PITTSBURGH — Broadcaster Bill Hillgrove, who has been the radio voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last 30 seasons, announced this week that he's signing off and retiring.
Hillgrove has been in the booth for the Steelers since 1994, when he replaced legendary play-by-play announcer Jack Fleming.
His retirement was announced by the team on Thursday.
"Bill Hillgrove's contributions to both the Steelers Radio Network and the Steelers organization have spanned nearly three decades that included him serving as our play-by-play announcer for four Super Bowl appearances and countless other memorable games during his tenure," Steelers President Art Rooney II said on the team's website. "He has played a major role in broadcasting to our amazing fans on our radio network, but he also found time to be part of so many special events since he began working alongside the great Myron Cope on the airwaves in 1994. Bill will truly be missed by Steelers Nation, but we are excited for him and his family to enjoy his retirement."
Hillgrove was raised in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood and graduated from Central Catholic High School, where he is a member of the school's Hall of Fame. He went to college locally as well, attending Duquesne University, where he studied sports broadcasting and covered the university's basketball team and high school football for WDUQ, the school's on-campus radio station.
After graduating from Duquesne, Hillgrove worked as a color commentator for Pitt football broadcasts before taking over play-by-play duties for the Panthers.
He got the call to replace Fleming after the 1993 season, and had the call for some of the most memorable moments in franchise history, including Pittsburgh's sixth Super Bowl victory in 2008.
Hillgrove will continue doing play-by-play for Pitt football and basketball, but is looking forward to having some extra free time on Sundays.
" I have all of July almost all of August to myself now," he said on the Steelers' website. "Every once in a while if the Steelers aren't playing on Sunday, I can get on a boat and enjoy the fall foliage at Conneaut Lake, which I was never able to do before. So it's all very positive in that way."