Jim Coleman writes in
the Province in 1994
CJOR was the
CJOR begat radio station CHRX which, in turn, begat
CKBD. On Sunday, CKBD spurned the crass materialistic world of professional
sports to devote itself to religious broadcasts.
Back 50 or 60 years ago, when CJOR completely
dominated the local market, it was the only radio station in all of
Leo Nicholson, a superb broadcaster, provided the
play-by-play description of the lacrosse and hockey games. Jack Short was the
voice of the races.
CJOR, owned by George Chandler, had its studios in
the basement of the Grosvenor Hotel on
Back in the 1930s, when CJOR was number one,
without any serious challengers, the station had an outstanding crew of
announcers, including Dick Diespecker, Dorwin Baird and Gerry Willmott
(who later went to
Local historians are stretching the point only
slightly when they suggest that Leo Nicholson invented box-lacrosse. However,
the new indoor game was merely limping along until Leo began to provide his
play-by-play descriptions on CJOR. Almost overnight, lacrosse became the
hottest ticket in town. Nicholson made it sound so exciting that the listening
public filled the arenas.
I heard them all -- and Leo Nicholson, with his
well enunciated, machine-gun delivery was the greatest of lacrosse announcers.
When the Vancouver Lions were playing in the
Pacific Coast Hockey League (and other leagues with other names) Nicholson was
the play- by-play announcer on CJOR. He was an excellent hockey announcer but,
lacrosse announcing was his forte.
When the Vancouver Arena burned, and the Lions
moved to the Forum, at the PNE grounds, Leo's commercial announcer and color
man was Ross Mortimer. The between periods guest commentator was Jim Coleman,
of The Province. There was no fee for guest commentators.
Short was the first man to broadcast the horse
races regularly on any Canadian radio station. He began his daily broadcasts
over CJOR, early in the 1930s. Jack worked in a booth atop the grandstand,
accompanied by the station's remote operator, Art Chandler, who was a brother
of the station owner. Jack concluded each afternoon's broadcast with a cheery
and unforgetable "Adios, amigos."
As late as 1951, when Bill Stephenson came from
Still later, when the Vancouver Whitecaps were in
soccer action, Ian Michaud provided the play-by-play broadcasts on CJOR.
Well, now, all the legends of CJOR are gone to
glory. But, one thing hasn't changed:
CJOR did all its broadcasting on the radio frequency of 600. And, now,
CKBD is broadcasting its religious messages on that same 600 frequency.
Hallelujah!