SNY POINT BLANK TV: ED WESTFALL
On Al and Bill, 1975, life with Jiggs and his NYI
CB at FanHouse: Devils botch Kovalchuk Benching
NHL FanHouse’s Best of the Week
My conversation with Ed Westfall, the first captain in Islanders history and popular former broadcaster, on the early years of the franchise, life with Jiggs and thoughts on the current squad.
For all of their work on the first four segments of SNY PB TV, and everything I’ll bother them about in the future, I would like to gratefully acknowledge the following:
Fred Harner – General Manager, SNY Digital Media
Jeff Goldman – Supervising Producer
Jason Potere – Associate Producer, Multimedia Editor
Jake Gidich – Studio Operations
Josh Ohayon – Asst. Studio Operations
Comments relevant to this video only, please. I’ll report from Islanders practice on Monday. Thank you.
25 Responses to SNY POINT BLANK TV: ED WESTFALL
On Al and Bill, 1975, life with Jiggs and his NYI
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kurvers28 says:
Love still hearing Eddie’s voice! I think it would be great to get one of these interviews with Jiggs!
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Chris says:
Great interview. #18 was always a class act.
Would love more of these interviews Chris, maybe you can track down Mick Vukota, would love to hear some stories from him.
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mht says:
Chris,Thank you and Ed Westfall for a wonderful stroll down memory lane.God did I love that heroic 1974-75 NY Islanders team.I never could understand why guys like Ralph Stewart,Bert Marshall,Dave Fortier,Jude Drouin, and JP Parise were never given a day of tribute at the NVMC to honor that valiant playoff run,During that 1975 season the Islanders radio announcer was a gentleman by the name of Dom Valentino.I really enjoyed his work that season.He would later go on to be one of the voices of the NY Yankees and then he disappeared out of sight.John Sterling succeeded him as the radio announcer of the Islanders.Chris If you could get an interview with John Sterling and/or Dom Valentino to revisit those glory years I for one would love it.Thanks for everything.
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BP says:
#18 deserves to be hanging in the rafters, its been too long of a wait. Mr. Wang, make it happen!!!!
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Blizzard says: …Its good to hear old number 18′s voice. I grew up listening to Jiggs and Eddie it really brings back memories for me.
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chrism says:
love westfall-i got his autograph as a kid..back maybe in the early 90′s..i chased him all the way to his car with a sharpe in hand-he dropped all his bags he had and took his time to sign my jersey-he’s the man
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Jzimm says:
Jiggs and Ed are still my favorite broadcast team ever! In any sport. To me, they are synonomous with Islander hockey, and with all due respect to Howie Rose, Joe Micheletti, Bill Jaffe, and Butch Goring, the team of Jiggs and Ed has never been replaced!
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steven stats says:
When the Islanders won the cup, my second thought went out to #18 for all he had done.
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Stumpy32 says:
Eddie and Jiggs spanned eras. When I began watching Isles games in the late 80s, just about the worst time to do so, having Al Arbour as coach, Trots still in uniform, and Jiggs and Eddie at the mike made it possible for a diehard like myself, born just a few years too late for the glory years, but right on time for the misery that happened after, to be a small part of what must have been just an amazing time to be a Long Islander. It’s an absolute pleasure listening to Jiggs whenever Howie goes into Mets mode, as well as 18.
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GlenS says:
# 8 I agree 100%, After the Nystrom Goal and I jumped for joy I felt sad that # 18 wasn’t a part of directly. Did he play a part in it yes. For the year’s of hard work,blood,sweat,tears. i agree they should honor # 18 and put it in the rafter’s @ NVMC sooner rather then later.
LETS GO ISLANDERS…..
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Brian from Massapequa says:
Nice to interview with Eddie W. Great to hear his voice talking hockey.
Side Notes – What happened to the Ray F Part II interview? It is not on the page yesterday or today. Part I is in the Part II and the Part I post has a blank area.
Fixed. WordPress is temperamental with embedded videos. My apologies, Brian. Thanks for pointing it out.
I also just listened to the dialogue with Chris Muldoon on NCC’s station. Good Stuff! -
Staten Islander says:
You had to feel sorry for Eddie that they won the year after he retired. Dom Valentino, I forgot anout him. The Isles and Nets were on WMCA and actually got fair coverage in the News and Post. The ’75 run is something near and dear to my heart, its when I left the dark side and became an Islanders fan. I wish I could find game 3 against the Rags and game 7 against the Pens on DVD
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Isles fan in CA says:
Childhood memories of watching the games with Jiggs and Eddie on Sports-Channel come to mind. Remembering that they broadcasted in the lower section of the 300′s back in the 80′s and you could approach them for autographs after the game. Thanks to both CB an Mr. Westfall for the trip down memory lane.
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Ryan says:
Seriously can we start a petition or something to get 18 retired? If the players can do it to get a goal song changed I think us fans can do it to get #18 retired, considering it’s long overdue and needs to be done.
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Gary9-19-22 says:
Wish I could see it… Please Chris help out us Apple users…
Eddie is the best. Stayed many times late to talk after games. He always gave me and my friends a few minutes… Class act all the way!!!!!
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dose says:
TOTALLY FREAKIN AWESOME! i was wondering for sometime how #18 is and why we don’t hear from him. he sounds great, spry and quick witted as ever, and to hear the passion he still has for this team and his warm feelings for the fans really gets to me. everyone there at the start knows how big a role he played in all of it. he was a helleva player, a great captain, and a rock for the franchise. for me, stuff like this is what makes this site most special. again CB comes up big.
now, how about gerry hart? -
StevieL says:
18. When you can refer to a number and have fans instantly know who you are talking about, that is a special player. Just like 5,22,19,31,23,and 9, 18 represents class and the number of a man who brought respect and class to a brand new organization. It is way overdue that Eddie be brought back and honored for all he has done for this franchise. Islanders #18 forever will be Mr. Eddie Westfall!
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isles71 says:
Great Islander and agree he should have his No. 18 in the rafters. Funny side story. He might have won a few Lady Bings’ in the game of hockey, and sounded mild-mannered on the broadcasts…but get him on the golf course!?!?!?! Had the opportunity to caddie for Mr Westfall and some of the boys at Plandome CC…lets just say he was intense about his game!! Especially, when I believe it was Ken Morrow, got a hole in one on the 6th hole. He played golf more like Garry Howatt played hockey…but was a very nice person besides that!! Go Isles
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2277 says:
I remember as a kid in the mid-late 80′s going to an away game at the Cap Center in DC and Jiggs/Eddie announced from the seats as they used to at the NVMC. Both were so accessible to the fans and loved that I was there in my Lafontaine jersey. We took pics, got autographs, talked hockey – 2 class acts!
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#18 should go up in rafters..along with some sort of banner for jiggs
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Mike says:
I met #18 on the train a few years ago he talked hockey with me all the way to Penn. I asked him to sign a piece of paper to which he said give me your address about a week later I recieved a personalized photo. A true CLASS act.
Retire #18 Mr. Wang -
19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
What is it that they say about sensory memory?
Hearing Ed’s voice just takes me back to some great times. I also miss some of the great insight that he and Jiggs provided as a broadcasting tandem.
Maybe I just hold Howie up against the backlight of his Ranger fandom and that biases me… Howie technically is a good play by play guy. We’re lucky to have him vs. some of the other guys I’ve heard … but when it comes to Color … Even the great Jaffe has never given me that same flavor for the game I got with #18. Again … it could be my bias that Ed had as one of my first favorite Islanders … but I guess that just goes with the territory. That said … Butchy has been much more painless because of his long history with the team … and he has had some recollections about the team I haven’t heard in some time.
Great piece CB … you surprised me there with this one. It’s great to hear from Eddie.
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first of all of course 18 the isles first captain should have his number retired. second of all what a joke that we could not see the torrey festivities sat. night and had to see the old torrey film. whose stupid idea was that. finlly the isles in the early years were treated fairly by the media. of course the isles were on a real radio station and a real tv station as well and during the first run to the cup, who remembers the daily news had a pole who should win the cup and it was 50 % isles and 50% rags. even with the rags getting more coverage. what would it be now with no real radio station and zero newspaper coverage and a cheapskate owner. what a shame.
18 should be retired. Plan and simple. Ed brought class to our startup franchise. The one that lost and lost and lost. Ed came to the NYI and passed up big bucks to play in the WHA. When he hung up his skates, Ed was nothing but class and an ambassador for the NYI in the booth for so many years.
Lets retire # 18 now while he can enjoy the ceremony.