Steve Mears saved the ticket stub.
Now, it’s framed and hanging on the wall of his parents’ Murrysville home, because the game it’s from — Nov. 30, 1991, a 5-1 Penguins win over the Flyers at Civic Arena — changed Mears’ life.
The way the AT&T SportsNet play-by-play man remembers it, one of his dad’s coworkers gave him two tickets: Section B18, row C, seats 9-10. Mears was 11 at the time.
As soon as the younger Mears left the concourse level and walked out into the lower bowl, he was hooked. He knew he wanted to spend his life around hockey.
“I know it sounds cliché, but to walk in and see the arena, the different colors, there’s no other way to describe that feeling of seeing it live,” Mears said. “It was this life-changing moment, where I knew immediately I wanted to be involved in the game in every way possible.”
Starting this week, Mears, 38, is launching a program that will help others feel that same sort of thing.
It’s called “Future Voices of the Booth,” and it’s basically a job-shadowing program started and shepherded by Mears himself.
Through an application process on Mears’ website (stevemearsnhl.com), broadcasting students of any age can apply. The experience includes two game tickets, which Mears will provide, plus a tour of the broadcast booth and plenty of shop talk.
“My story began with someone giving my dad two tickets to a game,” Mears said. “I immediately fell in love with the sport and the team and knew that’s what I wanted to do at a very young age.
“This is the least I could do considering all the things the Penguins and the game of hockey have given me.”
In the first year, Mears hopes to find 20 worthy applicants. He’s open to adding more if the program turns out to be a success.
“Hopefully we can increase it,” Mears said. “I hope the demand is really high, and we can get as many kids involved as possible.”
Mears has the Penguins’ support on the endeavor. They’re going to promote the program as much as possible and potentially try to enhance the visits by those who are chosen.
“This is an unbelievable program created by Steve to reach out and connect with aspiring young broadcasters,” said Tom McMillan, the team’s vice president of communications. “Chances are he’ll find out in 10 or 15 years that one of these kids is doing NHL play-by-play, and he will have been the inspiration.
“ ‘Future Voices’ is a tremendous way to give back. We’ve told him we’ll help him with in any way we can.”
Before Civic Arena closed, Mears went and found those same seats and took a picture, which he keeps on his phone.
Mears said he’ll never forget that game, the same as experiences along the way with KDKA’s Bob Pompeani, Mears’ AT&T SportsNet predecessor Paul Steigerwald and Hall of Famer Mike Lange, Mears’ mentor.
“I think about people who helped me,” Mears said. “I’m in high school and Bob Pompeani takes time out of his day to help me with a project. I’m in the minors, Paul Steigerwald takes time out of his day to chat with me about the NHL life and everything. I’ll always appreciate that. Obviously having the tutelage of Mike Lange, as a kid listening to him then getting to the NHL and as a friend and mentor.
“You have so many people to help you along the way. We all have people who provide inspiration. This is the least I can do to try and give back a little bit.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: October 2, 2018, 3:53 p.m.
