# Bob Cole (sportscaster)
**Bob Cole** (Robert Cecil Cole; June 24, 1933 – April 24, 2024) was a Canadian sportscaster from [St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-johns-newfoundland-and-labrador), who was a play-by-play voice of CBC's *Hockey Night in Canada* for five decades and became one of the most recognized hockey broadcasters in North America.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170457/bio/) • [2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | June 24, 1933, St. John's, Newfoundland; April 24, 2024, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, age 90[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170457/bio/) |
| Career span | First hockey broadcast on VOCM radio, St. John's, in 1954; CBC Radio from 1969; CBC television from 1973; final game April 6, 2019[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) • [3](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-humbled-by-attention-to-final-hockey-night-in-canada-broadcas-306385560) |
| Lead role | Primary *Hockey Night in Canada* play-by-play announcer, usually Toronto Maple Leafs games, 1980–2008; called at least one game in every Stanley Cup Final in that span[4](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2134295/bob-cole/) |
| Signature events | Radio voice of the 1972 Summit Series; called Canada's 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic gold medal game[5](https://broadcastdialogue.com/66037-2/) • [6](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/legendary-hockey-broadcaster-bob-cole-passes-away/) |
| Honors | Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and Hockey Hall of Fame induction, 1996; Order of Canada; Gemini Award[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) • [6](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/legendary-hockey-broadcaster-bob-cole-passes-away/) |
| Volume | 1,722 all-hockey games, the leading total among North American announcers in Un/Necessary Sports Research's TV database[7](https://apnews.com/article/2ec7db0e4c95ab947069330aef0439e5) |
| Catchphrase | "Oh, baby!"[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) |
## Early life and start in broadcasting
Cole grew up in St. John's, where he listened to radio broadcasts of NHL games as a child and was captivated by Foster Hewitt, the pioneer play-by-play voice of *Hockey Night in Canada*.[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) He was a multi-sport athlete, playing senior hockey as a St. John's all-star and also standing out in soccer, baseball, and rowing, and he competed in national curling championships.[8](https://hockeynl.ca/robert-cole/) A soccer injury at age 11 left him bedridden for almost five months, and a later knee injury ended any professional athletic aspirations, turning him toward the broadcast booth.[9](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/11/03/oh-baby-bob-cole-details-his-life-story-in-now-im-catching-on-autobiography/) • [10](https://www.legacy.com/news/bob-cole-1933-2024-hall-of-fame-hockey-broadcaster)
He began broadcasting hockey commentary for St. John's radio station VOCM in 1954.[8](https://hockeynl.ca/robert-cole/) In 1956 he dropped an audition tape at Foster Hewitt's Toronto radio station, and Hewitt gave him advice that Cole credited throughout his career: save the big call for the big play, use different voice levels, and feel the flow of the game.[11](https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2019/sen/Y3-421-265-eng.pdf) • [9](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/11/03/oh-baby-bob-cole-details-his-life-story-in-now-im-catching-on-autobiography/)
## CBC and Hockey Night in Canada
Cole was hired by CBC Radio in 1969. His first NHL play-by-play assignment was on April 24, 1969: the [Montreal Canadiens](https://www.edgepedia.org/montreal-canadiens)' double-overtime Game 6 semifinal elimination of the [Boston Bruins](https://www.edgepedia.org/boston-bruins) on captain Jean Beliveau's only career Stanley Cup Playoff overtime goal.[3](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-humbled-by-attention-to-final-hockey-night-in-canada-broadcas-306385560) He moved to television in 1973 when *Hockey Night in Canada* expanded its coverage, replacing the ailing Bill Hewitt.[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) • [12](https://www.museum.tv/tv-encyclopedia-8/hockey-night-in-canada)
From 1980 to 2008 Cole was the program's primary play-by-play announcer, usually working [Toronto Maple Leafs](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-maple-leafs) games, and he broadcast at least one game in every Stanley Cup Final in that period, nearly three decades, until Jim Hughson replaced him in 2009.[4](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2134295/bob-cole/) • [2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) His longtime broadcast partner was color commentator Harry Neale, whom fans associate with his Saturday night broadcasts.[13](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/bob-cole-hockey-broadcaster-passes-away/)
**Signature calls.** On radio, Cole called the 1972 [Summit Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/summit-series) between Canada and the Soviet Union; while Hewitt made the famous television call of Paul Henderson's Game 8 winning goal, Cole made the radio call.[5](https://broadcastdialogue.com/66037-2/) At the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, when Canada defeated the United States for its first men's hockey gold medal in 50 years, he closed with: "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."[6](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/legendary-hockey-broadcaster-bob-cole-passes-away/) He also provided CBC commentary for men's Olympic ice hockey from 1998 to 2006.[11](https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2019/sen/Y3-421-265-eng.pdf)
## Later career and retirement
[Rogers Communications](https://www.edgepedia.org/rogers-communications) took over national television rights through [Sportsnet](https://www.edgepedia.org/sportsnet) ahead of the 2014-15 season, and Cole's broadcasting schedule was reduced in his later years.[13](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/bob-cole-hockey-broadcaster-passes-away/) In September 2018 Rogers announced that the coming season would be his 50th and final on *Hockey Night in Canada*; what was planned as a 10-game schedule was extended by six games.[14](https://about.rogers.com/news-ideas/oh-baby-bob-cole-returns-50th-final-season-sportsnet-hockey-night-canada/) • [3](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-humbled-by-attention-to-final-hockey-night-in-canada-broadcas-306385560) His final play-by-play came on April 6, 2019, when the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Montreal Canadiens at [Bell Centre](https://www.edgepedia.org/bell-centre).[3](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-humbled-by-attention-to-final-hockey-night-in-canada-broadcas-306385560)
In 2016 he published a memoir, *Now I'm Catching On: My Life On and Off the Air*, written with sportswriter Stephen Brunt.[15](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/bob-cole-the-play-by-play-voice-of-countless-nhl-games-dies-at-90-cbc-ca/)
## Style and recognition
Cole's style was energetic and emotional, built around his trademark exclamation "Oh, baby!"[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) Broadcaster John Shannon described his "on-air bravado, meticulous attention to detail and ability to anticipate the big moment before it happened" as one-of-a-kind in hockey's history.[16](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/04/26/nhl-bob-cole-hnic/?issueId=FSG6HDEPDUUGK6R3MYFKQB7EWI) [Ron MacLean](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-maclean), host of *Hockey Night in Canada*, wrote that Cole's play-by-play style "comes on you like smoke from a campfire."[9](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/11/03/oh-baby-bob-cole-details-his-life-story-in-now-im-catching-on-autobiography/)
He was inducted into the [Hockey Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/hockey-hall-of-fame) in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence, an honor given to distinguished radio and television members of the hockey broadcasting profession.[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) • [17](https://awfulannouncing.com/nhl/legendary-hockey-announcer-bob-cole-passes-away.html) He was also a member of the [Order of Canada](https://www.edgepedia.org/order-of-canada), a Gemini Award winner, and a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television).[6](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/legendary-hockey-broadcaster-bob-cole-passes-away/) • [10](https://www.legacy.com/news/bob-cole-1933-2024-hall-of-fame-hockey-broadcaster)
## Legacy
By the count of Un/Necessary Sports Research, Cole called 1,722 all-hockey games for CBC's *Hockey Night in Canada* over 50 years, the highest total among North American announcers, ahead of Dick Stockton (1,544) and Chris Cuthbert (1,539).[7](https://apnews.com/article/2ec7db0e4c95ab947069330aef0439e5) When he died on April 24, 2024, exactly 55 years after his first CBC broadcast, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called his play-by-play "distinctive, infectious" and said it "made every game he called sound bigger."[2](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90) The Associated Press has described him, alongside Foster Hewitt and Dick Irvin, among the broadcasters who helped provide the soundtrack that [Canadians](https://www.edgepedia.org/canadians) would cherish.[18](https://apnews.com/article/e8c451580552e55160d0b14b89905ad4)
## References
1. [Bob Cole – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170457/bio/)
2. [Cole dies at 90, called hockey for 5 decades on 'Hockey Night in Canada', NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-dead-at-90)
3. [Cole humbled by attention to final 'Hockey Night in Canada' broadcast, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-cole-humbled-by-attention-to-final-hockey-night-in-canada-broadcas-306385560)
4. [Bob Cole, Penguin Random House author page](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2134295/bob-cole/)
5. [Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole has passed away, Broadcast Dialogue](https://broadcastdialogue.com/66037-2/)
6. [Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole passes away, Sportsnet](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/legendary-hockey-broadcaster-bob-cole-passes-away/)
7. [TNT's Kenny Albert wraps up a memorable 9-month stretch with the Stanley Cup Final, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/2ec7db0e4c95ab947069330aef0439e5)
8. [Robert Cole, Hockey NL Hall of Fame](https://hockeynl.ca/robert-cole/)
9. [Oh baby: Bob Cole details his life story in 'Now I'm Catching On' autobiography, CityNews Toronto](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/11/03/oh-baby-bob-cole-details-his-life-story-in-now-im-catching-on-autobiography/)
10. [Bob Cole (1933–2024), Hall of Fame hockey broadcaster, Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/news/bob-cole-1933-2024-hall-of-fame-hockey-broadcaster)
11. [Debates of the Senate of Canada, tribute to Bob Cole](https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2019/sen/Y3-421-265-eng.pdf)
12. [Hockey Night in Canada, Museum of Broadcast Communications](https://www.museum.tv/tv-encyclopedia-8/hockey-night-in-canada)
13. [Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90, CityNews Toronto](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/bob-cole-hockey-broadcaster-passes-away/)
14. [Oh Baby: Bob Cole Returns for 50th and Final Season on Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers](https://about.rogers.com/news-ideas/oh-baby-bob-cole-returns-50th-final-season-sportsnet-hockey-night-canada/)
15. [Bob Cole, the play-by-play voice of countless NHL games, dies at 90, CBC News via Canada News Media](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/bob-cole-the-play-by-play-voice-of-countless-nhl-games-dies-at-90-cbc-ca/)
16. [Iconic NHL voice Bob Cole passes away at 90, Sports Business Journal](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/04/26/nhl-bob-cole-hnic/?issueId=FSG6HDEPDUUGK6R3MYFKQB7EWI)
17. [Tributes pour in to legendary hockey announcer Bob Cole, Awful Announcing](https://awfulannouncing.com/nhl/legendary-hockey-announcer-bob-cole-passes-away.html)
18. ['Hockey Night in Canada' NHL broadcasts won't return to CBC next fall, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/e8c451580552e55160d0b14b89905ad4)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Broadcasters as people › Sports announcers and team broadcasters › Ice hockey broadcasters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license