John Barbero: Voice of Penguins, WESA employee

The long-time public address voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins has died. John Barbero succombed to a battle with a brain tumor Monday night at the age of 65. He was a resident of Roscoe, Washington County.

Mr. Barbero took to the Igloo’s microphone in the 1972-73 season and the last game he was in the booth for was Game 6 of the 2009 Stanley Cup. His medical leave began at the beginning of last season. Barbero’s son, Brady, told the Post-Gazette, “He wanted to do them as long as he could. He really wanted to be able to announce in that new arena,” adding that there wasn’t a game he missed whether home or away.

Barbero began his broadcast career at the old WESA (98.3 Charleroi) and also worked dances as a mobile disc jockey. However, he was also a teacher having begun that career in the Ringgold School District and retiring from a principal position at Central Greene in 2004.