Glenn Ordway
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Glenn Ordway (born January 16, 1951) is a Boston, Massachusetts-area radio host, television host, and former commentator for the Boston Celtics radio broadcasts. He hosts WEEI's The Big Show, Boston's top rated afternoon drive time radio program among men aged 25-54. [1] Ordway is originally from Lynn, Massachusetts; he graduated from Lynn Classical High School.
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[edit] Career
Ordway began a career in radio at WMEX/WITS in Boston, where he was sports director as well as worked on Boston Bruins broadcasts. In 1981, Ordway gained prominence at WRKO in Boston where he manned a popular, award-winning call-in show, "Sportscall."
Ordway is best known for his thirteen years as commentator for the Boston Celtics. For several years, he worked with legendary Boston Celtics play-by-play man Johnny Most. During this period, he appeared as himself in an episode of the long running Boston based sitcom Cheers.
In 1987, the Celtics moved their radio programming to WEEI, where Ordway became executive sports director, and later program manager. In 1996, he was promoted to program director, and began The Big Show.
Ordway also hosts a program during New England Patriots season called "New England Tailgate," discussing the team with former players Fred Smerlas and Steve DeOssie. He has also appeared on the HBO sports documentaries The Curse of the Bambino and The Reverse of the Curse of the Bambino.
[edit] Daughters birth
On March 3, 2008, Ordway called into The Big Show to explain his absence from the show for the past three airings. His wife had just given birth to a baby girl, Mia, at Boston's Children's Hospital and both mother and daughter had suffered severe complications during delivery.[2]
Mia, who was born without a heartbeat and wasn’t breathing, was treated at Children's Hospital. After doctors diagnosed Mia with brain trauma injury, she was placed in a "hydrothermal cooling unit that dropped her body temperature to 92.3 degrees for three days". This same treatment had been used on injured Buffalo Bill player Kevin Everett.
Ordway's wife Sarah underwent treatment at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital for internal injuries suffered during delivery.
On March 19th, 2008 Ordway made his return to the Big Show. He gave an update on both is wife Sara and his newborn Mia who are both on the road to recovery. The co-hosts on the show were WBZ4's Steve Burton and Tom Caron. Caron coincidentally experienced similar childbirth complications with one of his newborn sons who is now 12.
Mia is Ordways second child with Sarah, he has three children from a previous marriage.[3]
[edit] All Pro Celebrity Tailgate
In December 2006, the New England Patriots revoked season tickets purchased by Fred Smerlas. Smerlas had been in a partnership with Ordway in a company that hosts $250-a-head tailgate parties at Patriot games. The cost of the package increased to $625 - $750 if the customer wanted a game ticket with a face value of $125. The Patriots determined that the service violated its policy prohibiting season ticket holders from reselling their tickets to third parties except through the team's own ticket exchange, where sellers are required to charge face value. Both Ordway and Smerlas denied money was made on the resale of tickets.[4]
[edit] Awards and recognition
- In 1990 UPI bestowed the Celtics' broadcasting team of Most and Ordway with a first place finish for pre-game show as well as for play-by-play.
- In 2005, Ordway was nominated for a Marconi award, a prestigious award given for excellence in radio, for "Major Market Personality of the Year".[5]
- In 2005, Ordway was awarded the Jimmy Award.[6] The award honors 'individuals who have, over the years, committed themselves to the mission of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund'.
[edit] References
- ^ For nine consecutive periods as of 2005. WEEI topped Boston radio ratings in spring period. Boston Business Journal (2005-07-25). Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
- ^ Personal Statement by Glenn Ordway. Enercom Boston Press Release (2008-03-03). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Jessica Heslam (2008-03-20). Ordway’s ordeal: Sports talk host details newborn’s difficult birth. Boston Herald. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
- ^ Mohl, Bruce (2006-12-03). Patriots Play Tough. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
- ^ NAB Announces 2005 Marconi Radio Awards Finalists. Radio Magazine: Radio Currents Online (2005-07-11). Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
- ^ Jimmy Fund Honors WEEI's Glenn Ordway With Annual "Jimmy Award". The Jimmy Fund Press Release (2005-10-27). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
[edit] External links
- WEEI.com profile
- IMDB: Glenn Ordway
