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97.1 The Ticket Morning Host Jamie Samuelsen Dies of Cancer

“At the family’s request, Bob Wojnowski announced Samuelsen’s passing Saturday night on Twitter.”

Brandon Contes

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Hearts are broken throughout the city of Detroit. Just five days after announcing he had colon cancer, 97.1 The Ticket morning host Jamie Samuelsen lost his fight against the disease on Saturday evening. BSM offers its condolences to his friends and family.

During his Monday morning radio show on 97.1 The Ticket last week, Samuelsen told his audience about his personal battle with colon cancer, a disease he fought for 19 months. A recent infection forced Samuelsen to take a few days off from his show, but the radio host was amazingly able to remain on-air throughout the 19 month-long bout with cancer.

“Each morning since my diagnosis, I got up, turned on the radio mic and got to talk sports,” Samuelsen said alongside his morning show co-host Mike Stone. “I needed the escape from cancer, just like so many of our listeners who face hardships, grief and illness, too, they turned to us in the morning for some levity in this crazy world. So I wanted to continue to have fun and not let cancer get in the way of doing what I loved. Connecting with listeners, laughing, teasing Stoney, all of it, it helped me be normal, while continuing to fight this disease.”

A Detroit sports radio figure for more than a quarter-century, the Bay Area bred Samuelsen entered the market in 1994, quickly making himself known in print, TV and radio. After a long tenure at WDFN, Samuelsen joined The Ticket in 2012, where he was paired with evening host and longtime friend Bob Wojnowski. Then in 2016, Samuelsen moved to morning drive on The Ticket with Mike Stone, where the duo enjoyed immense ratings success.

At the family’s request, Wojo announced the passing of Samuelsen Saturday night on Twitter. If you search “Jamie Samuelsen” on social media or just follow Wojo’s Twitter feed, it’s evident how beloved and respected he is by listeners and colleagues.

https://twitter.com/gregbradyTO/status/1289766763983298561?s=20

“I’m having a real hard time understanding Jamie’s passing,” Samuelsen’s longtime WDFN co-host Gregg Henson wrote on Twitter. “Jamie was one of the most thoughtful, loving souls I have ever met, I always marveled how he could stay so calm and cool while I was losing my lunatic mind. He was raised by a great family and built one just like it. I can’t stop thinking about his wife and kids and how hard it is to lose a true hero, those children will have rough days ahead, but wow, they were really fortunate to have a father like Jamie. You can bet one day they will build great families too.”

One of the main motives behind Samuelsen’s decision to publicize his colon cancer diagnosis was to encourage his audience to go get a colonoscopy. 

“More people under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with colon cancer than ever before,” Samuelsen said. “Make sure you talk with your doctor and get that colonoscopy.”

The 48-year old Jamie Samuelsen is survived by his wife Christy McDonald, an anchor and reporter for Detroit PBS, and their three children, Caroline, 16, Josh, 14 and Catherine, 11.

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Sports Radio News

Charley Steiner Injured; Tim Neverett to Handle Dodgers Radio Play-by-Play

“This will be the first Opening Day that I will have missed since 1976, when I wore a younger man’s clothes.”

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photo of Charley Steiner
Courtesy: Los Angeles Dodgers

As the Los Angeles Dodgers get set to take on the St. Louis Cardinals in their first home game on Thursday, team play-by-play voice Charley Steiner has revealed he will not be doing games at the beginning of the season due to a severe back injury.

Through the Dodgers, Steiner posted a statement which said, “Over the winter, I landed on the Injured List with three compound fractures in my back. (I don’t recommend it.) With the start of the baseball season upon us, the Dodgers are ready to go – but I’m not. This will be the first Opening Day that I will have missed since 1976, when I wore a younger man’s clothes. I look forward to returning to the mic later this season. In the meantime, go Dodgers!”

TrueBlueLA.com reports Tim Neverett will handle play-by-play duties while Steiner recovers. Neverett called the first two regular season games with Rick Monday as the Dodgers started the season in South Korea. Neverett and Monday did not travel with the team, however, they called those games in a studio back home.

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Sports Radio News

Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi Put a Bow on The Ronnie & TKras Show After Nearly 10 Years

“Finally, Tampa Bay can sleep easy knowing this hideous show is finally over.”

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Photo of Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi
Courtesy: iHeartMedia

After nearly 10 years, The Ronnie & TKras Show with Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi came to an end today as the duo broadcast their final show on remote with many listeners, friends and co-workers on hand. Earlier this month, WDAE announced changes to its programming lineup which will take place starting tomorrow. Ronnie Lane will take on a new role as host of the Tampa Bay Rays pre-game show The Inside Pitch. Tom Krasniqi will continue on in afternoon drive with producer Chris Mathis for The Drive.

Their final show kicked off with station voice Jim Cutler saying, “…Finally, Tampa Bay can sleep easy knowing this hideous show is finally over.”

And with that went three very fast hours of looking back on a nearly decade-long run for Lane and Krasniqi. “It seems kind of surreal, doesn’t it?” said Lane.

Mathis had several special guests lined up for the final show and many others left voice messages which were played coming out of breaks. Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht and Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford took part in the final show. Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks also called in and, at first, identified himself as “Pete from St. Louis” before asking what the hosts thought of the Rays bullpen.

“I’m telling you man, when I hear all of these tributes it really brings a tear to my eye, Ronnie,” said Krasniqi. “It’s a surreal moment…It makes me feel so fortunate and blessed to be in this position sitting next to you all these years. This is one of those moments where I am almost speechless and just so incredibly overwhelmed by the support and the love that everyone has shown here today.”

Lane responded, “…Our time together is really coming to an end. I might get a little emotional before this show is over, but we have had a great time and been through many ups and downs…This business is crazy and for us to be able to do what we are doing and doing it on our terms…And for a company that believes in both of us to give us this opportunity to go in different directions with the same company is truly amazing…It doesn’t happen like this always in this business, usually it’s an ugly goodbye.”

As the show came to an end, Lane reminded everyone, “It has been a blast, but we’re not freakin’ leaving!”

“We’re not leaving folks,” ‘TKras’ said. “Thanks very much for being a part of our lives and thanks for having us as part of yours. Onward and upward. You are dismissed.”

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Sports Radio News

Tyler Murray Added to WEEI Red Sox Radio Bench

“Coming up on 13 seasons in [minor league baseball], it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to have this opportunity.”

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Photo of Tyler Murray and logos for WEEI and the Boston Red Sox
Photo Credit: Ashley Green

The voice of the Worcester Red Sox, Tyler Murray, has been added to the Red Sox Radio play-by-play bench. WEEI made the announcement on their X account, saying, “On the heels of calling the Hockey East Tourney this weekend [and] adding to his excellent work [with the Worcester Red Sox], happy to announce that Tyler Murray will be helping to build our [Red Sox Network] bench this year! Tyler’s 1st series in the big leagues will be April 5-7 [with Will Flemming].

Murray, who has also called college hockey games on NESN plus college football and basketball games, said on X, “Coming up on 13 seasons in [minor league baseball], it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to have this opportunity. Thank you to [WEEI brand manager Ken Laird] and [Audacy Boston Senior Vice President/Market Manager Mike Thomas], and to everyone who has reached out. Your support has honestly been overwhelming, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Murray’s first series will be the Red Sox taking on the Los Angeles Angels on the road, April 5-7.

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