Liscumb Jr. becomes new voice of the Hounds

The following is a press release from the Soo Greyhounds:

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LISCUMB JR. APPOINTED AS NEW VOICE OF THE HOUNDS

The Soo Greyhounds are pleased to announce that they have hired Sault Ste. Marie native Gerry Liscumb Jr. as their Director of Media and Public Relations. Liscumb's tenure with the Hounds will begin on August 1st, 2005.

The 24-year old Liscumb joins the Hounds after completing the first year of the Print and Broadcast Journalism program at Canadore College in North Bay. His position with the hockey club will have him responsible for broadcasting all Soo Greyhound home and away games during the upcoming season, as well as handling all office duties pertaining to public relations and the media.

Beginning with the Hounds opening game on September 23rd against Ottawa, Liscumb will become the new 'voice of the Hounds'. Liscumb will become only the third radio broadcaster the Hounds have employed since they joined the Ontario Hockey League in 1972, joining Harry Wolfe and Gino Cavallo as the only men to have held the position. Cavallo had held the position for the previous 15 seasons, but left the team in February of 2005 to become the Director of the Soo College Foundation.

Hounds General Manager Dave Torrie is well aware of the popularity of Cavallo, and knows that there may be a period of adjustment that the team's fans may have to go through before they become comfortable with Liscumb.

"Obviously Gino did a great job, and his voice represented our hockey team for many years. Gino was excellent as our play-by-play man and we realize that our fans became very comfortable with him. As a result we know there will be a period in which our fans must adjust to having Gerry do the play-by-play", says Torrie.

Torrie is also pleased that the Hounds were able to employ another local young person, as Liscumb becomes the third and final hiring in the Greyhounds front office this summer. In May the Hounds hired Deanna Nichols to serve as the Director of Sales and Marketing, and awarded John Pucci a full time position as the Director of Ticket Sales. All three are 25 years old or younger and are Sault Ste. Marie residents.

Torrie says that though he knows there may be some concern amongst fans that have become accustomed to Cavallo performing the broadcast, he is sure that if the team's loyal fans give Liscumb some time, that they will appreciate his exciting and enthusiastic demeanor. Torrie also reports that Cavallo will work with Liscumb and help him get accustomed with the radio broadcasts and the Ontario Hockey League.

Gerry's loyalty, astute work ethic, and enthusiasm came highly recommended to the Hounds organization from people throughout the hockey circles in Northern Ontario. Liscumb's pervious broadcasting experience includes work with Radio Soo, 99.5 YES FM, the former Hot Country 97.9, Cogeco North Bay News, and both the Kinross and Onaway Motor Speedway.

Liscumb himself realizes that fans who are very content with Cavallo's voice and style, may need some time to adjust to his broadcasting approach. Recalls Liscumb, " I have been listening to Gino do the broadcasts for years, and definitely have a deep respect for the job he did. I realize that it will be tough to fill his shoes." Liscumb recognizes that fans will need time to adjust, but both he and the club feel that once the fine-tuning period elapses the fans will begin to enjoy his exciting broadcasting techniques.

Liscumb has worked in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for the previous five seasons. Last season Gerry was a member of the NOJHL Champion North Bay Skyhawks, whom he joined after working four seasons with the Soo Thunderbirds.

The Hounds look forward to having Gerry work with the club, and are sure that he will work extremely hard in order to be successful.

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(Photo taken from the North Bay Skyhawks website)