LEWISTON — As Tom Caron remembers it, his first game as the voice of the Portland Pirates was at what is now the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“Preseason 1993, maybe the first game, I don’t know. But a preseason game, the Pirates played, we played here, and I did the game on radio,” Caron recalled.  “It’s funny because (then Pirates head coach Barry) Trotz and Paul Gardner, the assistant coach, were making a big deal, you know, ‘Come on, TC might have ex-girlfriends in the crowd, so let’s make sure…’ It was the big thing. It was my homecoming.”

The Lewiston native enjoyed another homecoming Saturday night, to be the first broadcaster inducted into the Portland Pirates Hall of Fame. He became the 18th inductee between the first and second periods of Saturday night’s game against the Manchester Monarchs, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

“It’s amazing,” Caron said prior to the game. “I’m honored, humbled and was shocked when (Pirates director of communications) Chris (Knoblock) gave me the call. To get in there without skating a shift is pretty good.”

Caron, now well-known across New England as a host and college hockey play-by-play voice for New England Sports Network, was the Pirates’ first radio play-by-play announcer. He’s still grateful to have been on board when the team won the Calder Cup in its inaugural season in 1993-94.

“If they won 23 games instead of 43 games, nobody remembers that I did the games. Nobody cares,” Caron said, noting that 12 of the 18 Hall-of-Fame members were with the team that first year. “Thankfully, they put together a good team and people remember that I called a championship season.”

Caron said he maintains friendships with many players and staff. He still talks regularly with Trotz, spent a few innings with goalie Olaf Kolzig at Fenway Park last spring, and expected Kent Hulst to be in attendance for the night’s festivities.

Kolzig and several other former Pirates congratulated Caron in a pre-taped video tribute played during the ceremony.

Receiving the honor in his hometown and in the rink where his love of hockey took root made it extra special, Caron said.

“The first pro game I ever saw was the Maine Nordiques playing here in the NAHL back in 70-whatever, and, you know, going to high school games,” the Lewiston High School graduate said. “That’s where my passion for hockey began was in this building. I also quickly found out  I was a lousy skater so I had to find another way to get into the game.”

Caron, who also broadcast high school hockey championships in the building when he was a sports anchor for WGME-13, marveled at the improvements at the Colisee.

“Looking at this right now, this is nicer than half the arenas that were in the league 20 years ago when I was doing it,” he said. “This is a terrific facility. Who would have thought they’d have the Division III national championship here?”

Referring to himself as “Employee No. 5” for his role as not only a broadcaster but as a member of the front office in the Pirates’ infancy, Caron reminisced at length about that first season.

“The stuff we did as a front office was pretty wild, too. ‘Killer’ Kaminsky wasn’t the only guy out of control,” he said.

“That (team) was kind of like I think the Bruins are now. They’ll beat you with toughness. They’ll beat you with a key goal at a key time,” Caron said, noting a 20th anniversary reunion is in the works for this summer. “That’s what the Pirates had that season. They were tough. They were skilled. They had great goaltending.  They were really the kind of team a city loves.”

From the Salty Pete logo to the (temporary) new home, the Pirates don’t have a lot of ties remaining from his time with the franchise, Caron noted. But much of the spirit remains, he said, including that of the Pirates founder, and his occasional radio partner, the late Tom Ebright.

“A lot of the guys have the money to do this but not the passion. A lot of guys have the passion to do this but not the money. Tom had both, and it was a rare combination,” Caron said. “He could afford to bring the team from Baltimore, but was as tuned in as any owner I’ve ever met.”

Copy the Story Link