Bob Cole, the man who called Paul Henderson’s game winning goal in 1972’s Soviet Summit, has died.He was 90.His family reported that he died Wednesday in St. John’s surrounded by loved ones. “Thank you for decades of love for his work, love of Newfoundland and love of hockey," Megan Cole told CBC News on Thursday.For more than a generation, his trademark “Oh, baby!” became a calling card of countless Stanley Cup finals..He also called Canada’s gold winning game at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2022 with an infamous shout of ‘GORE!’ — a hybrid of ‘goal’ and score’. As the final seconds ticked away and the crowd broke out and sang O! Canada Cole said: "Now after 50 years, it's time for Canada to stand up and cheer. Stand up and cheer everybody! The Olympics Salt Lake City, 2002, men's ice hockey, gold medal: Canada!"It was the most watched sports program in Canadian history after the Summit Series, which was simulcast on all three Canadian networks as well as CBC Radio..Cole called his last game on April 6, 2019, an Original Six match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. The Habs won 6-5 in a shootout.He began his career on VOCM radio in St. John’s, NL before moving to CBC Radio in 1969 and then to television in 1973 when Hockey Night in Canada expanded its coverage and became the lead announcer covering Toronto Maple Leafs games in 1980..Cole reportedly cemented his ambition to become a sportscaster after suffering a knee injury playing soccer that put him in hospital for six months as a child. there, he would listen to Foster Hewitt calling NHL games on the radio.In 1956 he made an impromptu visit to Hewitt’s office in Toronto and presented him with an audition tape. To his surprise, Hewitt welcomed him in and talked for more than two hours.Fittingly, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting.Prior to his career in broadcasting, Cole was as useful curler and skipped the Newfoundland rink in the 1971 and 1975 Briers. He also played in the 1965 and 1973 Canadian mixed championships.
Bob Cole, the man who called Paul Henderson’s game winning goal in 1972’s Soviet Summit, has died.He was 90.His family reported that he died Wednesday in St. John’s surrounded by loved ones. “Thank you for decades of love for his work, love of Newfoundland and love of hockey," Megan Cole told CBC News on Thursday.For more than a generation, his trademark “Oh, baby!” became a calling card of countless Stanley Cup finals..He also called Canada’s gold winning game at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2022 with an infamous shout of ‘GORE!’ — a hybrid of ‘goal’ and score’. As the final seconds ticked away and the crowd broke out and sang O! Canada Cole said: "Now after 50 years, it's time for Canada to stand up and cheer. Stand up and cheer everybody! The Olympics Salt Lake City, 2002, men's ice hockey, gold medal: Canada!"It was the most watched sports program in Canadian history after the Summit Series, which was simulcast on all three Canadian networks as well as CBC Radio..Cole called his last game on April 6, 2019, an Original Six match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. The Habs won 6-5 in a shootout.He began his career on VOCM radio in St. John’s, NL before moving to CBC Radio in 1969 and then to television in 1973 when Hockey Night in Canada expanded its coverage and became the lead announcer covering Toronto Maple Leafs games in 1980..Cole reportedly cemented his ambition to become a sportscaster after suffering a knee injury playing soccer that put him in hospital for six months as a child. there, he would listen to Foster Hewitt calling NHL games on the radio.In 1956 he made an impromptu visit to Hewitt’s office in Toronto and presented him with an audition tape. To his surprise, Hewitt welcomed him in and talked for more than two hours.Fittingly, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting.Prior to his career in broadcasting, Cole was as useful curler and skipped the Newfoundland rink in the 1971 and 1975 Briers. He also played in the 1965 and 1973 Canadian mixed championships.
