René Lecavalier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
René Lecavalier
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René Lecavalier (right) talking to a colleague on the radio show "Petit train", broadcast by CBC, 1947.
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| Born | July 5, 1918 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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| Died | September 6, 1999 (aged 81) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | radio and television broadcaster |
| Known for | La Soirée du hockey |
René Lecavalier (born July 5, 1918 – died September 6, 1999) was a famous Canadian radio and television broadcaster. He was especially known for being a sportscaster in French. He worked for SRC, which is the French part of the CBC, in Quebec.
René Lecavalier was a very important voice in French Canada. Many people saw him as famous as Foster Hewitt was in English Canada. He won several awards during his career in radio.
The Voice of Hockey
René Lecavalier was best known for his work on La Soirée du hockey. This was the French version of Hockey Night in Canada. He was the very first commentator for this popular show.
For over 30 years, he broadcast hockey games for the Montreal Canadiens. He covered these games on both radio and television. He retired in 1985.
His Famous Goal Call
René Lecavalier had a very famous way of calling a goal. When a player shot and scored, he would shout, "Il lance… et compte!" This means "He shoots… and scores!"
This phrase became very well-known. It is still remembered by many hockey fans today.
The Paul Henderson Goal
One of his most famous calls was for Paul Henderson's winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series. This was a big hockey series between Canada and the Soviet Union.
While Foster Hewitt's call of the goal is famous in English Canada, Lecavalier's call is just as special for French Canadians. He described the exciting moment like this:
Cournoyer qui s'avance. Oh, Henderson a perdu la passe! Il a fait une chute. Et devant le but. ET LE BUT DE HENDERSON! Avec 34 secondes encore!
This means: "Cournoyer moving it up the ice. Oh, Henderson lost the pass! He fell down. And in front of the net. AND HENDERSON SCORES! With 34 seconds to go!"
Awards and Recognition
René Lecavalier received many important awards for his work. These awards showed how much he influenced sports broadcasting in French.
In 1970, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honors. It recognized his big impact on how sports language was used in French.
Later, in 1987, he became a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. This is a special award from the province of Quebec.
He was also honored in 1994 when he was inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. This means he was recognized as one of the greatest figures in Canadian sports. He also received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and the Olivar-Asselin Award.
