Longtime Aviators public-address announcer resigns
Dan “The Captain” Bickmore has resigned as the Aviators’ public-address announcer after working in the role for the better part of 27 seasons.
Aviators spokesman Jim Gemma confirmed Wednesday that Bickmore was no longer employed by the team.
Bickmore first joined the Triple-A baseball organization in 1997, when they were known as the Stars, calling games at Cashman Field.
He continued in that role after their name change to the 51s from 2001 to 2016.
Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame member Dick Calvert took over as the team’s public-address announcer for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Bickmore returned to the role in 2019, when the team moved to Las Vegas Ballpark and rebranded to its current Aviators name.
Luc de La Soujeole will replace Bickmore. He has been the Aviators’ music coordinator and served as the public-address announcer when Bickmore wasn’t available.
Aviators president Don Logan said the franchise will honor Bickmore during a game this season.
Bickmore was recommended for the job by Steve Schirripa, the former director of entertainment at the Riviera, who went on to play Bobby Baccalieri on the HBO series “The Sopranos.”
“That’s the guy who recommended ‘The Captain’ come work for us,” Logan said. “I was just back in New York, and he (Schirripa) asked about Bickmore. ‘The Captain’ has been great. It’s been fun having him around.
”As you get down the line, sometimes it’s time to move on, and I guess he felt like it was time to move on. We wish him well.”
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.