Broadcast legend Peter Maher retires as voice of Calgary Flames
Posted Apr 29, 2014 7:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Calgary broadcasting legend is putting away the headset; Peter Maher has called his last Flames game.
Maher was given a standing ovation before making the announcement Tuesday morning inside the Saddledome.
“It’s better to leave something you love too early rather than too late,” he said struggling to keep his emotions in check.
“Whoever is selected to take that broadcast seat, I offer nothing but the very best,” said Maher.
He had this message for his successor.
“This is the NHL, the National Hockey League. Treat every game, every broadcast with respect and reverence. Remember it’s an honour to be a broadcaster in the greatest league in the world. This has been my philosophy since my boyhood dream of being the goaltender of the Toronto Maple Leafs, turned into my young adult reality of being the play-by-play broadcast voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
Maher was born November 11th, 1949 in Campbellton, New Brunswick.
Before coming to the Flames, he was a Leaf broadcaster from 1977 to 1980, but it was out west where he would make his mark.
He has broadcasted more than 3,000 consecutive NHL games, the Stanley Cup finals and the Olympics in 2010.
In 2006, Maher was inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame as a broadcaster, winning the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.
Moments in Flames history will be synonymous with his booming voice, whether it was the Stanley Cup in 1989, Jarome Iginla’s 50th in 2002 or the 2004 Cup run.
Sun sports columnist and Jack FM co-host Eric Francis feels for whoever replaces him.
“There will be no other Peter Maher,” he said. “The next person will fill the gap but not fill the shoes.”
Francis said it was so rare to hear Maher’s iconic “Yeah baby!”, and it was special every time.
