The longtime radio voice of the Spitfires has announced his retirement.
Mike Miller says the decision is the by-product of a voice and vocal disorder from overuse.
The Toledo, Ohio native has called more than 800 Spitfire games over the past 11 seasons, including three Memorial Cup and two Ontario Hockey League championships.
Miller says the last few months have been frustrating because everybody is always asking how he's feeling but he says "I feel great, this is not a health issue by any means, it's a vocal chord disorder that they're not vibrating quick enough to produce sound."
He says it's been a great 39 years and he was thinking about stepping down anyways, adding "the situation with my voice has really just kind of hurried up the process. I was actually shouting for three hours doing a game and it was exhausting and wasn't any fun."
Warren Rychel and Mike Miller share a few laughs. After 11 seasons, Mike is hanging up his mic with the Windsor #Spitfires and the @SpitsHockey have a special ceremony planned for him before Sunday's game #OHL #cklw @AM800News @CTVWindsor pic.twitter.com/t9iyakw888
— Manny Paiva (@paivathewayCTV) March 1, 2019
General Manager Warren Rychel says it was great always having Miller around, "old school pencil and paper and a microphone and he was just a welcome addition," says Rychel. "He got to do it at the barn the first year was huge and then moving into the new arena and then obviously the championships were the cherry on top."
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, Miller also called two Stanley Cup championships with the New Jersey Devils in1995 and 2000.
The club will recognize Miller's achievements and contributions to the franchise during its game at the WFCU Centre on Sunday, March 3rd vs. the Kingston Frontenacs.