Joe Bowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Bowen
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Joe Bowen speaking at a Sick Kids Charity event in 2019.
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| Born | April 5, 1951 |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team(s) | Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1979–1982) Toronto Maple Leafs (1982–present) |
| Genre(s) | play-by-play (television and radio) |
| Sports | ice hockey |
Joe Bowen (born April 5, 1951) is a famous Canadian sportscaster. He is best known as "The Voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs". He has broadcast over 3,000 games for the Leafs! You can often hear him doing the exciting play-by-play on radio for Sportsnet 590 The Fan or TSN Radio 1050, usually with Jim Ralph.
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Joe Bowen's Early Life
Joe Bowen was born on April 5, 1951. He grew up in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. When he was in high school at Sudbury High, he played on a championship hockey team. This team was called the Copper Cliff Redmen.
After high school, Joe went to the University of Windsor. He studied communications arts there. He chose this school because it helped him get ready for a career in broadcasting. While at university, he even covered sports for the campus radio station. Joe's family background is Irish, as his grandfather came from County Cork.
Joe Bowen's Broadcasting Career
After finishing university, Joe Bowen went back to Sudbury. He started his radio career there. He covered games for the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Sudbury Wolves. Besides broadcasting, he was also the Sports Director at a radio station called CKSO.
Moving to the NHL
In 1979, Joe moved to Halifax. There, he announced games for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs. He also worked as a sports director for two radio stations. While in Halifax, he got a big chance. He was offered a try-out to become the play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a team in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Joe got the job and became the fifth radio announcer for the Leafs. His first game as the Leafs' announcer was on October 6, 1982. He joined the radio station CJCL in 1983. He became their morning sports anchor and the main radio voice for the Leafs.
Staying with the Leafs
Joe Bowen remained a key voice for the Leafs throughout the 1990s. He continued to broadcast their games on radio and sometimes on TV. In March 2000, he received a special gift. It was a gold seat from the Leafs' old arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. This was to thank him for his long support of the team.
Calling Lacrosse Games
Besides hockey, Joe also called games for the NLL. He announced for the Toronto Rock team. He started with them in 1999, which was their first season in Toronto. He even called their championship games from 1999 to 2002. He stopped calling Rock games after the 2007 season.
Back to Radio Full-Time
Until 2014, Joe called Leafs games on TV sometimes. But after Rogers got the national rights to broadcast the NHL, he moved back to radio full-time. On March 7, 2017, Joe Bowen called his 3,000th game as "The Voice of the Leafs." It was a home game where the Leafs won 3-2 against the Detroit Red Wings.
Joe Bowen's Famous Catchphrase
Joe Bowen has a very famous catchphrase. It is "Holy Mackinaw!" He usually says this when an amazing goal is scored. He also uses it when a goalie makes a really big save. Joe says he learned the phrase from his dad. His dad would say "Holy Mackinaw" instead of using bad words.
Outside of Broadcasting
Joe Bowen has appeared in a TV commercial for Harvey's restaurants. He promoted their Angus Burger using his famous "Holy Mackinaw!" phrase. He also voiced a radio announcer in the 1986 movie Youngblood.
In June 2018, Joe received a very special award. The Hockey Hall of Fame gave him the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. This award honors people who have made great contributions as hockey broadcasters.
