all the way. We heard (Thursday) night and it was tough. He was a good man.”
Santos called the playby-play for the Patriots’ first three Super Bowl victories, and each generated calls for the ages, but it’s the Patriots’ first title, in Super Bowl XXXVI, that many put at the top of the list.
“That Super Bowl call was very memorable. That’s the one I’ll remember the most,” said Robert Bishop, 42, of Auburn, who was with his family at Patriot Place. “Part of growing up was listening to Gil call the games. It’s a sad day.”
Pete Ganz, shopping in the Patriots Pro shop, had a similar reaction.
“He was an icon, first of all, and he made not only the biggest call in Patriots history, but in Boston sports history with the first Super Bowl,” Ganz said. “I think that’s what he’ll be remembered by. All of New England tuned in. You could tell in his voice how passionate he was about the Patriots.”
Santos called 743 games over 36 seasons, and also did many Boston College football games. He retired from WBZ in 2009 after 38 years as a sports anchor, and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame that year.
Santos was born in Acushnet and grew up in Fairhaven. He attended Southeastern Massachusetts University, served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and also graduated from the New England Broadcast School.
Santos is survived by his wife, Roberta; a son, Mark; a daughter, Kathleen; and two grandchildren.
Rich Brachold of Norfolk was working out on the long stairway that leads to the Patriots Place mall and said: “He’s been around for a long time. I remember listening to him when I first came up here in the late ’70s. Certainly a name that will go on forever.”