Holy Mackinaw! Maple Leafs icon Joe Bowen discusses wild 44-year journey

TORONTO — Joe Bowen is sitting comfortable within the press field, trying each bit at house. 

The perpetually voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs is leaning again in his play-by-play perch — six flooring excessive in Scotiabank Arena, eye stage with the banners of the greats, hen’s-eye view of the energetic gamers — and his blustery Irish timbre fills the decision sales space.

A cracking snigger. A zippy joke. A softer reality.

After 44 years soundtracking his cherished hockey crew’s joys and pains, Bowen is hanging ’em up when this season wraps.

From method up within the sales space, he sits down with A-Z Eventz and explains why he fell in love with this factor, why he’s letting go, and the place he’ll be headed when that closing buzzer sounds…

SN: Take me again. When did it first happen to you to name hockey?

Joe Bowen: Oh, boy. I’ve a newspaper article, about December 1967, and I received carved about enjoying aim for the Sudbury High School Wolves. It’s a reasonably humorous article. I exploit it in lots of my visitor talking. Brian Dickey misplaced his glasses, and any person misplaced a contact lens. But ultimately, it was rookie goalie Joe Bowen who had hassle seeing, I believe, is the lede. 

Ha. Did you put it aside, this text ripping you? 

Oh, yeah. Why? I do not know. I used to be crestfallen. I imply, I used to be going to switch Johnny Bower. That was my dream. All of a sudden, possibly I higher discover one other factor to do. But as children, after we had been outdoors, we had been all the time doing play-by-play. Kids do not go outdoors anymore, I don’t assume. I don’t even know if anyone does play-by-play. Maybe they do it with the Xbox or one thing. But after that article, I believed, ‘Well, possibly the goalie profession goes down the tube, so I higher consider one thing else.’ And my dad had handed away, so I actually did not have a lot. He wished me to go to school; I went to Windsor as a substitute of Ryerson, which I in all probability ought to have. I wished to get into broadcasting. But Windsor had a communication arts program, and I did pupil radio — principally basketball. We had a extremely good basketball crew for the three years I used to be there, and we made nationwide finals twice. Jack Moore, Dominic Moore’s dad, was on that crew. D.J. Smith! His dad, Dennis, was on that crew. And the massive break I received after that was the truth that my dad’s greatest good friend was Bill Plante, and he owned CKSO radio and TV in Sudbury. I received a job one summer time, and he saved a job open for me for a few months within the promotion division, till I graduated. Six months after that, the man who was calling the Sudbury Wolves went to CBC. I walked down the corridor and I mentioned, “Mr. Plante, I’d like to audition.” He mentioned, “No, I’ve heard you. Go ahead.” That was 1972. I used to be 21.

Whose name did you admire?

You know who I cherished? Ray Scott, the soccer announcer. Used to do all of the Packers video games. But he was so low-key, it was nothing the way in which I ended up doing it. But I admired him. Foster and Bill Hewitt had been large influences. I hated Danny Gallivan’s guts, however I admired him a lot — as a result of he did the Montreal Canadiens, proper? Then I received to satisfy him, and he was simply the best. I’ve all the time mentioned, all of us who’ve executed this job, Danny is on the high. No one has ever gotten near him. The remainder of us are combating it out for positions beneath.

Alliteration. The method he carried the play. The method he constructed crescendo. His use of phrases. When any person argued that spin-o-rama wasn’t a phrase, he despatched again a letter: “It is now.” I imply, only a great particular person. But I did hate his guts. [laughs]

How naturally did this come to you? How lengthy till you felt like, “Oh, I have something here. I have the hang of this”?

Two or three years into junior hockey, I believed I’m doing OK. But I needed to study management sufficient that I wasn’t dropping my voice and going excessive. So, you study by expertise. I believe Randy Moller is the one former participant to have ever executed play-by-play. Numerous them sit within the different chair. But you must journey the bus. You gotta journey the bus. And it takes time to learn to do it, the way to management your self, the way to construct your type. You don’t simply take the shinpads off and step into that chair and assume you are able to do it. So, you must journey the bus, as I usually say. I’m glad that my son, David, is driving the bus and studying the way to do it.

FIRST INTERMISSION: Brought to you by Ontario-born Maple Leaf Steven Lorentz…

“Holy Mackinaw! You hear that nearly each single night time when the Leafs rating. I simply have good reminiscences driving to and from practices with my dad after I was youthful, listening to him on the radio. It was a unique time. You couldn’t watch in your cellphone again then. So, listening to him name the sport felt like you could possibly see it clear as day, he was so good at what he does. He’s simply received a legendary voice, and it means loads to myself and my dad. Kinda unlucky (he’s retiring). Wish we might hear his voice on the radio lengthy after I’m executed enjoying. Wish he might name perpetually. 

“A homegrown guy that kind of has that passion for the team. Grew up a fan. I just know he’s been doing it for a long time, and I know he bleeds blue and white. You get that sense. You can hear it in his voice. He really cares when he’s calling our guys. He’s got that passion. That energy that a little kid has when his favourite team scores a goal.”

A-Z Eventz: How do you deal with your voice?

JOE BOWEN: Crown Royal. You gargle and don’t swallow! I’m in all probability outdated time that method. You have to observe your self a bit of bit. When I used to be youthful and I had children enjoying hockey, I used to lose it a bit of bit as a result of I used to be all the time teaching and hollering for line modifications and stuff like that. And my voice penetrates lead. So, it’s been good that method. I haven’t had points with it loads. 

Toughest situations through which you’ve needed to name a recreation? A nightmare on the rink?

One of the playoff video games in San Jose, we needed to do it from the nook of the rink. So, guys had been coming at you with a really good crest, however you couldn’t see numbers. The press field in Edmonton is in one other space code, which makes it a bit of harder. I’ve had video games the place my voice was going, and also you’re attempting to hold on to it so long as you’ll be able to, simply to get by the sport.

Tell me concerning the first time you mentioned, “Holy Mackinaw!”

I used to be in Chicago, 5 years into my work. At the outdated stadium. And Felix Potvin made an incredible save. Never used it earlier than. Never considered it. My dad used to say it after I was a child, and that is the place I received it. But out of the recesses of my thoughts, I blurted that out: “Holy Mackinaw! What a save by Felix!” I seemed over and (color analyst) Bill Watters was falling off his chair, he was laughing so arduous. So, I believed, nicely, possibly I’ll use it once more.

How outdated had been you while you your dad handed? 

Fourteen. He was a normal surgeon in Sudbury. Played aim for the University of Western Mustangs. Three thousand profitable Sudburians delivered by my dad. Two errors: Paul Rimsted, you won’t bear in mind, however he was a columnist for the Toronto Sun who was fully nuts, and his operating mate, Edward Shack, who was certifiably nuts! So, the 2 of these fools, my dad all the time mentioned, “Those are the only two mistakes I ever made.” 

That Eddie Shack connection is wild. So, what would your dad consider all you’ve executed on this sales space?

Oh, I’m certain he’d be very proud. Because I’ve 4 boys. And I’m completely over-the-top thrilled and pleased with them. And I do know he’d be so pleased with his grandsons he by no means received to satisfy. Yeah, he would in all probability wrap my knuckles for not going to medical faculty or one thing necessary. I do know my mother was alive after I received the job right here, and she or he was fairly rattling proud.

SECOND INTERMISSION: Brought to you by Toronto-born Maple Leaf John Tavares…

“There’s a sure depth and power that he has to him. It makes him distinctive, no matter method it rolls off the tongue. Probably his heritage performs into that a bit of. I do know he’s very pleased with it. Like any broadcaster who places himself in distinctive territory, whether or not it’s Jim Nantz on the Masters or listening to Al Michaels on the Olympics, it’s simply superb how nicely somebody can join you to the sport, to the game, and he’s actually executed that right here with Leafs.

“Growing up and hearing Joe’s voice, his name becomes synonymous with the Leafs. Now playing for the club, I’ve heard him call my name and some of my goals. That’s pretty cool. So, it’s really special for myself to be a part of it. When you grew up cheering for the team, people like Joe, especially, are the ones that build that type of connection to the team and the fan base. And now I get to be on the ice, in the play, and get to know him as a person. So, it’s been really cool that way. He’s had a hell of a run. And for many other reasons, along with his, it’d be great to finish it the right way. Some special calls that he’s overdue for.”

A-Z Eventz: Do you’ve gotten a favorite name? 

JOE BOWEN: Not but. (large grin)

So, I spoke with John Tavares about you this morning, and he mentioned, Joe offers us another reason why we have to do it this 12 months.

Well, that’d be good. I’m not placing any extra stress on them. I’ve received a T-shirt that they introduced on the roast for me, and it’s an Irish time period. It’s utilized in on a regular basis dialog. Everybody makes use of it — males, females, children. And it simply merely says: “Win one before I’m fackin’ done.”

I do know I’m inferior to I used to be. I do know.

Why would you say that? 

Because I’m my very own worst critic, possibly. I do know I’m misidentifying folks generally. I do know it. And I don’t need somebody to return up and faucet me on the shoulder and say, “OK, that’s enough.” I’d prefer to be concerned with the alumni extra. I received the Foster Hewitt Award, but it surely pales by comparability to being voted in as an affiliate member of the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni. Apparently, I’ve received about 700 names of Leaf gamers that I’ve known as within the 44 years. It’s that top. Called Henry Thrun’s first recreation the opposite night time. So, that’s sort of neat. And I’m gonna do some touring. 

Where do you need to journey? 

I’m an enormous historical past buff. Got an incredible journey deliberate already — and paid for. A Band of Brothers World War II journey by England and Normandy and Battle of the Bulge and Bastogne and into Germany. Really trying ahead to that. I’m an enormous American Civil War buff. I believe I’ve been to each battlefield. I’ll in all probability drop in and see extra of them by myself. I’m going on my own.

Because I don’t need any person saying, “Oh, let’s go shopping.” No. I stand up at six o’clock within the morning, I’m going to the battlefield. I’ll stare at a cannon for 10 minutes. I’m doing it by myself time.

How would you describe your relationship with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

It actually has developed and adjusted. It was fascinating with Harold Ballard. It was excellent when Cliff Fletcher and Pat Quinn had been operating it. We had been very a lot a decent group. And the company sort of factor that has gone on now… it’s not strained, however we all know our place. We’re not practically as shut and never touring with the gamers. You actually received to know them, sitting on an airplane or sitting in a resort foyer, the place you could possibly speak about something however hockey and revel in. So, it’s extra businesslike now than possibly what it was.

Do you’ve gotten a favorite relationship that you simply constructed with a participant over time?

Mike Foligno I’ve recognized 50 years. He was on the bus with me in Sudbury. Really hoping (Mike’s son and Chicago Blackhawks captain) Nick may be wholesome sufficient to return and take the faceoff on Tuesday, however I do know he’s received a wrist damage. All sorts of them. Ricky Vaive and Stumpy and all these guys. I do not know if I might decide one. Wendel. Dougie Gilmour.

How would you prefer to be remembered?

You know what? Every time I listened to Joe, it was like sitting beside him on the bar on the Unionville Arms, and we had been watching a hockey recreation, and he knew every little thing, and he knew all of the gamers’ names, and we had a hell of lots of enjoyable watching the sport.

(This interview was calmly edited for brevity and readability.)