By Mike Gurnis
This was a column that I really hoped I wouldn’t have to write.
The New Jersey high school hockey community suffered a big loss on New Year’s Eve, when Bret Leuthner passed away after a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. If you’re reading this site, you almost certainly are familiar with his play-by-play work for Morris Sussex Sports as their lead ice hockey broadcaster over the last few years.
Before I get into my thoughts and experiences with Bret, I first need to extend my condolences to his family- especially his three young children. There is a GoFundMe set up as a college fund for his children, and if you’re interested in helping out, you can go here.
I’ve only been fortunate enough to know Bret for the last three years, but it certainly has been time well-spent. During the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, due to capacity restrictions at Mennen Arena, I did most of my coverage from home, watching the Morris Sussex Sports broadcasts with Bret on play-by-play. One night, when I happened to be listening, he mentioned my website and talked about how he wanted to have me on for a broadcast.
I immediately took him up on it a few days later. I was on as his color commentator- despite having limited experience doing so- but he made it so easy to be on a broadcast with him due to his easy-going, conversational style. It was just like you were having a conversation about the game in front of you, it just happened to be on YouTube for people to watch and listen. He made it that simple.
I really got to know Bret over the next couple of years after that, as I spent a lot of time up in the booth with the Morris Sussex crew (oftentimes with David Hashagen and Sean Bretherick). The one thing that always stood out to me about Bret was that he had a level of passion for sports, and for broadcasting, that was unmatched.
Sure, he had a specific passion for hockey, being a former player, coach, and referee (he was always quick to defend the officials in the matter of a questionable call). But he truly loved all sports. In addition to being the lead play-by-play man for the MCSSIHL and the Jersey Hitmen, he also did play-by-play for the Sussex County Miners baseball team of the Frontier League for the last eight years.
But beyond that, I am convinced there isn’t a sport that exists on earth that he didn’t have a vast knowledge of. It made him a true Swiss army knife, as you would hear him calling anything and everything- from hockey, to golf, to fencing, to track-and-field- he really was able to do it all.
You better believe that he loved every second of it, too. He was always so grateful that he got to do this job for a living, and he never failed to mention how lucky he was. If you asked him how his day was going- no matter how good or bad it was- he would always have the same answer: “Another day in paradise.”
He always seemed to have a story for just about any experience. “Story time with Bret” became a common segment of the broadcasts over the last few years, and he would talk about anything and everything during his time on the air. He would always show up to the rink wearing a different hockey jersey, and never passed up on the opportunity to tell us about his Strat-O-Matic games.
But when the big moments in a game presented themselves, Bret would always have an equally big call for that moment. His call of the Sussex County Miners winning the 2018 Can-Am League Championship on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning is one that if you’re reading this column, you should go watch and listen to as soon as possible. It was- to put it mildly- a legendary call, and if I recall correctly it earned national attention and praise.
When I first met him, we got to talking about the Miners. I grew up in Sussex County and have always had a special place in my heart for the New Jersey Cardinals, Sussex Skyhawks, and now the Miners- the teams that have called Skylands Stadium home. I asked him about that championship moment, and his eyes immediately lit up. He was so excited to tell me all about it, and it had been years since this happened. He explained everything about that moment- how his whole family was there to take it in with him, how much it all meant to him- he went on for about 15 minutes. He even showed me his championship ring from that season. It truly meant the world to him that he got to be a part of such an incredible, championship moment.
He also wasn’t shy about helping out young, aspiring broadcasters, either. If you do a quick search of his name on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), you’ll find a lot of people with stories of how Bret helped them with their careers. That’s just who Bret was. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone, and anyone who came in his path came away with a friend for life.
Bret was diagnosed this past summer, which ended up being his third bout with cancer after previously beating it twice. Even this past fall, through the grueling treatments, he was still working. He was looking forward to this hockey season and even while in the hospital in his final weeks, was commenting on how much he was enjoying watching the MCSSIHL action this year.
He was an immensely talented broadcaster with a tireless work ethic, a vast knowledge of just about every sport, and to top it off- he had a warm personality that everyone fed off of.
Cancer is a downright horrible disease that has taken far too many people from us, far too soon. In this case, it took away a person who still had so much of his life and career in front of him.
More than anything, it took away a great person and friend.
It’s going to be really tough walking into Mennen Arena knowing that he won’t be there anymore. There won’t be a big moment this season or coming seasons where I won’t think of what Bret’s call would have been.
So, Rest in Peace, Bret. I know you’ll be watching the rest of this season and future seasons from the best seat in the house.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 