Ward Cornell
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
Ward MacLaurin Cornell (4 May 1924 – 5 February 2000) was a Canadian broadcaster noted for hosting Hockey Night in Canada between 1959 and 1972.
Biography
He was born in London, Ontario where he studied at the University of Western Ontario. There, he became a CFPL (AM) radio announcer of campus sports games. Following graduation in 1949, he presented sports news in the early years of CFPL-TV. During the next five years, he held a tutorial position, teaching English Literature, History and Geography, at Pickering College in Newmarket, Ontario while still finding the time to perform announcing duties for sports events on radio and play roles in drama performances on the CBC Radio network. Then in 1954 he became general manager at CFPL radio, holding that post for 13 years.
Following his 1972 departure from Hockey Night in Canada, Cornell became Ontario's Agent-General in London, UK from 1972 to 1978. In the 1980s, he served as the province's deputy minister for culture and recreation and then as deputy housing minister.{{cite news |title=Former Hockey Night in Canada host dies |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/former-hockey-night-in-canada-host-dies-1.199359 |access-date=May 17, 2024 |work=CBC News |date=February 8, 2000}}
Cornell died aged 75 at Uxbridge, Ontario due to emphysema. He left his wife Georgina Saxon (m. 1969) and five children. He is buried in Uxbridge Cemetery.
References
- {{cite web | url=https://lfpress.com/cgi-bin/memories.cgi?show=london_people_150_2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328003402/http://www.lfpress.com/cgi-bin/memories.cgi?show=london_people_150_2 | url-status=dead | archive-date=2006-03-28 | title=150 people who define London (#26, Ward Cornell) | publisher=London Free Press | date=2005-10-20 | accessdate=2007-01-03 }}
- {{cite web | url=http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-1289-7327/sports/olympics_cbc/clip3 | accessdate=2007-01-03 | title=Tokyo 1964: A tough job but… | publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | date=1964-10-19 }}
- {{cite web | url=http://www.sunmedia.ca/Slam2000/nd_janfeb.html | title=SLAM! Sports: 2000 in review | publisher=CANOE | accessdate=2007-01-03 | date=c. 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928201355/http://www.sunmedia.ca/Slam2000/nd_janfeb.html |archive-date=2007-09-28 }}
- {{cite web | url=http://speeches.empireclub.org/60461/data | accessdate=2007-01-03 | publisher=Empire Club of Canada | date=24 October 1974 | title=Abroad Thoughts from at Home (Ward Cornell speech) }}
- {{cite news | title=From Hockey Night in Canada to deputy minister: Longtime conservative (Ward Cornell obit) | work=National Post | date=10 February 2000 | first=Peter | last=Rehak | page=A20 }}
{{reflist}}
{{Hockey Night in Canada}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cornell, Ward}}
Category:Canadian sports announcers
Category:People from London, Ontario
Category:University of Western Ontario alumni
Category:Deaths from emphysema
Category:Canadian Football League announcers
Category:National Hockey League broadcasters