The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / My Pick For The Best Sportscaster On Toronto Radio

**Posted by RadioActive** April 3, 2025 5:13 pm

The sad thing is there really aren't a lot to choose from anymore, given how many there were back in the day, from Bill Stephenson and Mike Toth on CFRB to Brian Henderson on CHUM.

Outside of The Fan 590 and TSN 1050 (and the anomaly of CKTB's Rod Mawhood, who has somehow survived every Bell Media cut), my vote for best sports recap person has to be Simon Bennett, the morning sports guy on 680 Newsradio.

He has a staccato delivery that cuts through the noise and is able to deliver a ton of info in a two minute or less well written half hourly segment. I'm not even a sports fan and I admire the guy's style. He gets a lot in in a very short time.

But Bennett isn't just a recap type. He's also the PA announcer for the Toronto Marlies (filling in for the Leafs when needed.) And he's also done commercials for Under Armour and Chapman's Ice Cream.

Don't know the man, but I admire his talents, which he displays on his demo reel below.

**Posted by RadioActive** April 3, 2025 7:12 pm

My how times have changed. Here's CFRB's sports department back in 1990. Now there isn't even one of them left.

**Posted by mic'em** April 4, 2025 6:38 am

That hails back to the time when players actually gave a damn about winning for their fans, and weren't over paid prima donnas only it for themselves.

**Posted by RadioActive** April 4, 2025 7:21 am

mic'em wrote:
That hails back to the time when players actually gave a damn about winning for their fans, and weren't over paid prima donnas only it for themselves.

It happens a lot in the U.S., but I'm trying to think of major league athletes who went into broadcasting in Canada.

The two that readily come to mind are Buck Martinez for Sportsnet and Jim McKenny, the ex-Leaf who did sports on City TV for what seems like decades.

On a more obscure note, Debbie van Kiekkebelt, an Olympic athlete, was also on City TV sports for a while, as well.

I'm sure there are more.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** April 4, 2025 8:23 am

RadioActive wrote:
mic'em wrote:
That hails back to the time when players actually gave a damn about winning for their fans, and weren't over paid prima donnas only it for themselves.
It happens a lot in the U.S., but I'm trying to think of major league athletes who went into broadcasting in Canada.

The two that readily come to mind are Buck Martinez for Sportsnet and Jim McKenny, the ex-Leaf who did sports on City TV for what seems like decades.

On a more obscure note, Debbie van Kiekkebelt, an Olympic athlete, was also on City TV sports for a while, as well.

I'm sure there are more.

Chris Schultz, who played in both the NFL & CFL ended up on TSN, sadly he passed in 2021.

**Posted by Forward Power** April 4, 2025 8:31 am

Former NHLer Chris Kontos went on to do sports at The New VR in Barrie in the early 2000s...

And while not exactly a household name or major leaguer, one-time Canadian Paralympian Rob Snoek has called OHL games and done other radio sports and news coverage in places like Oshawa and Peterborough.

Last edited by Forward Power (April 4, 2025 8:33 am)