Legendary NY Rangers national anthem singer John Amirante dies at age 83
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York Rangers announced that their longtime national anthem singer, John Amirante, died Tuesday morning at age 83.
His wife, Annie, told the team he died of natural causes Tuesday in New York after about a week in the hospital.
Amirante was born in the Bronx and sang the anthem for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden from 1980 until he retired in 2015 and on special occasions afterward.
He was known for getting the MSG crowd going by waving his arms patriotically at the pinnacle of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
A memorable rendition came on June 14, 1994, when the Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the final to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.
He also sang the national anthem on occasion at New York Yankees and New York Mets baseball games.
The Rangers tweeted about the loss:
Amirante is survived by his wife and children.
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