Can anyone settle an argument

[argh1]

At work last night I got into one of those stupid do remember when arguments.

Waaaaaay back when I was a kid CBC radio used to air NHL on Sunday nights. I claim the play by play guy was Fred whose last name was a eastern European name that started with a Z .....he claims it was the TV guys like Hewitt, Cole , Gallivan,...

I know I'm right what was Fred's last name? There's some really insignificant amount of money on this.

[imported_n/a1394647443]

Are you thinking of Fred Sgambati? He used to do TV football and wrestling. I thought Bob Cole did hockey on CBC radio (did Canada Russia 72) way back when.

Fred must have done some hockey in the 60's. He was one of the big players at CBC Sports back then.

http://www.sportsmediacanada.com/fred.html

The article said Fred did Canada/Russia (radio) but it must have been host or colour, pretty sure Bob Cole did the pbp.

[beachesl]

http://www.sportsmediacanada.com/new/images/news/fred.jpg

FRED SGAMBATI

They called him The Scooter. His real name was Fred Sgambati, a game guy, one of Canada's finest broadcasters, who passed away in 1979 after a five-year battle with liver cancer. He didn't go willingly. He fought the disease with help from his wife Nan and four children -- Patricia Anne, Fred Jr., Suzanne and Michael.

He was so determined to defeat the dreaded illness, he insisted on broadcasting the College Bowl game at Varsity Stadium in Toronto the week before he died. Our much admired colleague lost the battle, but not before he gained the love and respect of those who knew him, as well as those who were aware of his reputation as a champion of the underdog, a kind and warm human being, a man always willing to help, a friend to those who needed one.

Beside his dedication to his jobs, whether as a broadcaster for Foster Hewitt's station CKFH Toronto; CBC Radio and CBC TV, or as publicity director for the Canadian Football League, Fred dedicated a great deal of time to charity work. For three years he was chairman of the Canadian Cancer Society's National Campaign Committee. He also served as chairman of the Ontario Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association and as co-chairman of the Annual Sports Celebrity Dinner for the Ontario Society for Crippled Children, today known as the Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner for Easter Seals.

Fred also served as secretary-treasurer of the Football Reporters of Canada and held membership in the Royal Canadian Yacht Club.

In 1976, Fred won the prestigious ACTRA Award as Best Sportscaster of the Year. In fact, over 28 years Fred Sgambati's broadcasting career was almost unparalleled. Whether it was the historic Canada-Soviet Union series, Canada Cups, Olympics, Pan-Am Games, or CFL games Fred Sgambati's work was the perfromance of a perfectionist.

He left us at the young age of 58, a broadcaster who left a huge legacy as a true professional and a fine human being.

[beachesl]

http://www.o5pba.ca/hallfame/hof.php?function=detail&id=14

Fred J. Sgambati - a difficult name to pronounce, a difficult name to spell, but an easy name to remember. Fred Sgambati is known across Canada and many here tonight probably feel that he has been here forever. However, Fred is still in his early 50's and is seen and heard regularly throughout the nation on television and radio. Fred is Canada’s Premier Sports Broadcaster, born brought up and educated in Toronto. He attended East York Collegiate and graduated from the university of Toronto in 1949. Prior to college, Fred served with the R.C.A.F. as a bombardier in Canada and overseas for three and a half years. After college he spent a year on the staff of the University of Toronto Men’s Athletic Department and later obtained a Provincial Teacher’s Certificate.

Opportunity beckoned when Foster Hewitt induced Fred to leave teaching to work at CKFH in 1951. Fred continued his broadcasting while involved with Molson’s as a Public Relations Officer. Shortly after that, Keith Davy convinced Fred to move to the Canadian Football league office as his assistant. However, Fred soon after returned full time to sports broadcasting.

His sports travels have taken him from coast to coast in Canada and United States as well as South America and Europe, including the Soviet Union. There isn’t much that Fred hasn’t covered - the Olympic and Pan-Am games, the Canadian Open Golf Championships, the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, Professional and College football, National and World level Figure skating, horse racing, motor sport, baseball, hockey and bowling. He covered two Team Canada- Soviet Series, the 1976 Canada Cup series and was involved with Hockey Nite in Canada on radio and TV. Threaded through the major events he still did regular sportscasts on CBC radio and TV for 17 years.

Fred Sgambati was involved with bowling from an early age. He did his first frame by frame reporting of 5 pin bowling for CKFH in the early 50's followed by broadcasts From Olympia Edward Lanes. A CBC show from O’Connor Bowl and National Championships across Canada. He played a major part in furthering East - West competition in 5 pin and was on hand for several Canadian finals.

He also did some 10 pin shows for CBC and in order to learn more about that game. He joined a league and took instruction. Eventually, this led himto the Greater Toronto 10 Pin Association Executive. He was a founding member of the Canadian Bowling Press Association, later serving as Secretary-Treasurer and then as President.

Fred is personally active in golf, squash and curling as well as bowling. He has considerable experience as a football official during the 15 years in college and professional leagues as well as refereeing and umpiring in hockey, basketball and baseball. Fred Sgambati loves his work and it shows. He feels he has been amazingly lucky to be able to practice his hobby and get paid for it. In 1976, he received the “Best Sportscaster” of the Year Award from the Association of Canadian Radio and TV Artists.

He has always taken part in community activities and is presently in his second year as National Campaign Chairman for the Canadian Cancer Society. He is President of the Ontario Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association and Co-Chairman of the Annual Sports Celebrity Dinner, Ontario Society for Crippled Children. He serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Football Reporters of Canada.

Amidst all this activity, Fred still manages to find time to be with his charming wife, Nancy and his four children, Pat 19, Fred Jr. 18, Sue 15 and Michael 6.

The Bowling Industry is fortunate indeed that a man of the calibre of Fred Sgambati has found it well worth his time and energy to devote a considerable amount of attention to it. For the past 20 years, few men who do not make their living in the bowling industry, have had such a creative interest.

[beachesl]

I remember him for his loud plaid jackets, high pitched voice and his cigars on Television, as well as doing some of the Maple Leaf matches on the radio when I was a little kid. He also did Old Port cigar commercails, which, if I recall, had a pitch along the line that women liked the sophistication of men who smoked Old Port cigars (!?!). I remember being disappointed when he would replace Foster Hewitt in the play by play booth occaisionally when I listened to the Leafs broadcasts, because he used to be a bit too laid back for me. As a pre-pubescent boy I preferred the hysterical excitement that Hewitt's voice generated. I think it was a reaction too to the fact that he did Old Port cigar commercials, and I hated the smell of the things when my father indulged. To me his voice reeked of cigar smoke, and I used to have mental images of flem, or as my friends and I used to joke about "sgam", running down his throat when I heard him on the radio.

When I was a kid, the play-off matches during the weekdays would be past my bedtime, so I had to convince my parents to listen to the matches on the radio on my white plastic Japanese transistor radio in bed with the lights out. I think the idea was that my parents thought that if I listened to it in bed, I would soon fall asleep. I was always to excited though, and always stayed awake until the end of the game. I remember one night when my parents got really concerned when I was still awake nearing midnight when the playoff games went into extra periods. Usually Foster Hewitt would do the play by play in all the play-offs, but Fred Sgambati would often do the commentary and interviews between periods to give Foster a rest.

I remember too that he was always a gentleman in the broadcast booth, and I remember that he always did the TV coverage of the Queeen's Plate with a lot of relaxed elegance.

[beachesl]

I remember him for his loud plaid jackets, high pitched voice and his cigars on Television, as well as doing some of the Maple Leaf matches on the radio when I was a little kid. He also did Old Port cigar commercails, which, if I recall, had a pitch along the line that women liked the sophistication of men who smoked Old Port cigars (!?!). I remember being disappointed when he would replace Foster Hewitt in the play by play booth occaisionally when I listened to the Leafs broadcasts, because he used to be a bit too laid back for me. As a pre-pubescent boy I preferred the hysterical excitement that Hewitt's voice generated. I think it was a reaction too to the fact that he did Old Port cigar commercials, and I hated the smell of the things when my father indulged. To me his voice reeked of cigar smoke, and I used to have mental images of flem, or as my friends and I used to joke about "sgam", running down his throat when I heard him on the radio.

When I was a kid, the play-off matches during the weekdays would be past my bedtime, so I had to convince my parents to listen to the matches on the radio on my white plastic Japanese transistor radio in bed with the lights out. I think the idea was that my parents thought that if I listened to it in bed, I would soon fall asleep. I was always to excited though, and always stayed awake until the end of the game. I remember one night when my parents got really concerned when I was still awake nearing midnight when the playoff games went into extra periods. Usually Foster Hewitt would do the play by play in all the play-offs, but Fred Sgambati would often do the commentary and interviews between periods to give Foster a rest.

I remember too that he was always a gentleman in the broadcast booth, and I remember that he always did the TV coverage of the Queeen's Plate with a lot of relaxed elegance.

[beachesl]

As I vaguely recall, Danny Gallivan ("a booming cannonade!", " a cannonading drive", "a spinnerama") did the Montreal Forum (or Canadiens when they were in the states) TV and radio broadcasts, and Hewitt and Sgambati did the Gardens/Leafs broadcasts, in the 60's. Cole came along at the end of the 60's and eventually replaced Hewitt at the Gardens.

In the Soviet/Canada Summit series of 1972, Bob Cole did the play-by-play on the radio (and he was really excellent at that time, as I was in the militia at the time and had to listen to some of the matches by radio while on duty) and Foster Hewitt, his voice way too week and his observations far too slow by then, did the television play-by-play.

[beachesl]

As I vaguely recall, Danny Gallivan ("a booming cannonade!", " a cannonading drive", "a spinnerama") did the Montreal Forum (or Canadiens when they were in the states) TV and radio broadcasts, and Hewitt and Sgambati did the Gardens/Leafs broadcasts, in the 60's. Cole came along at the end of the 60's and eventually replaced Hewitt at the Gardens.

In the Soviet/Canada Summit series of 1972, Bob Cole did the play-by-play on the radio (and he was really excellent at that time, as I was in the militia at the time and had to listen to some of the matches by radio while on duty) and Foster Hewitt, his voice way too week and his observations far too slow by then, did the television play-by-play.

[beachesl]

[BC supporter]

Can't believe I'm posting in a hockey-related thread, but don't forget Bill Hewitt between Foster Hewitt and Bob Cole; he did Leaf games with his father and then on his own before falling ill. I associate one phrase with Bill Hewitt -- whenever play became exceptionally ragged (i.e. horrible), he'd say: "The pace of the game has slowed down to a walk." I've used that expression many times over the years ("jeezus, the pace of this party has slowed down to a walk"); unfortunately, no one has ever understood it or found it amusing (possibly because it's so lame, much like the broadcasts of Mr Hewitt himself).

[imported_n/a1394647443]

quote:Originally posted by BC supporter

Can't believe I'm posting in a hockey-related thread, but don't forget Bill Hewitt between Foster Hewitt and Bob Cole; he did Leaf games with his father and then on his own before falling ill. I associate one phrase with Bill Hewitt -- whenever play became exceptionally ragged (i.e. horrible), he'd say: "The pace of the game has slowed down to a walk." I've used that expression many times over the years ("jeezus, the pace of this party has slowed down to a walk"); unfortunately, no one has ever understood it or found it amusing (possibly because it's so lame, much like the broadcasts of Mr Hewitt himself).

Bill has largely been forgotten as one of the greats as he followed in his father's shadow and his contemporary was the all time great Danny Gallivan. Grew up listening to Bill Hewitt and to this day when I think of the Leafs I hear his voice. He had a great excited goal call.

Incidently I wasn't a big Gallivan fan as I didn't care for the Habs but I have some of his broadcasts on tape recently from ESPN Classic Canada ie Canadiens vs Red Army and Danny still holds up. In fact he more than holds up he is probably the greatest hockey announcer ever.

Foster was first but I'd say Danny called a better game.

Gallivanisms: cannonading drive, Savardian spinnerama, in rapier-like fashion

Here's something you don't see everyday, Bill Hewitt throwing an intro to his father "Over to you Dad"

[dbailey62]

quote:Originally posted by beachesl

As I vaguely recall, Danny Gallivan ("a booming cannonade!", " a cannonading drive", "a spinnerama") did the Montreal Forum (or Canadiens when they were in the states) TV and radio broadcasts, and Hewitt and Sgambati did the Gardens/Leafs broadcasts, in the 60's. Cole came along at the end of the 60's and eventually replaced Hewitt at the Gardens.

Not quite. Bill Hewitt took over for Foster on the Hockey Night In Canada telecasts. When he became ill, Cole picked up Saturday's while Wednesday night games were cycled around various pbp guys until Jim Hughson was signed up.

Everbody forgets Bill. He was my favourite growing up.

db

[dbailey62]

quote:Bill has largely been forgotten as one of the greats as he followed in his father's shadow and his contemporary was the all time great Danny Gallivan. Grew up listening to Bill Hewitt and to this day when I think of the Leafs I hear his voice. He had a great excited goal call.

Ya he sure did. He always made it sound exciting and fresh. I guess those who get Leaf TV hear his work on the vintage games they show. It was sad to hear him as he became ill and he struggled tremendously. It was almost a relief when he stepped down.

Yes. He does seem to have been forgotten. Sad.

db

[argh1]

Thanks, that was him...no Z and not an eastern European name. Also it looks like the lunch room gang are all right so nobody wins. But I do remember him doing play by play........and Fred explaining how the Pocket Rocket scored on Roger Crozier and the crowd at the Olympia goes silent.......

EDIT: Yes I listened on a 6 Transistor radio that took the square battery with an ear piece that had a clear bit that actually stuck in one ear. You had to place the radio delecatly some place turned the right way to get the best reception so that the big protruding tuning dial didn't get the slightist touch on anything or you'd go off station. That you saved for months to buy from Woolworths or the Metropolitan store. Because Simpsons and Eatons were too expensive and how often did you get downtown to visit their stores anyways. The "trolly" cost a dime. That were located in what were then called "shopping centres" but were really plazas as you had to go outside and walk along a sidewalk to go from store to store. No fully enclosed centres back then in Halifax anyways.

Oh, yeah and HNIC on TV started at 9:30 pm half way through the 1st period and if Dad was in a good mood you got to watch it. Followed buy Dads favourite show Juliette.

When CTV finally came to town and we had .....wait for it... 2 TV channels (I was in High School when cable TV came to town) and then a couple of years later CTV had Wednesday night games well we were in heaven. Of course we watched all this on a Viking 20 inch TV surrounded bye a 900 foot solid oak cabinet. In what we called the "front room" because you weren't allowed to live in it ......so it wasn't a living room. With yellow fibre glass drapes that covered the entire wall even though the windows were only a little bit in the middle and the furniture was wine coloured fake velvet that you weren't allowed to sit on and it was Dads big chair ....no-one else allowed on.

Before I sound too old I was born in '54 so I'm just starting to grow up.