Photo courtesy of Colton McKee

By Scott Roblin

Milestone Ahead

VIDEO: Ridley ready to end year-long wait for 4,000th broadcast

Feb 25, 2021 | 4:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Just under a year after having a major milestone taken away from him, Bob Ridley will finally get the chance to call his 4,000^th game.

The famed Tigers playcaller was two games away from the remarkable feat last March, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down and eventually cancelled the remainder of the 2019-20 WHL season.

Now, close to 12 months later Ridley is gearing up for that special broadcast on Saturday night at home against the Red Deer Rebels.

“A lot of mixed emotions,” said Ridley. “This is a milestone that I’ve looked forward to over the last three or four years when I knew that it might be just possible to reach the 4,000 mark. But, all the craziness that’s gone on, all the COVID and people losing their jobs, that really takes a lot away from it because this is supposed to be a happy time.

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Much is different for Ridley this year, including new COVID-19 protocols for calling games, no face-to-face interactions with the players, and no longer being on the bus with the team.

But, the biggest change will come in the arena itself with fans still barred from attending games.

“It’s going to be different, I’ve never broadcast a hockey game with no fans in the building,” said Ridley. “I’m going to have to stamp my feet a lot and make a bunch of noise myself I guess… got to keep myself into it.”

Reaching the 4,000 game plateau with just one missed broadcast in over half a century of broadcasting is a truly incredible feat for Ridley. One that players, executives, and junior hockey supporters have been clamouring for.

“It seems as though this milestone is probably more important to some other people than it is to me,” said Ridley. “I’ve been doing this play by play now – this will be my 51^st year – and it just becomes part of your life and everything else. Yeah the milestone is important, but the most important thing is to have fans in the building and to enjoy the game, because it is such a great game.”

“It’s going to be different, I’ve never broadcast a hockey game with no fans in the building,” said Ridley. “I’m going to have to stamp my feet a lot and make a bunch of noise myself I guess… got to keep myself into it.”

Ridley’s return to the broadcast booth will come on Friday night in Red Deer, before returning to Medicine Hat for the Tigers’ home opener on Saturday for his history-making broadcast.

Tigers fans are encouraged to drive by Co-Op Place between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturday to pick up a Bob Ridley 4,000 game banner and record a video message which will be delivered to Ridley.

CHAT Sports was able to sit down with Ridley to discuss preparing for ‘Game 4,000’ for a second time.