SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The name Dale Drypolcher is synonymous with sports broadcasting in Central New York. It’s a career that spanned decades.
About 1978, as close as I can figure. Coulda been before, but I’m using ’78. That makes me old enough as it is.
Dale Drypolcher
The retired teacher got into broadcasting when a former student asked if he wanted to give it a try. That led to a long run with WCNY, SU SuperSports, and the regional cable systems. Over the years, Drypolcher worked with some of the area’s best play-by-play announcers on their way up.
Sean McDonough, Mike Tirico, Dan Hoard, Dave Ryan. I was doing a game at West Virginia one time, an SU game, and ESPN was doing the game and the producer, Ed Placey, came out and said to me “You know, you’re on every resume tape we get at ESPN!”
Dale Drypolcher
Says fellow sports broadcaster Dave Cohen, “He was kind of a trenches guy. He knew the games were won and lost on the offensive and defensive lines, and Dale could always come up with a unique angle. He was real. He was genuine. He was one of a kind.”
He’s probably best known for football, always with humor and heart. But Dale has broadcast everything from wrestling to the Empire State Games, to perhaps his favorite, lacrosse. But now, it’s time to hang up his headset.
Working every Friday night and my wife works and so she’d say ‘Well, I can get a Friday off. Let’s go out to Ohio and see the kids.’ But every Friday I’d say ‘Well, for the next nine Fridays, I’ve got a game.
Dale Drypolcher
He won’t be calling games after this season, but Dale Drypolcher leaves Central New York families with 45 years of great memories. As Dale best said, “You don’t realize how many people really appreciate watching high school football, and again, if it’s not live, they’re watching it taped and play it back years later, so I think it’s a benefit to just about everybody.”
Good job, Coach.
