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Jack Edwards (sportscaster)

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Jack Edwards
Edwards in 2006
BornMarch 1957 (age 67)
Illinois, U.S.[1]
Alma materUniversity of New Hampshire
Years active1980s–2024
SpouseLisa Kraus
Sports commentary career
Teams
GenrePlay-by-play
Sport(s)Ice hockey, association football
Employer

Jack Edwards (born March 1957)[2][1] is an American former sports commentator and reporter. From 2005 to 2024, he provided play-by-play commentary for Boston Bruins games on NESN television. From 1991 to 2003, he worked for ESPN as an anchor for their sports news program SportsCenter, as well as a play-by-play commentator for their NHL, MLS, Little League Baseball, and 2002 FIFA World Cup broadcasts. Edwards provided commentary for the Konami soccer video game MLS Extra Time 2002.

Broadcasting career

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Early career

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Edwards started as a play-by-play announcer for the University of New Hampshire hockey team.[3] He then moved on to play-by-play and sports anchor positions at WGIR radio and WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire.[4] During the early 1980s, he worked as a talk radio host for WRKO in Boston and as a weekend anchor at WJAR-TV in Providence.[4] He then moved to a sports reporter position at WCVB-TV in Boston.[3] While at WCVB-TV, Edwards also served as a freelance play by play announcer for ESPN. Among the events he called were the Davis Cup finals and Frozen Four.[5][6] He also served as a reporter for ABC's coverage of alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics.[7]

In 1988, Edwards became the weekend sports anchor for Boston's WNEV-TV/WHDH-TV.[8] While working for the then-CBS affiliate, Edwards also called some events for the network, including the US Open and the 1991 Olympic Winterfest.[4][9]

ESPN

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In 1991, Edwards joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor and reporter.[3] Edwards also did announcing for Little League baseball from 1995 to 2002, the X Games in 1996, ESPN National Hockey Night from 1999 to 2003, and soccer, including coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[4]

Post-ESPN

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In 2003, Edwards joined College Sports Television, a newly launched speciality cable sports channel.[10] Edwards also became play-by-play announcer for Chicago Fire soccer broadcasts on Fox Sports Net Chicago.[11]

Boston Bruins

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Edwards began calling Boston Bruins games during the 2005–06 NHL season for NESN, handling the road games while Dale Arnold covered the home games.[4] At the start of the 2007–08 NHL season, Edwards began calling all Bruins games. He received a 2011 Stanley Cup Championship ring for his play-by-play work with the Bruins.[12]

Edwards announced on April 16, 2024, that he would retire from broadcasting following the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.[13] He called his final game on May 2, 2024, a game 6 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs; rights to broadcasting game 7 were held exclusively by ABC/ESPN+.[14] His final game came one day after that of longtime Boston Celtics play-by-play commentator Mike Gorman, who also announced his retirement prior to the Celtics' 2023–24 season.[15][16]

Personal life

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Edwards is married to Lisa Kraus.[17] They live in Simsbury, Connecticut.[18] Edwards began seeking speech therapy in the early 2020s as a result of slowed speech, which particularly became noticeable during Edwards' play-by-play commentary.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Viles, Taylor (May 8, 2019). "Once a fan, now an announcer: Jack Edwards comes full circle". The 1851 Chronicle. Lasell University. Retrieved July 28, 2022. Born in Illinois in 1957, Edwards' first memory of sports goes back to when he was four years old and his father carried him into the Northwestern football stadium.
  2. ^ a b Finn, Chad (February 22, 2024). "NESN's Jack Edwards opens up about his speech issues: 'I'm slowing down all the time'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Boston Bruins On Television & Radio". Boston Bruins. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e "NESN hires Jack Edwards as Bruins road play-by-play announcer". NESN. September 26, 2005. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  5. ^ Craig, Jack (December 15, 1985). "A Pitch for Sunday Baseball". The Boston Globe. Boston Globe Newspaper.
  6. ^ McAdam, Sean (March 21, 1986). "TV/Radio Sports: Pats likely to play 2 games in prime time next season". The Providence Journal. Providence Journal/Evening Bulletin.
  7. ^ Craig, Jack (March 4, 1988). "Thanks to the Job Jack Edwards Did in Calgary ... His Star is Rising". The Boston Globe. Boston Globe Newspaper.
  8. ^ Craig, Jack (April 10, 1988). "Edwards Cashing in at Ch. 7". The Boston Globe. Boston Globe Newspaper.
  9. ^ Isaacs, Stan (September 1, 1989). "USA Coverage of the Open: More is Better". Newsday. Newsday, Inc.
  10. ^ Quindt, Fritz (April 14, 2003), "Static", The Sporting News, vol. 227, no. 15, p. 10
  11. ^ "Jack Edwards Joins Fire Broadcasts". Major League Soccer. February 25, 2003. Archived from the original on July 15, 2003. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  12. ^ Hardacker, Jonathan (October 6, 2011). "Jack Edwards Thrilled to Receive Stanley Cup Ring, See Bruins Raise Banner". NESN. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014.
  13. ^ "Jack Edwards, Voice of the Boston Bruins, Announces Retirement at Conclusion of 2023-24 Season". NHL.com. April 16, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "Bruins, Maple Leafs to play Game 7 for trip to Eastern 2nd Round | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  15. ^ Couture, Jon (May 2, 2024). "Watch Jack Edwards wrap his '19-year joyride' with Game 6 loss, declaring 'long live the Boston Bruins'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  16. ^ Finn, Chad. "Our winters just won't be the same without Jack Edwards and Mike Gorman". www.boston.com. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  17. ^ Edwards, Jack [@RealJackEdwards] (February 9, 2015). "My wife Lisa @LAKEdwards is covering Hernandez murder trial as a producer for FoxSports1 & did a radio summary fohttp://cbsloc.al/173RYyg" (Tweet). Retrieved May 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Doyle, Bill (November 16, 2012). "Tuning In: Jack Edwards pessimistic about NHL solution". Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Archived from the original on November 21, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
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Media offices
Preceded by
Phil Schoen
 MLS Cup play-by-play announcer
2000–2001 		Succeeded by
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