Ted Reynolds has really done it all in terms of sports media, but he is probably best know for his time spent with the CBC. Reynolds a former RCAF gunner during World War II was, born in 1925 in Grand Forks, BC. He began his iconic career in 1945 as the play-by-play announcer for hockey, baseball and lacrosse for CFJC in Kamloops. He then moved to CJVI in Victoria where he branched out into elections and city events like the 1951 Royal Tour while still covering sports for the island’s teams. He covered Royal Tours in 1958, ’59, and ’71 as well.
He really broke out on the scene though in 1956 when he was hired on at the CBC covering his first Grey Cup that year as the colour commentator. In 1968, he called Nancy Greene’s gold medal ski run, but best made his mark poolside. He called all seven of Mark Spitz’s gold-medal swims, and was the commentator for Alex Baumann’s historic gold medal in 1984, Canada’s first gold in swimming since the 1912 Games. In 1970, when Vancouver was awarded an NHL team, Reynolds was there to call the first game for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
Reynolds is a BC Sports Hall of Fame member, inducted in 1998 and is a recipient of the Sports Federation of Canada’s Doug Gilbert Media Award in 1972 and 1985. In 2002 he was inducted in the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, the 2003 winner of the Achievement Award for Sports Media Canada. He holds the distinction of being the only media member of the Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame. He passed away April 28, 2009.
