2013 – Bob McCown

Let’s resort to one of Bobcat’s own sayings as we recognize him with the 2013 Sports Media Canada George Gross Award for Career Achievement. And no, it’s not “who gives a flying fadoo?” or “bite me!” but rather “greetings and salutations” to Bob McCown the undisputed and long-standing champion of Canada’s sports-talk radio market. He … [Read More …]

2011 – Dave Van Horne and Jacques Doucet

By Richard Griffin, The Toronto Star Back in May of 1968 baseball’s National League announced it was expanding from 10 teams to 12, granting as yet unnamed franchises to San Diego and Montreal. Baseball had finally emerged as a truly North American sport. By setting up an outpost north of the 49th parallel in La … [Read More …]

2012 – Terry Jones

On the morning after covering the latest Labour Day Classic for The Edmonton Sun, a thrilling 31-30 win by the host Stampeders over the archrival Eskimos, sports columnist Terry Jones was back home in Edmonton when we contacted him. After a few chuckles punctuated by that distinct Jonesian laugh as we briefly caught up on … [Read More …]

2010 Bob Cole

During the mid-1950s, a chap named Bob Cole burst onto the radio scene in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as an announcer/news reader on VOCM (the Voice of the Common Man). From such humble beginnings, Cole has become one of hockey’s all-time legendary voices, continuing to this day with Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. In 1960, … [Read More …]

2007 Christie Blatchford

Christie Blatchford by Tim Wharnsby Christie Blatchford’s distinct voice in Canadian journalism always has been a welcome one when she writes about this country’s sporting scene. She jests that what attracts her to writing about sports is “the boys,” but when she covers an Olympic Games or another high profile event, her words of wisdom … [Read More …]

2007 Ron Harrison

Ron Harrison by Ralph Mellanby Ron Harrison is indeed a Canadian Television legend and is regarded as one of the greatest sports television directors in Canadian TV history. Born and educated in Guelph, Ontario, Ron started in the business with CBC in the early 60’s, first as a copy clerk and then moved to finance. … [Read More …]

2006 – Susan Jane Anstey

Susan Jane Anstey was claimed by cancer in November of 2005 bringing to a close her 60 year love affair with horses and the equestrian sport. Susan Jane was a member of the Sports Media Canada Board of Directors in its early years and remained an active and diligent sports journalist, proud of her pioneering … [Read More …]

2005 Jim Kernaghan

Jim Kernaghan by Frank Orr In the early segment of Jim Kernaghan’s distinguished newspaper career, an appropriate name would have been “Killer.” “If you wanted your team or league to fold, just have me cover it,” Kernaghan said. “It seemed if the Toronto Star assigned me to cover something, it soon was belly-up. “In the … [Read More …]