KITCHENER, Ont. – A legendary hockey broadcaster from Summerside has died.
The Kitchener Rangers shared news of Don Cameron’s death on the team’s website Thursday afternoon. Cameron, who had participated in over 4,000 Ranger broadcasts, served as primarily the play-by-play voice of the Ontario Hockey League team for 50 seasons.
Cameron, who was known as the ‘The Legend’ by many listeners, began covering the Rangers in the team’s inaugural 1963 season. He was the voice of the Rangers for every season except two up until he retired prior to the 2015-16 campaign. Even though the team’s broadcast rights were owned by a competitor during the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons, Cameron continued to report on the team.
Even after his retirement Cameron would return to The Aud in Kitchener and occasionally call a game. His most recent broadcast was Game 6 of the Western Conference Final against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Click here for story on Don Cameron retiring as the 'Voice of the Rangers'
Broadcasting career
Cameron launched his broadcasting career in his hometown covering the Summerside Aces’ senior team with the late Bob Schurman for CJRW in 1956. He arrived in Kitchener in 1958, and accompanied the silver-medal-winning Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen senior hockey team to California for the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympic Games.
Don Cameron Potato Night, held as a tribute to his home province of P.E.I., grew to be a very popular promotion each season. Cameron was also very active in community service groups and the sports community.
Cameron was presented with the Radio-Television-News Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.
