PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pittsburgh lost a pair of Hall of Famers in 2025 in a year where several sports icons left us and a legacy in their sports.
Mike Lange
Hall of Fame Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange died at his home in February at age 76.
Lange moved from his native Sacramento, California to Pittsburgh to call Penguins games in 1974 and would for the next 46 years, some of that time on News Radio KDKA, which included five Stanley Cup championships. He was beloved for his creative catch phrases:
• ‘scratch my back with a hacksaw’
• ‘get in the fast lane grandma, the bingo game is ready to roll’
• ‘buy Sam a drink and get his dog one, too’
• ‘he beat him like a rented mule’
• ‘smiling like a butchers’ dog’
• ‘Michael, Michael, Motorcycle’
• ‘call Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick’
• ‘slap me silly, Sidney’
• ‘make me a milkshake Malkin’
• ‘It’s a Hockey Night in Pittsburgh’
His enthusiasm for the game and for his job made him larger than a voice into a microphone. Lange was as synonymous with Penguins hockey as the players. He would often record wedding announcements for locals as the first words they would hear at their receptions is Lange introducing them as husband and wife.
“Everyone in Pittsburgh knew his voice,” said Pens forward Evgeni Malkin. “Probably the most popular voice in Pittsburgh. He was a great guy. Tough loss for whole organization. Hard to say anything right now.”
“Everybody who was involved, top to bottom, he talked to everybody,” said forward Bryan Rust. “It didn’t matter if you were the new guy. If you were the janitor in the room. If you were a media person. If you were the head coach or if you were Sid. It didn’t matter.”
“He genuinely had conversations with you. When he talked to you he listened and he cared. You saw his enthusiasm every time he talked about hockey and he talked about the city.”
“The enthusiasm he had and his hilarious sayings I think will be remembered forever.”
Dave Parker
He waited, and waited, and waited while other players who had a similar or lessor impact in their career’s got into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Finally it was Dave Parker’s time as he received 14 of 16 votes by a committee that looks after those who have been overlooked for induction.
“Yeah, I cried,” Parker said. “It took a few minutes, ‘cause I don’t cry.”
Sadly, Parker wasn’t there for his induction, dying from Parkinson’s Disease on June 28, just a few weeks shy of the ceremony.
Before it was cool to use the term five-tool player, Parker was the epitome of it. Like previous Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente, Parker could do it all. He had the strongest arm in the game showcased at the 1979 All-Star Game when he threw a laser from right field and nailed Brian Downing at the plate. He won three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers.
At 6’5”, 230 pounds he stole 154 bases in his career with back-to-back 20-steal seasons in 1978 and 1979. He twice led the majors in batting average, hitting over .300 for five straight seasons. Parker led the majors in doubles twice and hit over 20 home runs in a season nine times. He won the Home Run Derby in 1985.
Nine times Parker was top 20 in voting for the MVP, five times in the top five and he won the award with the Pirates in 1978 batting .334 with 32 doubles, 12 triples, 30 home runs, 117 RBI, 20 stolen bases, .394 on-base, led the majors with a .585 slugging percentage and .979 OPS.
Between 1975 and 1980, no player instilled more fear than David Gene Parker, to prove that he was walked intentionally walked 50 times from 1977-79.
“As a player, I want to be remembered as a guy that threw it all on the field,” Parker said. “Because I never trotted to first base, I don’t know if people noticed that. But, I ran hard on every play. So, I enjoyed playing in front of the New York fanbase, Philadelphia, anywhere. Now, I always got their respect because I played it like it should have been played: hard.”
The career numbers-.290/.339/.810, 1272 runs, 2712 hits, 526 doubles, 75 triples, 339 home runs, 1493 RBI, 154 stolen bases, 143 assists (26 in 1976).
“My idol was Willie Mays,” said 16-year MLB shortstop Tim Foli. “I played with him and I played against him and Parker was that type of player to me and he had a better arm than Willie Mays. He could do everything else with him.”
“There was nothing he couldn’t do. He could hit for power. He could hit for average. He was a great defensive player. He had a tremendous arm, as good as anybody and he could run.”
“He was the best player in the National League for a significant amount of time, said former Pirates infielder and son of Yogi, Dale Berra. “When you are regarded as the best player in your league for multiple years, I think it’s worthy of being in the Hall of Fame. He continued it for a long period of time.”
“He could run,” said former Pirates pitcher Don Robinson. “He could hit. He could throw. He could do everything. I got to watch him every day. He never took time off, he played hard every day.”
“I know my first big league season in 1978, he put on a show in September that I will never forget and no one else will ever do it. He was hitting .297 going into September and ended up hitting .339 and that was with 400-500 at bats. He was just a great player.”
“Let me tell you something, there was a stretch there where he was one of the best athletes, best players to ever play baseball,” said former Pirates outfielder Mike Easler.
Easler said he would remember going into the training room before a game and would question how Parker would even play. He said Parker would have knee and elbow injuries and groin pulls and still play in the game. He called him a complete warrior.
Craig Wolfley
Beloved for his quirky sayings and positive energy, former Steelers player and long-time Steelers radio analyst Craig Wolfley passed away on March 10.
The 66-year-old was born in Buffalo and was a four-year letter winner and two-time All-American offensive lineman at Syracuse. He was a part of the Syracuse All-Century Team. Drafted in the fifth round by the Steelers in 1980, he would play a decade in Pittsburgh under Chuck Noll before finishing his career with two seasons in Minnesota.
Wolfley’s competitiveness carried over into a number of areas including boxing, martial arts (black belt in jujitsu) and professional weightlifting where he played fifth in the World’s Strongest Man competition in 1981.
He would return to the Steelers as a sideline reporter for the radio broadcasts for roughly two decades, reuniting with Steelers teammate Tunch Ilkin. The two also hosted a two-hour talk show together along with working to assist Pittsburgh’s Light of Life Rescue Mission that serves to provide food and shelter to the homeless. Ilkin passed away in 2021 and is now joined by his ‘chalouch’.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Craig Wolfley, a beloved member of the Pittsburgh Steelers family," said Steelers President Art Rooney II. "Craig was an outstanding player who brought both toughness and heart to the field during his 10 seasons with the Steelers. As an offensive lineman, his grit and dedication were essential to our success, contributing to the solid foundation of the Steelers' offensive line in the 1980s. His work ethic and commitment to excellence were felt both in the locker room and on the field, and his leadership was always evident.
"Following his retirement from playing, Craig seamlessly transitioned into a broadcaster, providing insightful commentary and analysis. His passionate voice and deep understanding of the game made him a trusted figure for Steelers fans, and his humor, warmth, and enthusiasm left a lasting impact on our community.”
Also passing in 2025
· Penguins Stanley Cup winning general manager Ray Shero
· 18-year-old Pitt freshman linebacker Mason Alexander
· Former Pirates pitcher Scott Sauerbeck
· Westminster football coach, national champion Joe Fusco
· Dale Lolley, long-time Steelers reporter and writer