Dave Perkins, left and Sir David Hodge, right flank Sports Media Canada career achievement winner Brian Williams. Photo: Gloria Simunik.

November 19, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

One night in the spring of 1995, I walked into Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota and uttered a phrase we used to say all the time at Olympic Stadium when we saw something we were not used to seeing:

“Quelle surprise!”

There standing by the batting cage was Brian Williams of CBC-TV. The conversation kind of went like this:

Me: “Brian ... what on earth are you doing here?”

Williams: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Brian, TV guys do not come to night games in Florida unless they have to be in the booth for when the camera light turns red. They go for a late diner.”

Williams: “Well, when the White Sox come to the SkyDome this season I want to be able to say ... ‘as manager Terry Bevington told me in the spring ...’”

Oh.

He made the hour-plus drive through rush hour traffic across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, to do research for months down the road.

That was Brian Williams.

And oh yes ... he was Canada’s Jack Whitaker. Or our Jim Nantz.

A versatile, trusted broadcaster, who was at home covering The Olympics, football, hosting hockey, asking questions and baseball. I have heard -- oh say 15 years ago -- people compare him to Walter Cronkite, the CBS newscaster once voted the Most Trusted Man in America.

And man could he ask questions ... he was like a British bulldog that hadn’t been fed in 2 1/2 weeks ... but we’ll get to that.

* * *

On Thursday, the 25th Georgies -- founded by George Gross and Don Goodwin -- were back: the Sports Media Canada Achievement awards in the famous Imperial Ballroom at the Fairmont Royal York hotel.

Williams was introduced so eloquently by Hall of Famer Sir David Hodge, who explained how CFRB’s Bill Stephenson asked him who the station could hire as a third man at the station sports department. Hodge knew this newsman from CHUM who talked sports, sports and sports: Williams.

Hodge explained how Williams had visited Hodge’s father in the hospital. (The last time I saw Williams before shaking his hand on Thursday) was when hockey scribe Tim Wharnsby and I visited the legendary Christie Blatchford in hospital. After a few minutes, Williams arrived.

The recommendation by Hodge to hire Williams, in baseball terms, would be like a coach had suggested an evaluator should slide over to Saint Paul, Minn. and take a look at the kid hitting line drives for Cretin High School. The hitter grew up to be Paul Molitor who has a plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Williams, the man who for so, so many years described the action for viewers in stadia, arenas and Olympic venues around the world -- as well as some living rooms -- stood and cheered, made his way to the stage receiving the largest standing ovation of the day.

Williams was presented with the Sports Media career achievement award by his dear friend Dave Perkins, formerly of The Star, and Hodge. Williams and Hodge were in each other’s wedding parties. Geraldine and Brian just celebrated their 48th anniversary and Sharon and Dave Hodge are about to do the same.

Williams mentioned how proud he was of his three daughters Courtney, Amy and Jennifer.

He retired from TSN after 50 years covering sports.

“I’ve been around the world and I can say,” his voice raising, “our sports media stands tall with any country in the world.”

* * *

Sporstnet’s Jamie Campbell was the winner of the President’s Award. Campbell had pre-taped a video after touring Vimy Ridge in France.

In his video, he praised co-founders Sulemaan Ahmed and Khadija Cajee, the volunteers, who co-founded Conquer COVID-19 to deliver Personal Protective Equipment masks in 2020. Campbell dropped off PPEs from Timmins and Windsor with stops in between on his 9,000 km trip. He bought a second cell, gave out the new number to fans who wanted to “talk ball” during the pandemic. He estimates he spoke to 1,300 ball fans.

Campbell bared his soul saying how he’d work the night shift, wake up after noon hour and see a couple of hours of sunshine before it turned dark. He was 32 years of age and full of despair as he looked in the mirror. The next day he phoned the Hospital for Sick Children to ask if he could volunteer.

“I went once a week and laughter filled the room as I read to these children,” Campbell said. He quoted the words written on Jackie Robinson’s tombstone: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

He also mentioned his partner Joe Siddall, the brilliant analyst who “inspires me, who is never in a bad mood and is always up beat.”

Campbell told people early in 2022, he had told he had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. He was told he would not require treatment until he began to show symptoms of the disease. That’s why FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal had ‘Jamie Campbell’ on the Stand Up to Cancer sign as major league ball continued its fight against cancer.

“Jamie is one of my favorite people. It surprises me not one bit to hear of his selflessness,” said Rosenthal. “Nor does it surprise me that he has taken such a positive attitude inhis fight against cancer. It’s who he is.

* * *

Nick Didlick was presented with the photography honour. He worked for The Toronto Telegram, United Press International Reuters News Agency, Vancouver Sun, and the Vancouver Post.

Didlick has won a National Newspaper award and been nominated for two Pulitzier prizes. He credited Bob Carroll and Chick McGregor for helping mentor his career.

* * *

Rick Westhead of TSN was presented with the sportswriting award. He broke the story on Hockey Canada, how executives handled a sexual assault case in London, Ont., after the World Juniors and its slush fund with wall-to-wall coverage. Some might call it groundbreaking, rather it was board breaking. The Hockey Canada board is gone. Poof!

He broke the story on Kyle Beach who alleged he was sexually assaulted by a Chicago Blackhawks video coach during their 2010 Stanley Cup season and filed legal action against the team for failing to intervene.

Westhead also credited his team of producers, his editors and TSN lawyers which include Mike Lane, Darren Yourk, Steve Dryden, Jason Palter, Ken Volden, Dave Krirst, Matt Cade and Peter Jacobsen.

* * *

Andi Petrillo, of CBC and OneSoccer, earned the broadcasting award. Petrillo grew up wanting to become a war correspondent but her exuberance for sports was recognized by Seneca College professer Jeff Howlett. An early idol was CBC’s Terry Leibel.

Over the years Petrillo has worked for Leafs TV, the NHL Network, TSN, ESPN and along the way became the first woman to serve on a full-time basis with the Hockey Night in Canada studio team, becoming the first woman in Canada to have her own daily sports talk radio show when she joined TSN to host Leafs Lunch.

* * *

John Atkinson of Swimming Canada was presented with the sports executive of the year award. Atkinson was not at the Royal York as he out of town at a swimming event.

* * *

Twas another well-run show by John Iaboni and Steve McAllister. Some how I wound up sitting beside Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont.) and Mike Hirshfeld, an old friend.

Currently Hefford is chairperson of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association. Hefford won four gold medals for Canada, including the game winner at Salt Lake in 2002, and was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 ... like my grandfather Edwin (Chaucer) Elliott, a referee, inducted in 1961.

Hirshfeld used to work in P.R. for the Toronto Blue Jays under Howard Starkman and Jay Stenhouse. Now he is a lawyer and is the executive director of the NHL Coaches’ Association.
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* * *

In 1987, I was sitting in the office at 333 King Street East when in came Williams in a hurry. He waved and called across the office to me, “Welcome to Toronto, now I don’t have to buy the Ottawa paper to read you.”

After he left boss Wayne Parrish’s office, I waited a few minutes and entered.

“That was Brian Williams, right?” Parrish nodded yes. “He said hello to me ... how the heck would he know me?” Parrish said “Brian is a newspaper junkie. He reads everything. And a real good guy.”

Parrish’s scouting report turned out to be very accurate unlike some of his hirings.

* * *

Ever since being presented a Sports Media award, I have been blessed with other honours like the Jack Graney Award from the Canadian Hall of Fame in St. Marys during the 2011 ceremonies.

And the J.G. Taylor Spink Award (since renamed the BBWAA Excellence award) in Cooperstown in 2012.

At the 2016 Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, I was presented with the Brian Williams award by Brian Williams.

I never met Graney, who died in 1978.

I never met Spink, who passed away in 1962.

I met Brian Williams. I know Brian Williams. I saw Brian Williams at work and how hard he worked. I respected Brian Williams. Always.

I didn’t win the award because my mumbling resembled Williams’ excellent ability to enunciate.

* * *

My favorite Williams story came in 1993. It was late in the year. A writer had written how the Jays were interested in Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s.

General manager Pat Gillick was booked to be a guest in the booth in the top of the third inning.

Williams asked once about Henderson. Gillick danced. Williams asked again between pitches. Gillick did a soft shoe without answering. Williams asked a third time his voicing raising an notch. Gillick again did a tap dance around the question as the third out was made.

Williams then said in one of the best TV moments I can recall, “And that’s three out ... thanks for coming Pat ... but since you didn’t answer the question we’ll have you back for the bottom half of the third.”

Cut to commercial.

Williams gave the score update and asked The Question again.

Gillick muttered, “Yes, we have interest.”

A few days later Henderson arrived.