Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90.
Cole, known for his “Oh baby!” catchphrase, called some of the most iconic games in hockey as part of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast team.
His distinctive play-by-play style added even more flavour to the 1972 Summit Series, the 2002 Olympic men’s hockey final in Salt Lake City and numerous Stanley Cup finals.
But Cole was more than hockey.
He called Bob Beamon’s world-record long jump at the 1968 Olympics, curled in the Brier, served as quizmaster on “Reach for the Top” and worked for the Newfoundland government.
Cole called his last game for Hockey Night in Canada on April 6, 2019, the regular-season finale in Montreal between the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Cole began his career as a hockey broadcaster on VOCM radio in St. John’s, N.L. before moving to CBC Radio in 1969. He shifted over to television in 1973 when Hockey Night in Canada offered expanded coverage.