When Mike Fornes, β75, visited ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ as a high school senior he knew he would spend the next four years there.
Two important people also influenced his decision to attend ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State. βI got two letters - from a broadcasting student Greg Benedetti, β72, and Dom Lumley, the hockey [ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State] coach who encouraged me to visit the school. I knew right away ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ would present an opportunity for me.β
Fornes, who announced for several NHL teams including the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars, had a head start on his career goals. In high school he announced play-by-play for a high school radio station he started and was also the stickboy for the Dayton Gems.
Fornes as the Dayton Gems stickboy
βAs a stickboy I saw firsthand all the jobs involved with a sports team,β Fornes says. βI worked alongside the trainer, sportswriters, public relations director and of course players, coaches and referees. But broadcasting the games appealed to me the most and my high school experience allowed me to hit the ground running at ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State.β
By his sophomore year of college, Fornes was the play-by-play announcer for the ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State βClippers,β the first ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State club hockey team.
βSome of my favorite memories involved the big crowds we used to get for the hockey games,β Fornes says. βWe used to pack that place with people to see the Clippers." The βClippersβ were founded in 1970 by Lumley and Steve Albert, β72, who is currently play-by-play announcer for the NBAβs Phoenix Suns.
βMeeting Steve Albert was like meeting Dom Lumley, a career-enhancing experience.β Fornes says. βHe took me to his home in New York City over Thanksgiving break my freshman year and we saw The Tonight Show, a Rangers game, a Knicks game and a Nets game. I knew what I wanted after Steve showed me what this world was like.β
Not only did Fornes meet several influential people with the ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State hockey team but he credits several professors who helped him in his career. βDr. John Miller stood out as an instructor who knew what I wanted to achieve and made his classroom relevant towards my goals. He often heard my work and helped me get better.β
After college, Fornes went on to announce for the Muskegon Mohawks of the International Hockey League. He then worked his way up through the minor leagues and had the chance to call Wayne Gretzkyβs first professional goal with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association, one of his career highlights. He also won two Emmy Awards while announcing for the Washington Capitals.
βThe biggest rewards were the friends I made and the opportunities the game gave me. I got to coach my own kids and worked 20 years for USA Hockey teaching coaches and referees,β Fornes says.
After finishing more than 1,500 broadcasts, Fornes is now retired and living in a small town on Lake Huron in Michigan. βIt is funny how things come full circle. It is pretty clear to me that hockey made all of this possible and helped me get to this point. ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ was a very important step on the ladder I climbed.β
By Ashley Whaley