FiredUp Network
Thursday, September 19: Don Cherry's Grapevine Podcast
All right, let's go Thanks everybody for tuning into this week's edition of the Don Cherry Grapevine podcast and this week we're going to run a 1989 interview with Danny Galvin. Now for those who don't know who Danny Galvin is, to me he is the greatest play-by-play broadcaster in hockey history, hockey night in Canada history. Now I know we had a lot of greats Bob Coles right up there and of course you have Foster Hewitt, but to me Danny Galvin was the greatest. Mostly did the Montreal Canadian games, he had such a silky smooth voice that brought such a texture to his calls. Of course he came up with some great ways to describe the game, one of course is his favorite Savarti and Spinnerama and that night we did actually did three shows with Kevin McGuire, Ricky Vive and Danny Galvin. So here we go, a 1989 interview with the great Danny Galvin. This week in the grapevine we get the best sports announcer ever, Danny Galvin, let's go. Welcome to the grapevine. Now first of all, three years, 50 goals right there, Ricky Vive right there, and Laura, and Laura, Kevin McGuire, Buffalo's tough guy right here. You remember Danny Galvin? Of course, he's a legend. Isn't he beauty? One of the best. You know, I, you go to breakfast with Danny, this is, this is the truth, you go to breakfast, you sit down and people come over, you listen to his voice, you think he's doing a hockey game, he's unbelievable. I remember the very first time I met him, like I was a minor leaguer, and I, you know, Danny Galvin, I mean Danny Galvin, I couldn't believe it, it was unbelievable. You know, we got in trouble here in one time was channel 11, Leafs were doing, you weren't playing, but the Leafs were playing, I forget Colorado or something, and it was a lousy first period as usual, right? So I said, I said, he asked me, well, what'd you think of that period, Don? And I says, well, I'll tell you, that's the worst period of hockey I've ever seen. And he says, yes, Mr. Cherry, I have to believe that. It was like a hobo's coat, shabby. We got the letter, and I'm telling you, it was unbelievable. We, he was tough enough selling this game, what are you guys doing that? But I'll tell you something, I love him, this guy is to me as a Canadian gentleman, don't you go away, we're going to come back with one of the greatest guys in the world, Danny Galvin, don't you go away. Thank you Danny for coming. Listen, I've got to get into the questions good for you, everybody said, ask Danny this, ask Danny that, ask Danny. When did you get in to broadcasting, and where did you start? I got into broadcasting in the spring of 1943. I was just graduated from college and with a BA, what can you do with a BA? Thank goodness the radio station opened. Well, I never got a BA myself, tell you. What's a BA? Well, a BA B means that you have all kinds of money like you, oh yeah, at times. That's true. And it means that you look for a job. Yeah, you had been there for four years not doing anything and then you look for another loaf. How did you get into it? Like what? Well, I get into it because the radio station opened, had very close affiliation with the University, St. Francis Xavier. As a matter of fact, they intended to use the radio station to disseminate the educational program that they have their adult education. And it was supposed to be non-commercial. We were on the air about a week when you found out by sending educational signals that you couldn't live by that alone. So we had to go commercial. We worked on the basic network of the CBC that meant that we had to do all the programming and so the manager said, well, we've got to put something on the air and you're interested in sport, do the college hockey games, the football games and the boxing and all that. And I always loved sport and that was the opening. And you went on from there. Now, what's the difference when you and Dick, like that was back, like you and Dick were going, what's the difference now that say back about 20 years ago in broadcast? Well, if you're talking about broadcasting as such, let's take it to the major league level, the national hockey league, when you bring Dick in. I would say the big difference is the entourage, the number of people you have with you. When I started, first of all, you would on the air say at eight o'clock and there was no one there to help you. I always used to be a disaster in giving commercial breaks and I had to do them myself and miss most of them. But then after a few years, I'll tell you how the color man started. You'd be interested in this. In 1957, the Canadians had wrapped up their series and I was asked to go down to Boston to do a New York Rangers Boston game. And I was up there in the catwalk or whatever it is, their beautiful spot from which to broadcast the game in Boston. And Frank Silke Jr. came along as sort of a producer of some sort. But I was doing the talk and giving the community cues and everything. And there was a wild pile up in front of the net and the puck got caught up in somebody's paraffin area. We couldn't find it. Did you start that paraffin area? Well, I don't know if it did or not. But anyway, I said there's no puck. I said Frank, just think that Frank. We got to go get the puck. They didn't have buckets of pucks like they have today. I said it's rather essential if we're going to play hockey to have a puck. And Frank came out with some astute observation. And Ted Hough was back in Toronto and he was listening. And Ted said, you know that sounded good, another voice. And from that day on came the color man, the analyst. That's why I'm sitting here today on account of Frank Silke doing that, right? Well, you'll give him 10% of your earnings, which would be considerable. And one other change the facilities. Some of the ranks were absolutely atrocious in which to do hockey games. I remember 53 my first year doing a series between Chicago and Montreal. And Canadians were down in the series three to two. And Rick was talking about the crowd in Chicago. And we did the game from the Oregon loft down in the end. And it was a big night for Montreal because I would say perhaps the greatest shake up in the history of the Stanley Cup, even graded in the drill and benching in 42. Dick Ervin decided to bench four of his regulars. He brought up Eddie Maiser, Callum McKay, Lauren Davis, and the guy that was wearing a tuke, Jacques Platt, and Jacques came in that night and he shut out Chicago. But I remember the first goal. Jeff Rion, I lost him at center ice. He went into the smoke. Oh, yeah. I couldn't see the other end of the rink. And the only reason why I knew there was a goal, the red light came through the smoke. Oh, yeah. So the facilities were just gosh awful. You can get away with a lot more on radio than you could. Well, yes, because who could tell whether, if you gave, you said Locke. Really, Richard had it. They tell a famous story about Clem McCarthy, who was the top harness racing broadcaster in the States. And there was great competition between him and Bill Stern. Bill Stern was doing football on radio. And Clem McCarthy was doing on television one time and he called the wrong horse. Oh, geez. And Stern was very critical of you. Yeah. And someone went to Clem McCarthy and he said, you know your buddy Stern has been criticizing you for naming the wrong horse. Well, he said, there's no problem. Stern does his on radio. You know, if you're lateral to Bertelli and Oh, great. He picks it up. He could change with everybody knows. But he said, how in the hell do you lateral a horse? Yeah, I'll tell you television. They've got that eye on you like that. Now, where are you living? And what are you doing now? A lot of people. Well, I'm still living in Montreal. Let me see. I came in '52, nine golly, 37 years. I'm doing a fair amount of work on the banquet, sir. Well, the first two years are retired. I stayed on with Hockey Night in Canada to do that type of work. And I indicated I'd be willing to do 20. I did 35 the first year and 33 at the next, and then I decided I'd go on my own so that I could dictate and do fewer. But I enjoy freeloading. So do you. But it's not that I will do whatever I'll tell you. In the states, they call it the chicken circuit with roast beef here. Everything's roast beef. Well, it's very difficult. You're in such demand. That's true. You know, it was a cool for me to be able to go to the people that have the effects of the golf tournament. It's that Don Cherry will be our guest speaker. I was great too, wasn't it? You were outstanding. I shouldn't take lightly of this, but it's wonderful. They found the gene now that causes the cystic fibrosis. That came just after our tournament. Yeah. Oh, I tell you, you couldn't have got any more everybody in there with a shoe or it was something. And then all the people coming up and looking for your autograph. Yeah, that was great. Boy, it was hot in there though, Danny. I was really sweating. Oh, well, but I put lots of liquid back yet after and we had a lot of fun. Now, you know, the thing that I used to, you know, the thing that I used to really love. I go to the games now and we got to be there at two o'clock. Don Wallace is out here. Don Wallace is a good friend of mine. Was the head of hockey night camp. Got to be down there at three o'clock all the time, eh? And by the time the game comes, I used to be half asleep. You used to come in just before the game fresh ready. Well, I almost, I'm sure that I came close to being fired a number of times because I insisted on not coming to the rink because what was there for me to do with that meeting? They couldn't tell me who was going to pass to whom for the hockey game. It's already for Dick and you've got us to go there. You've got things to do, interviews to do. I didn't know what was going on either. And I would say, look, psychologically, I'm licked by game time. And that's all. I wouldn't come down and Renee did the same thing. And I think I was right. Obviously, I was right because I wasn't fired. I quit. You know, I remember you standing there used to have that beautiful, you know, just like a beautiful cigarette holder. The hair was back and everything. Here we are all waked out. And he committed each stand up there and just go over the players. You were, you were fresh and ready to go. Now, when did you come up with Spinnerama and Candinating? I don't say that, right? Well, you know what? You do it well. Better than I did. Spinnerama, I remember in 66, 67, that's when the National Hockey League expanded. And I take issue with Kevin and with you about this expansion. We'll get into that later. There were two ambitious in the expansion in 1967. They brought in 16, too many. With the result that the Canadians were a powerhouse then, as they have been so often. You know that. So keep springing that up all the time, folks. I remember in the fall of 67 Minnesota coming up in for their first game. And their objective was to keep the score down. What happened? They were shooting the puck down the ice in the first period. Well, you like that icing? Oh, I love that icing. And I remember Tope Lake said after. That was without doubt the worst hockey game you had ever seen. So I was having difficulty. I founded boring saying the same thing over and over. And if I felt boring, I'd say to myself, I'd never say it publicly, but I'd say to myself, how boring it must be for the people home watching it. And I remember a couple of weeks later going to Oakland. Had to help them see it. And I walked down the street. And in those days, everything was rama. Ball around, everything was rama. So I remember the first rush was made on the birds side. And he had that habit of stopping it spinning around. And in my mind, I was thinking that after if I could work in some of them. And I called it Spinorama. Then when I came back, I looked for a little alliteration and survived, starts with a nest. So I called it a Sabardian Spinorama. It made it sound like a hell of a play, but there was nothing to it. The cannonating. I didn't. That wasn't by design. That was by accident. Canadians were on the power play down in the South end. I visualize it as if it were yesterday. They had Bella Boa at center rocket, right wing, more left wing, Harvey on the left point, boom, boom on the right point. That's a pretty good power play. A heck of a power play. So anyway, there was, as we call it, a false start. So I had a few extra seconds. You give a broadcaster a few extra seconds. He starts to think something's going to happen. And I visualize Bella Boa getting that puck back to Jeffreon. And Jeffreon had a great, every hockey player today. I'd say every hockey player shoots the puck harder than Jeff even Gordy, who had a good shot in those days, Bobby Hall. But boom, boom, had the big, boom, boom shot. And I visualize that coming back and by golly, didn't Bella Boa get it right back in his stick. And I visualize that going off the stick just to get canon. And that's what I did. And I said, "canonating shot." I knew right away there was no such word and I made a mistake. And I felt badly that night for three or four days. Until four days later, I got a letter from some pseudo-English professor from some college. And he said, "How dare you? There is no such word." Oh, that annoyed me. I wrote back. I said, "How dare you? There is now." You can see some of the letters I get from the English department, something like that. It's unbelievable. But let's face it. I said it in the introduction down in Dartmouth and I said it earlier. You're the most controversial, most colorful, and you've got them where you want them. I wish when I was working for Hockey Night in Canada, that I was as indispensable to hockey and again. Oh, gee, what a guy. I like this. I like this. I'll tell you this. I was on an open line program not long ago. Often they asked about Don Cherry. And one fella made the remark. He said, "You know, he's the best part of the show at times when the hockey game is dull. We stayed there in the bitter end to hear what Cherry is going to say. We do not agree with him. But he's honest. You're honest, Dave. Yeah, I don't know. Sometimes I'm honest. Now listen, I've always asked Danny what is All-Star game. If you ever get him on that, what's your All-Star? Start just the six guys. Well, no, it isn't so difficult. I'm going to have duplication in a few positions if you don't mind. All right. All right. Terry Sawchuck would be my goaltender. Yeah, beauty. Doug Harvey and Orr. Oh, well. No question there. On left wing, Bobby Hull. Yeah. Kill you with that shot. And I'm going to have duplication at center. Gretzky and Bella Volk. And don't call me a home. Or Bella Volk was a great guy. I like Bella Volk. He's a good guy. And I'm, I cannot pick Gordy Hall and leave Rocketry Shired off. And I cannot pick Rocketry Shired and leave Gordy Hall off. So I pick both of them. Imagine the great, I leave off a guy at a bossing. So you know how difficult. Yes. But you asked me. All right. That's good. Now the Rocket's got to be the most exciting hockey player. No question about it. I was singularly lucky to get the job in Montreal to be in the right place at the right time, but to come when the Rocket was in his heyday. And you had to be a pretty dumb broadcaster not to make the game sound exciting when he was there. You know, he knew one thing. And he knew it well. And he had dedication and love that many hockey players today could copy. Go down and put that puck in the net and that backhand from the wrong wing. And you know what? His ability to come through in the clutch. Look at the record box. He's got six overtime goals, the playoffs. In 1951 Detroit finished 27 points ahead of them. And they went into Detroit for two games. Both went into second or third over times. He scored the winning goal in each of the games. And I remember one night Boston was playing Boston again in a playoff. In the whole story. In '57 Boston Canadians had the game won for all intents and purposes. But Jacques Plante, who wasn't worked too hard that night, Jacques was worried about how he would come out and bow to the people. Yeah. And Horvat came to center and got clear of the puck. And the whole Jacques was caught him between him. We were on this side. He came out the other side. And Horvat followed up and put it in. In those days we didn't have provision for overtime. We had nobody lined up. But there was always one man that was available, Frank Sucky Sr. And he made an aim for himself that night in television. Tom Foley said Mr. Sucky, we're overtime. We have nobody. Would you come on? Again? He said now? He came on. He looked right into the camera. Tom said him. Tom, Mr. Foley, you must be tear. Mr. Sucky, you must be terribly disappointed. Yes, he said. We had the game won. The stupid play. Didn't mention Plante by name. But he said, I'll tell you this much. Tom, I have a man who will build on that ice in the overtime who has never let me down like Clutch. 238 into the overtime. Rocket. Put it in the net. The same thing has happened. This may have made you as a matter of fact. Who? You. Remember we did a game one night the Islanders were playing? Oh, yes. The Islanders had all kinds of difficulty penetrating. They weren't getting it from the Met. And just before we cut for a commercial, Don said on the air, he said, the only way they're going to do it is they get big guillies in there in front of the net. We had just got back on the air. Puck when it in our guillies. Right in the corner. That was one of the best calls, huh? Yeah. And I said, don't forget Danny. Tell him I said it. Tell him I said, you're a great Danny. Rocket's great. I'm great. We're going over the bar with a guy I love, Danny Galvin. Now listen, we're going to tear down the forum. Hey, what's going on here? Well, it's strictly a question of business. I would think with the inflationary trend in hockey, all the money guys, the Kevin Rick getting the Canadians, I suppose Ron Corrie is saying, look, the place is too small and they cannot add seats. So they want a place with about 20,000. Now those who are nostalgic, who have the idea of tradition uppermost in their minds, those who are sentimental, those of us who are older, we regret that. But I don't see anything wrong with it. You know, the ghosts of the forum will always be there, the marenzas, the rocket, and the bellivos, and the flurs, and the guidance, and the Jeffyans. It'll always be there. But it's going to take some getting used to the older people. But I think it's good business. Well, I suppose they're even talking, Harold's even talking about it. Now I'm going to ask you the question I'm going out in the limit are these Montreal guys. You've got to be careful. Who's the best hockey player you've ever seen? Well, here again, I don't want to give the impression I'm hedging, even though perhaps I am, up until a few years ago, unquestionably. Bobbior. All right, just a second. Oh, excuse me. But I have got to put Wayne Gretzier right alongside Bobbior. As the two greatest hockey players I have ever seen. Five years from now, if you invite me back, it could be from what he has shown that I will have to say, thanks everybody for listening. And Lord, when we'll be back next week with another episode of the Don Cherry Grapevine podcast. [Music]