Van Miller
Encyclopedia
Van Miller is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB
calling play-by-play for high school football games. In the 1950s, he moved to Buffalo where he became the chief play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network
, the official radio broadcasting arm of the Buffalo Bills
of the National Football League
from the team's inception as an AFL
team in 1960 to 1971, and again from 1977 to 2003. At the time of his retirement in 2003, Miller was the longest-tenured commentator with one team (37 years) in pro football history.
to call play-by-play for the Bills' inaugural contest against the Boston Patriots. In his 55 years in the business, Miller has earned legend status in Buffalo by doing everything imaginable behind the microphone. Besides his status as the "Voice of the Bills," Miller was the sports director for WBEN-TV/WIVB-TV
for many years. During that time, he served as a sportscaster, weather reporter, and as host of the local version of It's Academic
, among other shows. He also hosted a popular afternoon program for many years on WBEN radio.
Miller has also called Buffalo Braves
and Niagara University
basketball, Buffalo Bisons
baseball, Buffalo Stallions
soccer, University at Buffalo
football and, in his early years, high school sports.
With the exception of a seven-season hiatus from 1971 through 1977, when the Bills were being carried on rival station WKBW-AM
(and Miller was covering the Buffalo Braves
), Miller covered the Bills for most of the team's existence, including the AFL
championship in 1964
and 1965
, and the Super Bowl
run of the early 1990s. He shared the booth with color men Stan Barron and (after Barron's passing in the early 1980s) John Murphy
, who succeeded Miller as play-by-play voice in 2004 following Miller's retirement.
After 43 years and almost 700 games, a now-harsher-voiced but still sharp 76-year-old Van Miller called his final broadcast for the Bills against the New England Patriots (the same franchise Buffalo had faced for Miller's first broadcast in 1960). The Bills lost 31-0 after having beaten the Patriots in the season opener by the same score.
, although he's still heard on the air on occasion in guest sports commentary appearances or voicing commercial announcements for some Western New York
retail businesses (notably the Grapevine Restaurant, where he's known as "Van the Grapevine Man"). The Pro Football Hall of Fame
presented him with its Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
in 2004. He is an inductee in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (1999) and the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame (2002).
Signature calls include: "Fandemonium" – often referring to the celebrations after big Bills wins, and "Do you believe it?" after an exciting and often game-changing play. Miller also had a custom-made routine he used when being interviewed on radio shows, in which he called a fictional game in which the host of the show carries the ball just short of the end zone only to fumble on the goal line, after which Miller mocked anguish.
Van has a son, Van Miller Jr. a daughter, Catherine Miller, 3 grandchildren. Harrison Miller (Colorado) Lon Miller (Florida) and Leann Miller (Florida) along with 4 great-grandchildren who also reside in Florida
WDOE
WDOE is an AM radio station located in Dunkirk, New York. It is owned by Alan Bishop and George Kimble, who also own sister station WBKX in Fredonia, and operates on a frequency of 1410 kHz....
calling play-by-play for high school football games. In the 1950s, he moved to Buffalo where he became the chief play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network
Buffalo Bills Radio Network
The Buffalo Bills Radio Network is a broadcast radio network based in Buffalo, New York, the official radio broadcaster of the Buffalo Bills. The network's radio broadcasts are currently flagshipped at WGRF in Buffalo, New York, a station owned by Cumulus Media...
, the official radio broadcasting arm of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from the team's inception as an AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
team in 1960 to 1971, and again from 1977 to 2003. At the time of his retirement in 2003, Miller was the longest-tenured commentator with one team (37 years) in pro football history.
Career
On July 30, 1960, Van Miller debuted on the air at War Memorial StadiumWar Memorial Stadium (Buffalo)
War Memorial Stadium is the name of a stadium that formerly stood in Buffalo, New York. The stadium was on a rectangular block near the downtown area. Its main entrance was at Jefferson Avenue to the east and Best Street to the south...
to call play-by-play for the Bills' inaugural contest against the Boston Patriots. In his 55 years in the business, Miller has earned legend status in Buffalo by doing everything imaginable behind the microphone. Besides his status as the "Voice of the Bills," Miller was the sports director for WBEN-TV/WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
for many years. During that time, he served as a sportscaster, weather reporter, and as host of the local version of It's Academic
It's Academic
It's Academic is a televised academic quiz competition for high school students, currently airing on two NBC affiliates in Washington, D.C. and Central Virginia and one CBS affiliate Baltimore, Maryland . The show has been on the air since October 7, 1961, making it the longest...
, among other shows. He also hosted a popular afternoon program for many years on WBEN radio.
Miller has also called Buffalo Braves
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers....
and Niagara University
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
basketball, Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
baseball, Buffalo Stallions
Buffalo Stallions
The Buffalo Stallions were a soccer team based out of Buffalo, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 to 1984. Their home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.-History:...
soccer, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
football and, in his early years, high school sports.
With the exception of a seven-season hiatus from 1971 through 1977, when the Bills were being carried on rival station WKBW-AM
WWKB
WWKB is an AM radio station in Buffalo, New York that operates on a frequency of 1520 kHz. It is owned and operated by Entercom Communications. The station carries a progressive talk radio format. Declaring itself as A New Voice, A New Choice, The Voice of the New Majority; WWKB carries a number...
(and Miller was covering the Buffalo Braves
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers....
), Miller covered the Bills for most of the team's existence, including the AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
championship in 1964
1964 American Football League season
The 1964 American Football League season was the fifth regular season of the American Football League.The season ended when the Buffalo Bills defeated the San Diego Chargers in the AFL Championship game...
and 1965
1965 American Football League season
The 1965 American Football League season was the sixth regular season of the American Football League.The season also saw a change of television address as the games moved from ABC to NBC....
, and the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
run of the early 1990s. He shared the booth with color men Stan Barron and (after Barron's passing in the early 1980s) John Murphy
John Murphy (announcer)
John Murphy is an American sportscaster from Buffalo, New York.Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills, where he currently serves as the play-by-play announcer for the team's radio network...
, who succeeded Miller as play-by-play voice in 2004 following Miller's retirement.
After 43 years and almost 700 games, a now-harsher-voiced but still sharp 76-year-old Van Miller called his final broadcast for the Bills against the New England Patriots (the same franchise Buffalo had faced for Miller's first broadcast in 1960). The Bills lost 31-0 after having beaten the Patriots in the season opener by the same score.
Life After Retirement
Miller is now largely retired and lives with his wife, Gloria, in the town of Tonawanda, New YorkTonawanda (town), New York
Tonawanda is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 78,155. The town is at the north border of the county and is the northern suburb of Buffalo...
, although he's still heard on the air on occasion in guest sports commentary appearances or voicing commercial announcements for some Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
retail businesses (notably the Grapevine Restaurant, where he's known as "Van the Grapevine Man"). The Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
presented him with its Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
The Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, created in 1989 and named for the late longtime NFL commissioner, is bestowed annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame "for longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football". Unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame's comparable...
in 2004. He is an inductee in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (1999) and the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame (2002).
Signature calls include: "Fandemonium" – often referring to the celebrations after big Bills wins, and "Do you believe it?" after an exciting and often game-changing play. Miller also had a custom-made routine he used when being interviewed on radio shows, in which he called a fictional game in which the host of the show carries the ball just short of the end zone only to fumble on the goal line, after which Miller mocked anguish.
Van has a son, Van Miller Jr. a daughter, Catherine Miller, 3 grandchildren. Harrison Miller (Colorado) Lon Miller (Florida) and Leann Miller (Florida) along with 4 great-grandchildren who also reside in Florida