Remembering Dave Strader, and his impact on hockey and life here in GF

By Gordon Woodworth, Chronicle News Editor

Dave Strader, who passed away at the age of 62 this past Sunday morning in his beloved Glens Falls, embodied professional hockey here.

He was the first radio play-by-play man for the Adirondack Red Wings back in their first season here in 1979-80.

He called two Calder Cup title runs, and somewhere along the line earned the nickname “The Voice” for his perfectly pitched tenor tones.

Dave went on to become the television play-by-play voice of the Detroit Red Wings and then to ESPN, ABC, Fox and NBC, with stops in Florida and Phoenix and ultimately Dallas.

He broadcast more than 100 Stanley Cup finals games on the National Hockey League’s international feed, called hockey in two Winter Olympics and did play-by-play remotely for men’s basketball at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

He won an Emmy in Dallas and last April, it was announced that Dave won the prestigious Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. The vote, not surprisingly, was unanimous.

Dave Strader was a big-time broadcaster, but he never big-timed anyone. He loved Glens Falls, he loved living downtown in The Mill with his high school sweetheart Colleen, and loved to reminisce about his days at Glens Falls High School, where he graduated from in 1973.

He would never say it, but others will tell you he was a very good basketball player, a key cog in two very good teams under Coach Ed Davis.

When Jimmer Fredette brought his Brigham Young University basketball team to Glens Falls to play Vermont in 2010, of course Dave was the perfect choice to call the game in the arena where he got his start.

Never too busy to help another

He was gracious and inclusive, considerate and caring. He always had time to chat, and was never too busy to help.

In 2015, a hockey website named him the best television NHL team broadcaster, and I called him to chat about it.

“It’s always nice to see or hear something positive about your work, I won’t lie about that. There are so many great people on that list. I don’t know if I could separate 30 guys into one ranking like they did with this particular list. It’s nice, but it’s just one man’s opinion.”

Actually it was the opinion of a lot of people. And if he wasn’t the best, he was definitely in the conversation.

When NBC was about to announce that Dave would announce two NHL playoff games this past season, he called me to make sure I got the information in time for that week’s paper. It was so thoughtful of him to even think of calling me.

One day this summer he told me about the hand-written cards that his old coach Ed Davis was sending him once a week. I told him I’d like to write a story, and he agreed. We set up a time, but he begged off because he wasn’t feeling well.

Then, just about a month ago, he texted and said he was feeling pretty good and wanted to chat. I visited him and Colleen in their condo, and it was sacred time. He wasn’t feeling great, but I sat with them for more than an hour, reminiscing, watching CNN hurricane coverage and NFL football and talking hockey.

After the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition renamed the press box after Dave, I wrote a story and tried to capture the moment.

Late Thursday morning, the day the paper came out, Dave texted to say, “Getting so many texts and calls about your article. Very well thought out and much appreciated.”

It was the last text I would get from him. But it was fitting. He was going out of his way to compliment someone else.

I thanked him and said, “I had great material.”

As his longtime friend Dan Miner said on WCKM on Monday morning, I’m not sad that he’s gone. He was suffering, and he’s no longer in pain.

Instead, I’m trying to focus on how lucky was I — how lucky we all were — that Dave Strader was one of us.

Rest in peace, Strades. Your warmth, your kindness and your talents will never be forgotten here.

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