Best HNIC Play by Play Announcer Of All Time? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

stampeder · 2005-12-12, 08:48 PM

Folks in the HNIC thread put the knock on announcers quite a bit, so lets get it out in the open once and for all...

Who is/was the best HNIC play by play announcer of all time?

Some on the list may or may not be familiar, so you might have to ask your dad.

stampeder · 2005-12-12, 08:56 PM

For me it will always be The Professor: Danny Gallivan... "...with a Savardian spinarama he lets loose a cannonading blast that Palmateer's glove could not intercept..."

jvincent · 2005-12-12, 09:16 PM

Ditto !!

Jean Claude · 2005-12-12, 11:09 PM

for the SRC no contest René Lecavalier

JC

dm_4u · 2005-12-13, 08:53 AM

Without question...it has to be Danny.

He was exciting, with his Savardian Spinarama and his totally biased love of the Habs.

How's this...

Here they come, the Montreal Canadiens, the greatest team in ice hockey, led by Big Jean Beliveau

He was music to the ears...on Saturday nights.

stampeder · 2006-02-01, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm_4u

How's this...

Here they come, the Montreal Canadiens, the greatest team in ice hockey, led by Big Jean Beliveau

He was music to the ears...on Saturday nights.

It struck me the other night watching an NHL game that the pregame on-ice activities were so manic, loud, and frantic that any sense of excitement was almost purely artificial, created by lasers, smoke bombs, blaring dance mixes, screaming PA announcers, and cheerleaders.

Amongst all that, it was the sight of the players skating warmups in their end of the ice that gave me the only sense of "real" anticipation of the game. I'm not knocking what the NHL's marketing gurus say a typical U.S. fan needs to get them revved up for a game, but I recalled dm_4u's memoir of Danny Gallivan and how it was such a different environment for him.

In Danny Gallivan's day, apart from the organist in every NHL rink there was only the players taking to the ice and the applause of the crowd, with Danny painting a glorious picture in words of the forthcoming Herculean struggle.

Danny didn't need no special effects - he was magic all on his own. Today he would probably be drowned-out by the artificial hoopla.

stampeder · 2005-12-13, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean Claude

for the SRC no contest René Lecavalier

JC

Sorry, this is about HNIC, not SDH.

ranjy · 2005-12-13, 02:03 PM

i remember as a kid watching the habs and listening to dick irvin...still think he was the best (that I heard).

View Poll Results: Best HNIC Play by Play Announcer Of All Time?
Danny Gallivan	53	36.30%
Chris Cuthbert	10	6.85%
Foster Hewitt	14	9.59%
Dick Irvin	12	8.22%
Bob Cole	16	10.96%
Jim Hughson	16	10.96%
Bill Hewitt	4	2.74%
Don Wittman	1	0.68%
Dan Kelly	5	3.42%
Jim Robson	15	10.27%
Voters: 146. You may not vote on this poll

2005-12-12, 08:48 PM	#1
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Best HNIC Play by Play Announcer Of All Time? Folks in the HNIC thread put the knock on announcers quite a bit, so lets get it out in the open once and for all... Who is/was the best HNIC play by play announcer of all time? Some on the list may or may not be familiar, so you might have to ask your dad.

2005-12-12, 11:09 PM	#4
Jean Claude Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 238	for the SRC no contest René Lecavalier JC __________________ Jean Claude

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2005-12-12, 08:56 PM	#2
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	For me it will always be The Professor: Danny Gallivan... "...with a Savardian spinarama he lets loose a cannonading blast that Palmateer's glove could not intercept..."

2005-12-12, 09:16 PM	#3
jvincent Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ottawa Posts: 5,369	Ditto !!

2005-12-13, 08:53 AM	#5
dm_4u Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Winnipeg - Bell-HD Posts: 2,090	Without question...it has to be Danny. He was exciting, with his Savardian Spinarama and his totally biased love of the Habs. How's this... Here they come, the Montreal Canadiens, the greatest team in ice hockey, led by Big Jean Beliveau He was music to the ears...on Saturday nights.

2005-12-13, 02:03 PM	#8
ranjy Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: YVR Posts: 266	i remember as a kid watching the habs and listening to dick irvin...still think he was the best (that I heard).