kids encyclopedia robot

Foster Hewitt Memorial Award facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the award presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame. For the discontinued award that was presented by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, see ACTRA Foster Hewitt Award.
Quick facts for kids
Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
Presented by Hockey Hall of Fame
Location Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto, Ontario
Country Canada
Reward Glass plaque
First awarded 1984
Currently held by Pierre Houde (2024)

The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is a special prize given out every year to people who are great at broadcasting ice hockey games in North America. It's named after Foster Hewitt, a famous Canadian hockey radio announcer and journalist.

This award has been given out every year since 1984. The ceremony happens at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A group of people from radio and TV, who are part of the NHL Broadcasters' Association, choose the winner.

The award is given to "recognize distinguished members of the radio and television industry who made outstanding contributions to their profession and the game during their career in hockey broadcasting." This means it honors broadcasters who have done amazing work sharing hockey with fans. Each person who wins gets a glass plaque. This plaque is then shown in the media area of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The award ceremony is separate from when players are added to the Hall of Fame. This is because the broadcasters are honored for their media work, not as players.

The very first people to win the award in 1984 were Fred Cusick, Foster Hewitt, Danny Gallivan, and René Lecavalier. Sometimes, the award has been given to two people in the same year, like Budd Lynch and Doug Smith in 1985. It has also been given to people after they passed away, like Doug Smith in 1985 and Dan Kelly in 1989.

In April 2017, Dave Strader was chosen to receive the award. Sadly, he passed away later that year. His three children accepted the award for him at the ceremony. Many broadcasters from the famous CBC Television show Hockey Night in Canada have won this award. Broadcasters linked to the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs have also won many times.

Who Has Won the Foster Hewitt Award?

This section lists all the amazing broadcasters who have received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award over the years.

Key
Posthumous award Indicates posthumous award (given after the person passed away)
Recipients of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
Year Image Recipient Affiliation Ref
1984 — Cusick, FredFred Cusick Boston
A black and white photograph of Foster Hewitt sitting on a chair in front of a desk Hewitt, FosterFoster Hewitt Toronto
— Gallivan, DannyDanny Gallivan Montreal
Rene Lecavalier on the right speaking to a colleague to his right on a 1947 radio program Lecavalier, RenéRené Lecavalier
1985 — Lynch, BuddBudd Lynch Detroit
— Smith, DougDoug SmithPosthumous award Montreal
1986 — McKnight, WesWes McKnightPosthumous award Toronto
— Pettit, LloydLloyd Pettit Chicago
1987 — Wilson, BobBob Wilson Boston
1988 — Irvin Jr., DickDick Irvin Jr. Montreal
1989 — Kelly, DanDan KellyPosthumous award St. Louis, CBS, Hockey Night in Canada
1990 — McDonald, JiggsJiggs McDonald Atlanta, New York Islanders, Los Angeles
1991 — Martyn , BruceBruce Martyn Detroit
1992 A side view of Jim Robson speaking to a crowd and holding a microphone in his right hand Robson, JimJim Robson Vancouver, Hockey Night in Canada
1993 — Shaver, AlAl Shaver Minnesota
1994 — Darling , TedTed Darling Buffalo
1995 — McFarlane , BrianBrian McFarlane Hockey Night in Canada
1996 Bob Cole looking at the camera while wearing a black baseball cap on his head and spectacles over his eyes Cole, BobBob Cole
1997 — Hart, GeneGene Hart Philadelphia
1998 Howie Meeker in Toronto Maple Leafs uniform holding a trophy in his right hand in a black and white photograph Meeker, HowieHowie Meeker Hockey Night in Canada, TSN
1999 — Garneau, RichardRichard Garneau Montreal
2000 Bob Miller Miller , BobBob Miller Los Angeles
2001 Mike Lange at a questions and answers session in 2011 Lange, MikeMike Lange Pittsburgh
2002 Gilles Tremblay in Montreal Canadiens uniform Tremblay, GillesGilles Tremblay Montreal
2003 Rod Philips wearing black sunglasses talking to a crowd on a podium with a microphone Phillips, RodRod Phillips Edmonton
2004 Chuck Kaiton sitting in the back seat of an open top car with both his arms extended out Kaiton, ChuckChuck Kaiton Hartford/Carolina
2005 — Messina, SalSal Messina New York Rangers
2006 — Maher, PeterPeter Maher Calgary
2007 — Hewitt, BillBill HewittPosthumous award Toronto
2008 Mike Emrick smiling while holding a microphone in his right hand Emrick, MikeMike Emrick Philadelphia, New Jersey, ESPN/ABC, Fox, NBC/NBCSN, Versus
2009 — Davidson, JohnJohn Davidson New York Rangers, Hockey Night in Canada, ESPN/ABC, Fox, MSG Network, NBC
2010 — Weber, RonRon Weber Washington
2011 — Redmond, MickeyMickey Redmond Detroit
2012 — Jeanneret, RickRick Jeanneret Buffalo
2013 — Neale, HarryHarry Neale Buffalo, Hockey Night in Canada, Toronto
2014 — Foley, PatPat Foley Chicago
2015 — Nickson, NickNick Nickson Los Angeles
2016 — Rosen, SamSam Rosen New York Rangers, Fox, ESPN
2017 — Strader, DaveDave Strader Detroit, Florida, Phoenix, Dallas, ESPN/ABC, NHL International, NBC/NBCSN
2018 Joe Bowen looking to the right of the camera and speaking into a microphone Bowen , JoeJoe Bowen Toronto
2019 — Hughson, JimJim Hughson Vancouver, Toronto, Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet, TSN
2020 — Peckham, RickRick Peckham Hartford, Tampa Bay
2022 — Clement, BillBill Clement Philadelphia, ESPN/ABC, NBC
2023 — Rusanowsky, DanDan Rusanowsky San Jose
2024 — Houde, PierrePierre Houde Montreal, RDS
2025 — Reaugh, DarylDaryl Reaugh Hartford, Dallas

Award Statistics: Teams and Networks

This table shows which hockey teams or TV networks have had the most broadcasters win the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.

Multiple winners by Affiliation
Name Wins
Hockey Night in Canada 7
Montreal 7
Toronto 6
Detroit 4
Buffalo 3
ESPN/ABC 3
Los Angeles 3
NBC 3
New York Rangers 3
Fox 3
Boston 2
Chicago 2
Hartford 2
TSN 2
Vancouver 2
RDS 1

More Awards to Explore

  • Ford C. Frick Award
  • Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.