Mike Emrick Wins the NHL’s First Ever Sports Play-by-Play Emmy

May 3, 2011 by Stephen M. Lepore

I’m fully aware that it’s often a target of parody for this blog, but Mike Emrick remains my favorite hockey play-by-play man of all time an, other than my parents and Martin Brodeur, likely the person most responsible for my hockey fandom.

So it’s with great pleasure that the first item of the day is an announcement that Emrick received his first ever National Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality – Play-by-Play at the awards ceremony in New York City last night. Emrick was victorious for his work with NBC over Joe Buck, Jim Nantz, Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Verne Lundqvist. Those are the heavy hitters, and it was reported over Twitter by attendees of the event that Doc received a standing ovation from those in attendance.

Hockey has a bit of a checkered history with the major awards. Of the big trophies given out, hockey has only won once – 1994’s Stanley Cup Final winning ESPN Outstanding Sports Special – and though promos have won some minor awards in recent years, this seems like big news, that a hockey play-by-play man beat out all those names.

Here’s NBC’s press release:

NEW YORK – May 2, 2011 – The NBC Sports Group won nine Sports Emmy Awards, the most of any network, including five for its coverage of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games; “Sunday Night Football” won its third consecutive award for Outstanding Live Sports Series; Bob Costas, Cris Collinsworth and Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick were all honored in their respective categories; and “Sunday Night Football” play-by-play voice Al Michaels was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award tonight at the 32nd Annual Sports Emmy Awards, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Michaels, who has served as the play-by-play voice for the NFL’s premier primetime package for 25 years (“Sunday Night Football” 2006-2010, “Monday Night Football” 1986-2005), was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by his “Sunday Night Football” colleague Cris Collinsworth and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “No one has more appreciation, no one has contributed more to the growth of our game in the last 25 years than Al Michaels,” said Jones. “If it’s on Sunday Night Football, I know there’s going to be one professional who can do it as well as it can be done.” “There have been some really tremendous figures who have received this award, but there’s never been anyone who has been better at his craft than Al is at play by play,” said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. NBC’s coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games won five Emmy Awards in the following categories: Outstanding Open/Tease Outstanding Technical Team Studio Outstanding Graphic Design Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming-Short Format For the third consecutive year, NBC Sports won Outstanding Live Sports Series for “Sunday Night Football.” NBC Sports has now won the award in four of the last five years, also winning in 2007 for its NASCAR coverage. Bob Costas was awarded his 22nd career Emmy and third consecutive for Outstanding Sports Personality-Studio Host. Costas hosted NBC’s Vancouver Winter Olympic coverage as well as the network’s NFL studio program, “Football Night in America.” He won the Emmy in the same category for his work at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Cris Collinsworth was awarded his third consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality-Sports Event Analyst. It was Collinsworth’s 12th career Emmy, which includes wins in 2007 and 2008 in the Studio Analyst category for work on NBC’s “Football Night in America.” Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, The Voice of NBC’s NHL and Olympic hockey coverage, won his first career Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality-Play-by-Play.

The NHL also saw itself a part of one other winner last night. 24/7: Penguins/Capitals – Road to the Winter Classic won Outstanding Edited Sports Special. Congratulations to the folks from HBO, for putting together a fantastic display of everything that is terrific about hockey. And congrats, of course, to Doc, for being one of those things that is so great about hockey. Glad to see it get recognized outside of our little world here.