Montreal Canadiens fans who are old enough to remember the last time the team put their hands on the Holy Grail will always hold legendary hockey announcer Bob Cole in the highest regard.
“And now, a 24th Stanley Cup banner will hang from the rafters of the famous Forum in Montreal. The Canadiens win the Stanley Cup!”
But his influence on our sport goes beyond his iconic calls involving the Canadiens.
I was lucky enough to interact with Mr.Cole a few times throughout the years, and though I doubt he remembered who I was, I can confirm he treated me with the utmost respect. More importantly, he offered encouragement and important advice in an industry that can be outright hostile to outsiders.
He was the voice for several generations of hockey fans, cementing his spot in the pantheon of sports greatness alongside René Lecavalier, Foster Hewitt, and Danny Gallivan.
He was the reassuring voice that carried a certain level of comfort for all Canadians who settled down to watch Hockey Night In Canada on Saturday night.
His approach would be considered out of date by today’s standards, seeing as he would let the crowd tell the tale whenever a big moment arose, a stark contrast to the unnecessary ramblings that accompany most sports calls these days.
Mr. Cole understood the importance of the moment better than most.
This explains why the entire hockey community was mourning when it was announced that he had passed away on Wednesday.
One of the best stories involving Le Gros Bill spoke to Mr.Cole’s endless involvement in the biggest moments of our favourite sport.
Mr.Béliveau met with the announcer during the 1992-93 Stanley Cup final, the very same playoffs that saw the Montreal Canadiens win an impressive 11 overtime games in a row.
The legendary captain of the Canadiens suggested that he had never scored a playoff goal in overtime, to which Mr. Cole replied “Yes you did, Jean. April 24, 1969. It was my first Hockey Night in Canada broadcast on the radio.”
And while we mourn his loss, we have to remember the pride of Newfoundland achieved more than most.
He lived a long life filled with fantastic memories that he warmly shared with the millions of families that would gather around the radio, and eventually, the TV, to watch their favourite hockey teams in action.
Fellow Canadian Tim Thompson, a masterful video artist who specializes in sports montages, shared a lovely tribute to Mr. Cole on Saturday afternoon which is well worth your time.
Sit back and enjoy the top-notch video embedded below, made by an incredibly talented Canadian honouring THE voice of hockey, Bob Cole.
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