RIP Gil Santos

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Sep 27, 2004
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That hit me harder than I expected. One of the signature voices of my lifetime. I'll never forget the pure joy of his call when Vinatieri's kick went through the uprights.
 

Dotrat

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Jul 11, 2002
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This is a real drag—an iconic sports voice who narrated the beginnings of the Pats dynasty. Pure joy is right. His love of the game and the team was joyously infectious.
 

E5 Yaz

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Ned Martin, Fred Cusick, Johnny Most and now Gil Santos ... all gone. That's a ton of communal history for many of us on this site.
 

riboflav

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Jan 20, 2006
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Fond memories as a kid listening to and watching him and Couz call Celtics' games on tv.
 

amh03

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Wow...damn! Loved his voice calling games.
 

fenwaypaul

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Jul 21, 2005
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I started listening to him in 1966 when I came to the Boston area to attend grad school. His Patriots play-by-play has been the backdrop to a pretty big chunk of my life. Voice of the team indeed.
 

ifmanis5

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Sep 29, 2007
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Channel 56 Celtics road games were a staple of my youth. I’ve been a Gil Santos fan for as long as I’ve liked sports.
For sure. As great as Gil was with the Pats, his Celtics work with The Cooz was just as good if not better. Great pipes, great energy, always on top of things and fair.
 

FL4WL3SS

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Jul 31, 2006
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I just saw this thread and let out an audible gasp followed by "aw fuck".

Gil was the voice that bonded my dad and I as we followed the Patriots as I grew up. My dad was always quick to shut off the TV announcers and listen to Gil instead. He held a special place in my heart for that reason. End of an era.

Now I'll go call my dad.
 

Maximus

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Jul 18, 2005
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That hit me harder than I expected. One of the signature voices of my lifetime. I'll never forget the pure joy of his call when Vinatieri's kick went through the uprights.
He was and always will be the voice of the Patriots for me.
 

5dice

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Jul 31, 2001
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So glad he got to enjoy/call much of the the BB/TB era. Always loved the audio description of the personnel grouping before the snap.
 

nattysez

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Sep 30, 2010
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I hope this is not a false memory, but I feel like Gil Santos was one of the guys who read the school closing announcements on WBZ on snowy mornings when I was a kid -- he and Dave Maynard. So his voice was part of my life for as long as I can remember. RIP.
 

Norm Siebern

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May 12, 2003
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I hope this is not a false memory, but I feel like Gil Santos was one of the guys who read the school closing announcements on WBZ on snowy mornings when I was a kid -- he and Dave Maynard. So his voice was part of my life for as long as I can remember. RIP.
No, not a false memory. Waiting with breathless anticipation for that stentorian voice to utter those magic words “...no school, all schools.”

Because the Patriots were so bad for so long, they were regularly blacked out on local TV for home games. That meant that Gil Santos was the only connection to the team for so many. Pre cable, pre Internet he was it. If you wanted Patriots football it was WBZ and Gil Santos. God bless him and peace to his family. What joy his memory conjures up.

I love his appearance on one of the myriad of videos about the “tuck rule.” He gives hands a washing motion, and says “now we have payback for Sugar Bear Hamilton and roughing the passer. All even.” The voice of the team, yes, but also the voice of the fan. RIP Gil Santos.
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
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“Despite all the prognostications of doom, I’m proud to report the Patriots have arrived in Pittsburgh and will take the field today.”

What a legend.

He had such a knack for perfectly calling big plays. Always calm and articulate as he set the scene, then the perfect booming voice of excitement after the play (also loved Gino’s celebrations in the background).
 

Van Everyman

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Apr 30, 2009
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Terrific South Coast piece on Santos and his New Bedford roots. Apparently his big regret was not calling Sox games!

 

Bierman9

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Jul 19, 2005
108
Nashua NH
That hit me harder than I expected. One of the signature voices of my lifetime. I'll never forget the pure joy of his call when Vinatieri's kick went through the uprights.

Vinatieri? Always thought it was Varitek who split the uprights...

;)


Will miss Gil.... class all the way.....
 
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