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Anyone who remembers the great Dave van Horne calling Expos games may not know he long ago moved onto a second gig, doing the same job for the Florida Marlins for the past 21 years.
Now, at the incredible age of 82, he's calling it a season on his broadcast career.
Dave Van Horne “effectively retiring,” leaving Marlins radio broadcast
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One of the best. While growing up in Ottawa I listened to him on CKPM, CKBY, CKO, and CFRA. When there wasn't a local affiliate of the Expos network, I head him on CFCX shortwave, CJAD Montreal and later on CFJR Brockville.
His dulcet tones were heard in backyards, by swimming pools and cottages from when the Expos were young and terrible to the great many years beginning a decade later.
He was a true professional.
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I'm reaching way back in my increasingly shaky memory for this, but wasn't there some kind of conflict with the Expo radio broadcasts once the Jays came into being? I seem to remember the Montreal games being carried on what was then called CKLB-AM (now CKDO) in Oshawa.
But if memory serves (and it may not) didn't the Toronto team object to the coverage being beamed into the city from the Oshawa outlet, as a violation of their market exclusivity? The GTA (before it was called the GTA) had a lot of Expo fans because they were the first baseball team in Canada. And I think there were a lot of angry listeners when Oshawa was forced to drop the van Horne network feed, which they eventually did.
As noted, I could be wrong. Does anyone have any memory of this?
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Dave was a true professional.
One of his broadcast partners was the late Duke of Flatbush, the great Duke Snider during the Expos golden years.
They were as excellent in the booth as the team was on the field
Like Danny Gallivan will be forever linked with the Habs - the same can be said about Dave Van Horne & the Expos.
"Up up and away...." you always hit a home run Dave. All the best!!
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To RadioActive.
CKAR in Oshawa was an original on the Expos network. The Commissioner's office ruled that once the Jays began, they were protected by regional rights.
CKAR, however, was grandfathered and allowed to keep carrying the Expos. But once they decided to drop the broadcast the Expos were "blacked out" in the Toronto area and the rest of Ontario, other than in the eastern part of the province.
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One of the few true gentlemen in radio. Worked the board for the Expos at CF in the day. He made everyone feel like an important part of the on-air team. Best wishes Dave!
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Thanks for sharing that Bristol. You don't know how much your great work was appreciated by myself and my friends when Expos baseball came on the air.
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You can take Dave van Horne out of Montreal, but you can't take Montreal out of Dave van Horne. (Amazing that, at age 82, he still wanted to go on doing play-by-play for a few more years.)
Montreal near and dear to legendary Expos broadcaster Dave Van Horne