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Spirit Radio Voice, Leigh Cunningham, Learned from Icons
By Mike Thompson
True-blue hockey fans will recognize Gallivan as the long-time voice for the Montreal Canadiens and for Hockey Night in Canada. Cunningham’s other role model isn’t even from the hockey world, but his name is far better known here in mid-Michigan: The Detroit Tigers’ legendary Ernie Harwell, recently diagnosed at 91 with inoperable cancer. “Danny Gallivan and Ernie Harwell both had the ability to be able to paint a picture with words,” explains Cunningham, who is entering his 12th year of broadcasting in the OHL. He previously served with his hometown Sarnia Sting, the London Knights, and the North Bay Centennials (forerunner to the Saginaw Spirit). Cunningham again will team with Saginaw’s “Mister Hockey,” Dennis Desrosiers, for the entire 2009-10 regular season and, hopefully, for another playoff run. Fans can follow the team on the road to various Ontario Hockey League destinations, or catch the action when they miss a home game. Leigh Cunningham loves to use a variety of words, but doesn’t try to copy Gallivan’s colorful descriptions of “cannonading” slap shots or “scintillating” goalie saves. He hasn’t adopted catch phrases similar to Harwell’s “lonnnggg gone,” or “house by the side of the road.” At the same time, Cunningham avoids repeating cliches such as “dumps it into the zone” over and over again. “Keep it fresh” is his main goal. “I look at it from the view that ‘I’m the puck,’ because the puck is the key to everything,” Cunningham says, explaining how he paints his own visual pictures. He focuses on describing the section of the ice where the puck is in play, while keeping pace with the game’s speed. “I’m familiar with the Saginaw area, and I give fans credit for being pretty savvy when it comes to knowing the game,” he says. “Along with Rosie, we just try to take listeners by the hand and keep them entertained.” Cunningham, 42, grew up playing youth hockey in Sarnia (while listening to Gallivan and Harwell). He laughs when he says, “I realized at a fairly young age that my hockey skills would not take me farther than the house league in my hometown.” Therefore, serving in media relations in the OHL has been his path to stay connected with the sport he loves, and the work goes far beyond broadcasting the games. In fact, his official Saginaw Spirit title is director of broadcasting and communications. He assists local news reporters with statistics and other information, produces segments for various radio stations, and manages advertising. Cunningham and Desrosiers also will host the Spirit’s weekly radio show on Monday evenings at Hooters on Bay Road. As far as the National Hockey League, Cunningham is a longtime fan of the New York Rangers. Mid-Michigan supporters of the Detroit Red Wings offer Leigh their sympathy. (Footnote: While he worked at radio station CKLW-AM 800 in Windsor, Leigh Cunningham several times interviewed Ernie Harwell as a feature to promote the Tigers. He recalls one occasion on which he called the Harwell home for the interview and Ernie’s wife, Lulu, noted that Ernie was “in the shower.” Still, within minutes Harwell called back on the phone to conduct the interview, so promptly that he may still have been wrapped in a bath towel. Cunningham says this is a simple story of Ernie Harwell’s modesty. “He is one of the class acts,” Cunningham says.
Six Questions for Leigh CunninghamBy Robert E. Martin Review: What are the key goals you'd like to see the Spirit achieve overall this season as an organization? Cunningham: One of things I like about this team is its work ethic and in talking with Coach Todd Watson recently the indication was the commitment of this year's edition of the Spirit is ahead of last year and is very impressive. I think the goal for the team obviously is to see how far they can go in improving upon last season's trip to the second round of the OHL Playoffs. This team sees a playoff series win as a starting block, and a good foundation, but unfinished business in a sense as they want to take it to the next step and consistently, year-after-year, be among the elite teams in the OHL, which is sometimes a difficult task with the turnover of players in the league due to graduation. Review: What do you feel are the key components that distinguish the Spirit from other hockey organizations? Cunningham: I am entering my 12th season broadcasting in this league and have worked with many fine people, and the business and hockey staffs with the Spirit are right at the top when it comes to dedication to the program and the community and building a winner both on and off the ice. This franchise has tremendous corporate support that rivals any team in the league, and the fan base is strong and we hope growing, where the kids that are attending our games now will be the ones taking their families to the games in the future. Review: What is the most challenging component in tackling the play-by-play coverage of the Spirit? Cunningham: The travel and schedule can be a grind at time, but I have no complaints. This is a great league and it is privilege to be broadcasting in the premier source for NHL talent you will find. Working with Dennis Desrochers has also been a good time, not to mention the relationships I have been able to build with other media personalities in the area. There has never been one day where I said I really don't feel like going to the rink today, and being a link between the game action and the fans is something I enjoy very much. Review: Kindly supply me with your background in terms of how you got involved with hockey and how that pursuit has led you to the Saginaw Spirit? Cunningham: I have been involved in hockey since I was 6 years old playing as a kid back in my hometown of Sarnia, Ontario and loved playing growing up. But your skill level or lack thereof has a tendency to catch up with you and it did for me. However, I wanted to try and make a living in the game and was always consumed by the statistics and history of the NHL and OHL. I think it started with my hockey card collecting at a very young age, and I still have all of those cards, which were accumulated during the 1970's when I was growing up. I watched the game constantly on television and found myself mentally broadcasting the game in my head. Eventually I became a Broadcast Journalism student and got a couple of breaks and I have been able to continue calling games in the OHL ever since the 1998-99 season. I have been fortunate enough to serve as broadcaster of four OHL Championships and four Western Conference Finals and an All Star game in my hometown several years ago. As far as getting here is concerned, I was approached about this time last year by Team President Craig Goslin, who I had known since the Spirit came to Saginaw. He asked me if I was interested in the job when it became available. We both agreed to explore the immigration side of things and it came to fruition last October and the move was made. It was a tough move because I was doing the television for my hometown team the Sarnia Sting, but this has been a great move and a solid opportunity to contribute to the effort going on with the Spirit. Review: What do you feel are your strongest attributes that you bring to the team? I suppose my experience in the game and in the OHL. I remember when I was one of the kid broadcasters, and now 12 years later that is not the case. Otherwise, I have a huge passion for the game of hockey and it is deep rooted and I am very happy doing what I am doing. My co-workers are great to work with and it seems everyone has a strength or two, which adds up to form a solid staff.
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