LEGENDARY FLAMES VOICE CALLS IT A CAREER
CALGARY (CP) — Peter Maher has called his last game for the Calgary Flames.
Maher, the radio voice of the Flames since they moved to Alberta from Atlanta in 1980, announced his retirement from broadcasting at a packed news conference Tuesday morning.
He called over 3,100 NHL games in his career without missing an assignment. He most recently did play-by-play announcing for radio station The Fan 960.
“Since arriving in Calgary in September of 1980, I have thousands, maybe millions of people to thank for this wonderful ride that I’ve had living the dream,” Maher said.
Flames president and CEO Ken King said a tribute to Maher is being planned for next season.
Maher was well known in Calgary for his catchphrases “Yeah, baby!” and “You can put it in the win column!” He called the Flames’ lone Stanley Cup win in 1989 and Canada’s gold-medal win over the United States at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
The charismatic broadcaster had some words of advice to his replacement.
“Whoever is selected to take that broadcast seat, I offer nothing but the very best with this message: This is the National Hockey League,” Maher said. “Treat every game, every broadcast with respect and reverence.
“Remember, it’s an honour to be a broadcaster in the greatest league in the world.”
Prior to working for the Flames, he called Toronto Maple Leafs games from 1977 to 1980.
Maher said he became interested in broadcasting when he realized he was better at talking than playing hockey.
“My boyhood dream of being a goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs turned into my young adult reality of being the play-by-play reality of being the broadcast voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Maher said to laughs.
The native of Campbellton, N.B., was recognized for his contributions to hockey broadcasting in 2006, when he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"Whoever is selected to take that broadcast seat, I offer nothing but the very best with this message: This is the National Hockey League," Maher said. "Treat every game, every broadcast with respect and reverence.
…. for a replacement they only need to speak to one guy and one guy only and they can do it before he goes on the air at 4:00 p.m.
…Rod Pedersen needs to be the next Play by Play man for the Calgary Flames.
Y'er Welcome
Obama
Well said Obama.
Rod should be announced as the Flames play-by-play man before todays SportsCage broadcast.
Peter was a great pxp guy. He sure had the golden pipes for it also.
Stewart
#YeahBaby
You're a good man Carl.
We did business back in the day at that seed company….it's a small world.
Obama
seed company…. those places can take a leap.
I hope you're hat winds up in the ring Roddy.
When RP leaves for the new job in Calgary, just hope it ain't obama who continues this blog site. He would probably continue to post comments to himself in the second person as he usually does, day in, day out.
If Obama was running this blog, it would be full of pictures/stories of the 80's Regina Pats as well as him posing with Roy Romanow, Dwain Lingenfelter, Kevin Yates, Deb Higgins, Pat Atkinson, Pat Lorje, etc.
Living in Red Deer, my dial's locked on the Fan 960 every day I drive back and forth from work. Always enjoyed listening to Maher in the morning and the Flames at 5 when Pete would come on to talk hockey. Peter Maher is a hall of famer for a reason, great reverence for the game and the passion he showed was a pleasure to listen to. Growing up in Regina, I spent a lot of nights listening to Loubardias and Roddy calling Pats games. Two of the best in my opinion. Hoping one of the two make it into… Read more »
Oh goody, another know-it-all makes its way onto the blog. Get lost!
Peter Maher was a great play by play announcer and will miss his calls of Flames games, he is a Legend and truly was the voice of the Flames. This is hopefully your opportunity Rod to move up to the next level. We know you love hockey and we know you have a good working relationship with the guys at 960. Just another Rider fan living in Calgary. So the search is on for the new voice of the Riders. Wonder who will be the new guy. First we lose Frenzy, now Roddy. Is Carm going to be in the… Read more »
Here's hoping it's a all new broadcast team. Change is Imminent and good on the future.
Will Rod complain again when he doesn't get it?
He complained when Jack Michaels got the job over him in Edmonton. RP is nowhere close to JM, so they made the right call.