Don Wittman

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Don Wittman

Wittman broadcasting the 2002 Winter Olympics
Born Donald Rae Wittman[1]
October 9, 1936[1]
Herbert, Saskatchewan
Died January 19, 2008 (aged 71)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Other names Witt
Occupation CBC sportscaster

Donald Rae Wittman (October 9, 1936[1] – January 19, 2008) was a Canadian sportscaster for the CBC network.

Born in Herbert, Saskatchewan, Wittman attended the University of Saskatchewan and got his start in the field of broadcasting as a news reporter with CFQC radio in Saskatoon in 1955.[2]

As a sportscaster, Wittman covered many sports including athletics, baseball, basketball, golf, and was most known as a commentator for the CBC's CFL coverage, on Hockey Night in Canada, and for major Canadian and international curling tournaments.[2]

He joined CBWT's supper-hour news program 24Hours in 1970 as sports anchor alternating with Bob Picken. He also worked on Winnipeg Jets radio broadcasts.

During the late 1970s-early 1980s, Wittman hosted Western Express, a half-hour weekly program broadcast in Western Canada which consisted of lottery ticket drawings for the lottery of the same name. The format of the series included Wittman co-hosting with media and community personalities from towns and cities across the region and conducting interviews in-between ticket drawings. (Western Express later changed its name to The Western and converted to a scrach-card lottery format).

Famous events covered by Wittman include Donovan Bailey's 100m sprint world record at the 1996 Summer Olympics[2] and the infamous brawl between Canada and the Soviet Union at the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Wittman won two ACTRA awards,[2] was named Broadcaster of the Year by Sports Media Canada in 2002,[3] and named to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2003.[4][5] He was inducted to the CBC Sports Hall of Fame in January 2008.[6].

On January 19, 2008, Wittman died as a result of cancer in a Winnipeg hospital surrounded by his family.[7] He was 71 years old. He is survived by his wife, 2 daughters and a son.

“Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Obituary: Donald Rae Wittman. Passages (20 January 2008). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  2. ^ a b c d Don Wittman - CBC Sports. CBC Personalities. CBC. Archived from the original on 2007-02-09.
  3. ^ Don Wittman, CBC Winnipeg – 2002 – Award for Outstanding Sports Broadcasting. Sports Media Canada. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
  4. ^ Inductees. Canadian Curling Hall of Fame. Canadian Curling Association. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
  5. ^ "CBC's Wittman to join curling hall of fame", CBC Sports, 2003-03-06. Retrieved on 2007-12-15. 
  6. ^ Sinclair, Gordon, Jr.. "Sports icon Don Wittman faces the battle of his life", Winnipeg Free Press, 2007-12-15. Retrieved on 2007-12-15. 
  7. ^ "CBC Sports' Don Wittman dies", CBC Sports, 2008-1-19. 

[edit] Further listening

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Persondata
NAME Wittman, Donald Rae
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Canadian sportscaster
DATE OF BIRTH October 9, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada
DATE OF DEATH January 19, 2008
PLACE OF DEATH Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada