Bob Crawford

Status: Veteran radio voice of the American League's Hartford Wolf Pack.

DOB: Aug. 8, 1966 In: Chicago

Hockey Inspiration: "As far as broadcasting, Lloyd Pettit, who was the Blackhawks’ play-by-play announcer when I was a very young kid first getting interested in the game in Chicago. He had a classic old-time radio voice and a great goal call, and his, '...shot and a goal!' And the deafening Chicago Stadium crowd roaring behind him was as exciting as it gets. As far as a player – probably Stan Mikita. He’s a little guy, like me, but always gave as good as he got out there, while being a tremendously skilled player. And that old bubble helmet was a great look."

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: "Chasing my sons, Mac (age 11) and Billy (9) around to their hockey games, golf and reading."

Favorite Movies: "Slap Shot, A Few Good Men, Usual Suspects, Monty Python’s Holy Grail."

Last Book Read: "Ministry of Fear by Graham Greene."

Musical Tastes: "Classic rock stuff…Beatles, Springsteen, Van Morrison, that kind of thing."

Favorite TV Show: "Monty Python’s Flying Circus."

First Hockey Memory: "Watching Blackhawks games on black-and-white TV in the living room and trying to imitate what they did, using a plastic horn as a stick."

First Job: "Walking a couple of dogs that were a lot bigger and stronger than I was for a neighbor lady."

Childhood Dream: "To play pro sports for one of the Chicago teams."



Greatest Career Moment: "Calling Terry Virtue’s Game 7 overtime-winner in Hartford vs. Providence in the 2000 Eastern Conference final."

Most Painful Moment: "When the Wolf Pack lost Game 7 of the 2004 Eastern Conference final to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an overtime goal."

Funny Career Memory: "When I was doing a 'Coach’s Corner' segment for the Jumbotron with assistant coach Nick Fotiu – and head coach Ryan McGill snuck out from behind the backdrop and got me in the face with a cream pie."

Embarrassing Career Memory: "While doing a game in college, trying to say the word 'shot.' I said another four-letter word that is one letter away from shot and heard about it for weeks."

Funniest Players Encountered: "I would say Mike Harder and Ken Gernander are two of the most intelligent-funny – if that makes any sense – guys I have run across in any walk of life."



Toughest Competitors Encountered: "Two of the coaches I’ve worked with, Jim Schoenfeld and Barry Melrose, burned to win as much as anyone I’ve ever encountered."

Last Vacation: "To Italy in the summer of 2007 and my wife and I own a lake cottage in beautiful Washington County, N.Y., where we love to go every summer."

Favorite Players To Watch: "Being a small guy myself, I’ve always liked undersized guys with a lot of flash and dash. In addition to Mikita, Denis Savard was one of my all-time favorites growing up."

Strangest Game: "Probably the Calder Cup clincher my first year in the AHL with Adirondack. The Wings were up 3-1 in the series against New Haven when the circus came into both buildings simultaneously and the series had to take a 10 day break. Game 5 was as ragged as I’ve ever seen, from the goal on out, and the Red Wings ended up winning 10-7 to take the Cup."

Favorite Arena To Visit: "In the AHL I’d say the Giant Center in Hershey is tops. Great sightlines, great broadcast facilities and great crowds."

Favorite Uniforms: "The Blackhawks’ red jersey, hands down, the best uniform in sports."

Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Honesty, sincerity and the willingness to laugh at oneself."



Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics from Harvard University.

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski is the author of "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle" and creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com and www.Tennis-prose.com.