In Memoriam Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole passes away

[Fenway]

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole passes away

Bob Cole, one of hockey’s most revered broadcasters, has died. He was 90.

www.sportsnet.ca

He was the voice for a generation of hockey fans.

Bob Cole, the legendary broadcaster who called his last game at age 85, has died. He passed away this morning, at 90. Some of his calls are simply unforgettable, from the Summit Series and Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup dynasty to the Olympics. “Oh baby,” his voice was a part of the Canadian fabric.

Born and raised in St. John’s, Cole became a national treasure. The play-by-play legend called his final game for Hockey Night in Canada in 2019, capping off an incredible 50-year run behind the microphone. Regarded by many as the greatest at his craft, Cole was inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

It was right here, though, in this province, where Cole’s career began, calling provincial junior and senior games. That humble beginning would take him all the way to the show.

His career with HNIC started with a radio broadcast in the late 1960s and he would move to television in 1973. Cole would call thousands of games, capturing iconic moments in history.

He was an athlete himself, playing hockey and soccer, and even skipped Newfoundland and Labrador at the 1971 and ’75 Brier national curling champonships.

His career was unrivaled. He won nine Geminis, was an Order of Canada recipient. and, above all, his voice was the soundtrack for hockey.

Today, the hockey world mourns the voice of our game.

Click to read more...

 

[SimpleSimon]

Back when HNIC used to be good. RIP to Bob and condolences to his loved ones.

 

[The Panther]

Oh man, what a legend. I suppose fans of each Canadian club have endless memories of his calls.

Some for Oilers' fans:
-- "There's a new bunch on the block... the Edmonton Oilers!! This city will never be the same!... NEVER BE THE SAME!"
-- (1987 dying minutes of game seven): "Anderson... SCORES!" (Cue biggest goal celebration in Oilers' history.)
-- "THEY HAVE TIED THE GAME!"

The best you can say about Cole is that he could make the phone book sound exciting.

The players loved him, too. After that 1987 game seven, Messier insisted Cole join the team's party.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Staniowski]

Bob Cole was great and he was the voice of hockey for generations of hockey fans in Canada and beyond.

He was broadcasting games on HNIC as far back as I can remember (the 1970s). When I was young, Danny Gallivan called the Habs games and Cole would usually call the Leafs games.

He had an incredible voice, and a great feel for the game, for the action on the ice. He always changed his tone at the appropriate times. And his voice could make any game exciting.

He was probably at his best in the 1990s, maybe in the early '90s to be precise. He had an excellent partnership with Harry Neale, they were perhaps the best play-by-play/colour combo ever in hockey.

"In back of the net"
"In the back of the net"

 

[Dingo]

ya man. I mean, 90 is great. I cant complain on his behalf, but ya, sad - he IS my voice of hockey, as Foster Hewitt is for guys older than me, and i would bet Jim Hughson will be for those younger.

Absolute legend. Hockey is best in his voice, for me.

 

[Crosby2010]

I loved his voice. He WAS hockey. I don't know if anyone was built to voice the game of hockey more than him. He just had "it". Whatever "it" was, he had it. It was golden. I hated it when Rogers got rid of him in 2019. I know he was slowing down and his wasn't as sharp as before, but I didn't care, he still called the best game out of anyone left over. Give me Cole anyday of the week. What I loved about him was how he was able to make a game more exciting. If there was a flurry of scoring chances or some big hits he was right there narrating it the whole way through. His voice rose up to the level of the play.

Funny story is that one of his most famous calls in 1976 was the Soviet's Red Army game against the Flyers ("They're going home!"). He felt that after the game he was too emotional on that call. He said he was standing up in the booth waving his arms and that Dick Irvin Jr. was the calm one in the booth. So Cole apologized to Ralph Mellanby after the game saying that he got too emotional and caught up in the moment. Mellanby told him not to apologize and that it was a great call. It sort of makes you miss the days when HNIC was so prominent in the game. Long before they sold the theme song, long before Rogers picked it up and when they had all of the best names in the game calling the games. It was a special time. And Cole was the constant guy during this time. Him and Cherry I guess you could say although of course Cherry didn't commentate the games.

This guy in my mind is bigger than Foster Hewitt. I think sentimentally you might put Hewitt #1 just because he is the original game caller that we remember, and Cole loved Hewitt and felt he was a mentor. But I think Cole is the best of all-time. A Vin Scully type that you can't compare anyone else to. Think about it, who has the chops in the game today that Cole did? Who has the voice? No one. I liked Jim Hughson when he was around (honestly, why on earth did he retire?) and Chris Cuthbert has that unique high pitched sound when a scoring chance is happening and I guess he's just been around forever that we are used to him, but no one matches Cole. He instantly gave you comfort just to hear his voice. You were in for a great night.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

The GOAT.

Just the excitement, the emotion

 

[Neutrinos]

 

[Neutrinos]