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Bob Olson dies

HOUGHTON — The original voice of Michigan Tech hockey, radio announcer Bob Olson, died Saturday in Middletown, Connecticut, at age 87.

The MTU Sports Hall of Famer began broadcasting Tech events in 1969 when he purchased radio stations WMPL-AM and -FM and moved to the Copper Country from Hurley, Wisconsin. He started with men’s basketball and football before adding hockey to the lineup in 1970-71.

He was known as the dean of broadcasters for doing hockey play-by-play for 32 seasons until retiring after the 2000-01 season. He also founded the WMPL College Hockey Poll, the first of its kind in the nation, and served as the clearinghouse for college hockey scores nationwide with its call-in service run by Bob and his wife Edda.

He served as a president of the MTU Blueline Club, a member of the MTU Community Advisory Committte and was on the school’s Sports Promotion and hockey coach search committees.

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