Pittsburgh mourns passing of John Barbero, voice of Mellon Arena

The city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins’ extended family lost one of its most beloved members last evening.  John Barbero, 65, who worked as the PA announcer at Mellon Arena for 36 seasons, passed away after battling brain cancer for over a year.  The Penguins and local newspapers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, were among many local organizations that immediately published tributes and condolences in honour of the man widely considered to be the familiar, friendly “voice” of Mellon Arena.  Co-owner and Hall of Fame player Mario Lemieux called Barbero ”one of a kind, a true professional, and he always will be remembered as a member of the Penguins family.  He will be missed.”

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It was Lemieux’s name that indirectly allowed Barbero to create his signature goal call.  “The Pittsburgh goal, his 13th of the playoffs, scored by #66 … Mario … Le-meeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!“  For a generation of fans who flocked to Civic Arena, as it was known before the mid-1990s to watch the Penguins, Barbero’s “Le-meeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!” was just as much a part of the in-game experience as the unique steel dome and the balcony seats.  Soon, Pittsburgh fans got used to warming up their voices after a Mario goal so that they could cheer and stretch out Lemieux’s name along with Barbero.  In recent years, Barbero gave the same treatment to Sidney Crrrrrrrrrrrrosbeeeeeeee!!! and a new generation of Penguins’ fans joined the cheer as well.

Growing up in Toronto, I only had the privilege of hearing Barbero’s goal announcements on rare occasions during the spring if CBC broadcast a playoff game involving the Pens.  It is interesting to note that Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Irvin paused after Lemieux’s famous game-winning power play goal during the 1992 Stanley Cup Final to allow fans watching on television to hear Barbero’s announcement.  Last spring, I had the chance to watch Game 4 of the 2009 Final at Mellon Arena, the second-last game the Penguins played at home that season.  It turned out to also be the second-last game that Barbero worked.

Less than five years ago, Toronto mourned the passing of Blue Jays’ radio broadcaster Tom Cheek, who also battled brain cancer.  This year, baseball lost Ernie Harwell, legendary radio voice of the Detroit Tigers and Bob Sheppard, the Yankee Stadium PA announcer whose career spanned the at-bats of Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter.  Barbero, Cheek, Harwell and Sheppard all were beloved figures in their respective cities whose citizens instantly recognized their voices and immediately associated it with the local team and sport.  Certain sports radio broadcasters and stadium announcers seem to be genuinely liked and garner universal respect, not only from their fellow broadcasters or media, but by the millions of listeners whom they have never met, but have affected through their work.

For Pittsburgh, Barbero offered a sound of homey comfort and familiarity to the ears of fans entering the arena, an implicit welcome to Penguins hockey.  The consistency, of coming to work and being the arena announcer for nearly four decades; the familiar goal announcements, which invariably created enthusiasm and energy in the crowd; and the friendly voice, earned Barbero the respect and admiration of countless numbers of hockey fans in Pittsburgh and beyond.