Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo broadcasting icon Rick Azar has died at the age of 91.
Azar was a household name in Buffalo and Western New York and was the 'Rick' in the 'Irv, Rick and Tom' team at WKBW Channel 7 for 30 years.
Azar's death was reported late Thursday by WKBW.
Rick Azar was the first voice heard on WKBW-TV on November 30, 1958, signing the station on with the words, "Ladies and Gentlemen, WKBW TV Channel 7 is on-the-air!"
Azar became sports director at WKBW in 1965 and worked along the late legendary Irv Weinstein and Tom Jolls until his retirement in 1989. Azar, Weinstein and Jolls served as the longest running news anchor team in the nation.
Azar also served as a color analyst on WKBW's (now WWKB) radio broadcast of the Buffalo Bills games, play-by-play man on the Bills preseason games televised on WKBW-TV and an intermission host on Buffalo Sabres hockey games televised in the 1970s on Ch 7.
Azar was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Farm in 1998.
