New Orleans-area native, broadcaster Roger Emrich dies

Journalists and friends throughout Louisiana and Texas are mourning the death of Roger Emrich, the New Orleans-area native who died Saturday. He was 62.

From the time he graduated from West Jefferson High School in 1974, Emrich covered sports through print and broadcast media. He was the public address announcer for his alma mater’s games and contributed stories for The Times-Picayune.

After a stint in the Air Force, he returned to New Orleans. His big local break came in the early 1980s, when he was hired as the public address announcer for University of New Orleans basketball and baseball games.

“I first heard him at Kirsch-Rooney (Stadium),” said former UNO athletic administrator Will Peneguy. “He always talked about his days at Mel Ott Park.

“When I talked to him about UNO, he was a little nervous about it. I told him, ‘The names will be different; that’s it.’ He was a professional from the get-go.”

In addition to his UNO duties, he also worked for WCKW-FM as a disc jockey and high school football play-by-play announcer.

Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in 1985, Emrich moved to Texas, where his career blossomed – first in Denton and then in Austin before returning to Dallas. Most recently, he worked for KRLD AM/FM and on various high school broadcasts. Additionally, he served as the PA announcer for Dallas Cowboys games at AT&T Stadium since 2011.

For his three decades of service in the radio industry in the Lone Star State, Emrich was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

Emrich met his wife through UNO. Cris Emrich, who preceded Roger in passing, was a local marketing executive who attended numerous Privateer games when they met.

“He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with,” Peneguy said, “but one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, period.”

The Emrichs had one son, Ted, who has followed Roger’s career path into broadcasting.

The man with the voice of God is now in heaven. Your relentless spirit, positive attitude, and legacy will live forever.

Love you always, Dad. pic.twitter.com/hutfqzdixX

— Ted Emrich (@tedemrich) April 28, 2019

Since Ted Emrich’s posts on Facebook and Twitter Sunday morning, dozens of friends and former colleagues have paid tribute to Roger.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.