Paul Steigerwald

{{infobox person

| name = Paul Steigerwald

| image = PaulSteigerwald.jpg

|caption=Steigerwald in 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|8|6}}

| birth_place= Scott Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

| death_date =

| occupation = Sportscaster

| relatives = John Steigerwald (brother)
Bill Steigerwald (brother)
Danny Stag (brother)

| nickname = Staggy}}

Paul Steigerwald (born August 6, 1954) is an American sportscaster, who through the 2016–17 NHL season first worked as the Pittsburgh Penguins' color commentator and then the TV play-by-play announcer on Root Sports Pittsburgh (now SportsNet Pittsburgh).

Minor leagues

Steigerwald became a hockey fan growing up in Pittsburgh's South Hills. One of his neighbors was Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jack Riley, who would provide tickets for the poorly attended games. Steigerwald developed an interest in hockey and played at the club level while attending Kent State University. After graduating, Steigerwald started his broadcast career with the Johnstown Red Wings of the Eastern Hockey League.{{cite web |url=http://www.tribune-democrat.com/sports/local_story_148001500.html |title=TV voice started in area » Pro » the Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA |access-date=January 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205050439/http://www.tribune-democrat.com/sports/local_story_148001500.html |archive-date=February 5, 2013 }} WJNL, the local radio affiliate of the Johnstown Red Wings paid Steigerwald $110 a week to provide commentary for all 70 games that season.{{Cite web |last=MASTOVICH |first=MIKE |date=May 27, 2008 |title=Penguins TV voice Paul Steigerwald started career with Johnstown Red Wings |url=https://www.tribdem.com/sports/national_sports/penguins-tv-voice-paul-steigerwald-started-career-with-johnstown-red-wings/article_2f60d147-1369-5919-8462-e02536bb659b.html |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=The Tribune-Democrat |language=en}} The Eastern Hockey League later folded the following year.

Steigerwald was later the radio play-by-play announcer for the Altoona Curve, the AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, from 2005 to 2007.{{Cite web |title=Paul Steigerwald |url=https://www.behindthestagedoor.com/interviews/interview?id=21 |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=Behind the Stage Door}}

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins hired Steigerwald as their marketing director at age 25, and he became their TV and radio color commentator in 1985. FSN Pittsburgh (now SportsNet Pittsburgh) hired him on June 29, 2006, as its TV play-by-play announcer after it declined to renew the contract of fellow Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange, who was later hired by the team exclusively as its radio play-by-play announcer.{{Cite web |last1=Hasch |first1=Michael |last2=Price |first2=Karen |date=June 30, 2006 |title=Ladies and gentlemen, Lange has left the building |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/ladies-and-gentlemen-lange-has-left-the-building/ |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review}}{{Cite web |date=June 30, 2006 |title=Report: Penguins television announcer Lange replaced |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story?id=2504835&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22:%22 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Smizik |first=Bob |date=August 3, 2006 |title=Penguins, Lange agree to 1-year deal |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/penguins/2006/08/04/Penguins-Lange-agree-to-1-year-deal/stories/200608040215 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}} Steigerwald denied persistent rumors that he worked behind the scenes to secure Lange's dismissal.{{Cite news |last=Yohe |first=Josh |date=April 2, 2020 |title=The man, the myth, the legend: On Paul Steigerwald's Penguins' odyssey |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1712889/2020/04/02/the-man-the-myth-the-legend-on-paul-steigerwalds-penguins-odyssey/ |access-date=September 23, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} On August 18, 2011, Steigerwald and color analyst Bob Errey were re-signed by Root Sports to multi-year contracts.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Shelley |date=August 18, 2011 |title=Penguins Notebook: Steigerwald, Errey to return |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2011/08/19/Penguins-Notebook-Steigerwald-Errey-to-return/stories/201108190183 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}} During a Penguins/Capitals game on March 19, 2013; two fans were spotted with a large picture of Steigerwald on a stick. Errey referred to the prop as "Steigy on a Stick," which became an instant viral hit with Penguins fans.{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2013 |title=RECAP: A Study in Streaks. PENS WIN. |url=http://www.thepensblog.com/2013-archives/march/recap-a-study-in-streaks-pens-win.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322224933/http://www.thepensblog.com/2013-archives/march/recap-a-study-in-streaks-pens-win.html |archive-date=March 22, 2013 |access-date= |website=The Pens Blog}}

On May 16, 2017, Root Sports and the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that, starting in the 2017-18 hockey season, Steigerwald would transition to the Penguins' front office in a new role with the communications and marketing department. Steve Mears replaced Steigerwald as the network's TV play-by-play broadcaster for Penguins games.{{Cite web |last=Mackey |first=Jason |date=May 16, 2017 |title=Mears thrilled to follow Steigerwald in Penguins' broadcast booth |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2017/05/16/Root-Sports-Mears-Steigerwald-Penguins-play-by-play/stories/201705160135 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}

Cameo

Steigerwald appeared in the Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie Sudden Death. Playing himself alongside Mike Lange, he provided commentary for a hockey game during which Van Damme's character fought off terrorists.{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Richard |date=December 20, 2021 |title=This Week in Pittsburgh History: "Sudden Death," Shot in Pittsburgh, Opens in Theaters |url=https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/this-week-in-pittsburgh-history-sudden-death-shot-in-pittsburgh-opens-in-theaters/ |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pittsburgh Magazine |language=en-US}}

Personal life

He is the brother of fellow Pittsburgh sports media member, John Steigerwald, former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review libertarian columnist Bill Steigerwald, and blues rock guitarist Danny Stag.

He was raised, and continues to live, in the Pittsburgh suburb Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.{{cite news| title=The Voice of the Penguins| work=Mt. Lebanon Magazine| author=Lois Thomson| date=Jan–Feb 2011| pages=44–46| url=http://ebooks.mtlebanon.org/mtl/mtl-012011/46.html}}

References

External links

{{IMDb name}}
[http://www.altoonacurve.com/contactus/staff/index.html?staff_id=22 Altoona Curve Paul Steigerwald page]
[http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/28597-in-defense-of-steigerwald In defense of Steigerwald]

{{succession box

| before = Terry Schiffauer

| title = Pittsburgh Penguins TV/radio color commentator

| years = 1984–1999

| after = Stan Savran (radio)
Peter Taglianetti (television)

}}

{{succession box

| before = Matt "Mad Dog" McConnell

| title = Pittsburgh Penguins radio play-by-play announcer

| years = 1999–2006

| after = Mike Lange

}}