I was sad to hear yesterday of the passing of the legendary Bob Cole at 90.
He was from St. John’s, Newfoundland and was the hockey voice of generations from 1969 to April 6, 2019, he was 85 when he called his last game between the Leafs and Habs, the same two teams he called in his first game.
Imagine… 50 years of calling hockey!
(Above: the iconic duo of Harry Neale left and Bob Cole.)
Bob was the soundtrack to decades of Toronto Maple Leafs games on Hockey Night in Canada.
During July 1991, my radio buddies had my stag party… Allegedly, from many reports, Bob Cole was at that said stag party at Cheers now the Roxbury in downtown Halifax when he was here for a Celebrity Golf Tournament and I apparently met Bob. (I left my cellphone home that night, so I don’t have any pics…)
My friends Dan and Ian can vouch for me that this happened and tell the tale of Dan buying B-52 drinks for Bob, my memories of this are a little fuzzy.
(Above: Halloween 2022, my wife Roxanne and I with a tribute to Bob Cole in our Hockey Night in Canada blazers.)
So this weekend I’ll have a B-52 in memory of the best voice to ever call the play-by-play of a NHL hockey game!
(Above: Bob’s 2016 autobiography, he was quite a curler too!)
Here’s some of of Bob’s best calls:
Rest in peace in the announcer booth in hockey heaven, Bob and say “Hi” to Halifax’s play-by-play “Voice” Pat Connolly for me.
-Ian
(Credits: Ian Robinson photos.)
