The retiring Steelers voice Bill Hillgrove: ‘If it’s not for the fans, we don’t have a …
He will continue to conduct play-by-play for Pitt football and basketball.”You can’t completely stop,” Hillgrove explained on Thursday’s “Breakfast With Benz” program. “I believe people who do this put themselves in jeopardy. I don’t think it’s smart to reach 100 mph and then slow down to zero. So I’ll be able to reduce down. I’ll have half a weekend left after a Pitt game, as well as the entire months of July and August. That’ll give me a chance to smell the roses. And I believe that’s something I must do.
During his time behind the microphone.
Hillgrove called four Super Bowls and nine AFC Championship games while with the Steelers. When I asked him about his favorite calls over the years, Hillgrove, like many dedicated play-by-play broadcasters, first gave me one he wished he had written better.
“When James Harrison returned in Super Bowl XLIII, I believe I had him out of bounds once and down once.” Aside from that, I had few regrets,” Hillgrove remarked with a laugh.
Actually, if you listen to the conference, there is only one brief reference of Harrison being down and an immediate correction. I believe everyone in Raymond James Stadium did the same thing at some point with that one.Hillgrove also called to tell me about one oration he was very proud of.
“In the 1995 AFC championship game against the Colts, Jim Harbaugh threw the rainbow into the scrum. “I was proud that I waited,” Hillgrove said. “Merril Hoge was in the booth and observed the official as well.