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Jiggs McDonald
Born
John Kenneth McDonald

(1938-11-28)November 28, 1938(age 85)
Galt, Ontario,Canada
Occupationbroadcaster
Years active1967–present
AwardsFoster Hewitt Memorial Award(1990)

John Kenneth "Jiggs" McDonald(born November 28, 1938) is a sportscaster who has doneplay-by-playannouncing forNHLgames for more than 50 years.[1]In 1990, McDonald received theFoster Hewitt Memorial Awardfrom theHockey Hall of Fame.[2]

Biography

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National Hockey League broadcasting career

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McDonald began his NHL broadcasting career in 1967, as the original voice of the expansion Los Angeles Kings.[3]Initially, the Kings considered pairing him with a then-unknownAl Michaels.[4]Although "Jiggs" (from theBringing Up Fathercartoon strip) had been McDonald's childhood nickname, he had never used it professionally, nor at all among those he'd come to know after becoming an adult, instead going by "Ken", a shortening of his middle name. However, when he was hired by the Kings, the team's then-ownerJack Kent Cookedemanded that McDonald identify himself to listeners with a nickname that would be more memorable than simply "Ken McDonald". McDonald objected to the use of the nickname, but Cooke was insistent.[5]

After five seasons with the Kings, he joined theAtlanta Flames,also as that team's original announcer, withBernie Geoffrionserving as his broadcasting partner.[1]The Flames' ownership offered to allow him to drop the "Jiggs" nickname, but he opted to keep it since it was by then well-established as the name by which he was known professionally.[5]

When the Flames moved to Calgary in 1980, he joined theNew York Islandersbroadcast team as play-by-play announcer, replacingTim Ryan;former IslanderscaptainEd Westfallwas the color commentator. He spent 15 seasons as the Islanders' play-by-play man, and the team won threeStanley Cupsduring the period, and advanced to another Final.[1]Including national work, as well as work for other teams, he called the play-by-play of over 200 NHL playoff games. Although he was not the announcer for the first (1980) Stanley Cup championship team, he hosted theNew York Islanders' 25th anniversary celebration in 1996.

In1988,when theNew Jersey Devilseliminated the Islanders from the playoffs, he did play-by-play onNew Jersey Devilstelecasts, partnering withPeter McNabwhenGary Thorneis not available.[6][7][8][9]

In future years, he did play-by-play onToronto Maple Leafstelecasts andFlorida Panthersradio broadcasts. In November 2003, he announced his 3,000th regular season game; his number of games called is thought to be the highest by an NHL announcer.[1]Following the2003–04 seasonhe retired,[1]but he substituted forDave Straderwhen the latter was onNHL on NBCassignments on Panther telecasts during the2005–06 season.[10]Since the2006–07 seasonto2016–17 season,he has returned to call Islanders games onMSG Network,filling in forHowie Rose(when Rose is on vacation or doingNew York Metsgames onWOR). With Rose broadcasting the Mets playoffs in 2015, McDonald filled in for the first 3 games of the 2015-2016 season.[11]He returned in 2017 and call the Islanders' and Kings' games, both against the Panthers on January 11, and February 9, respectively.[12][13][14]On February 2, 2022, McDonald returned to the Islanders broadcast booth, filling in for regular announcerBrendan Burke,for the Islanders first game against the expansionSeattle Krakenteam in the2021–22 season,[15][16]and then again on March 10, 2022 against theColumbus Blue Jackets.[17][18]With his Islanders work in 2022, he has called hockey games across seven decades.

He also did broadcasts on nationally televised NHL games for numerous networks. Notably, he called games forSportsChannel Americafor five years, during which the channel was the rights-holder for national NHL telecasts with Westfall,Herb Brooks,Peter McNab,orJohn Davidson.He also broadcast a Super Series event between theSoviet Red Army@ theBuffalo Sabreson January 9, 1989[19][20]and the40th National Hockey League All-Star Gameon February 7, 1989[21]withScotty Bowmandoing the color commentary for both games. In addition, he broadcast threeWinter OlympicsforABCandTNTandFoxfrom 1995–99.[1]

In addition, he filled in forFlorida Panthersradio play-by-play manRandy Mollerfor three games when Moller became ill in January 2010.[22]

He returned in 2017 and call the Islanders' and Kings' games, both against the Panthers on January 11, and February 9, respectively.[12][14]

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Outside of ice hockey, McDonald served as an announcer for theNew York MetsMajor League Baseballteam in1982.[citation needed]In 1992, he did play-by-play onCTVforOlympic basketballgames.[1]McDonald also worked for WSB-TV in Atlanta as weekend sportscaster from 1973 until 1980.

References

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  1. ^abcdefg"Jiggs McDonald: Kings Television/Radio Play-By-Play Announcer 1967–72".Los Angeles Kings.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-11-12.Retrieved2010-07-15.
  2. ^"The Legends – Media Honourees: Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Winners".Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-07-05.Retrieved2010-07-15.
  3. ^Gustkey, Earl (1997-04-10)."Jiggs Was a Name Fit for a Kings' Broadcaster".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2010-07-15.
  4. ^Malamud, Allan (1993-06-05)."Stanley Cup Finals: Notes on a Scorecard".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2010-07-15.
  5. ^ab"Hockey Central @ Noon".www.sportsnet.ca(Podcast). February 10, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 14,2017.
  6. ^1988 Second Round - Washington vs. New Jersey, Game 3, PART 1onYouTube
  7. ^1988 Second Round - Washington vs. New Jersey, Game 3, PART 2onYouTube
  8. ^1988 Second Round - Washington vs. New Jersey, Game 3, PART 3onYouTube
  9. ^New Jersey Devils vs. Washington Capitals Playoffs Round 2 Game 7 1988onYouTube
  10. ^"Panthers hand reeling Blues fourth straight loss".ESPN. Associated Press. 2006-01-12. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-03-06.Retrieved2010-07-15.
  11. ^Best, Neil (2015-10-07)."Jiggs McDonald to replace Howie Rose for first three Islanders TV broadcasts".Newsday.Retrieved2023-10-16.
  12. ^abWright, Corry (January 11, 2017)."Jiggs McDonald Hits 50 Years of NHL Play-By-Play".NHL.com.Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 9,2017.
  13. ^Best, Neil (2017-01-11)."Jiggs McDonald to call Islanders game Wednesday".Newsday.Retrieved2023-10-16.
  14. ^ab"Jiggs McDonald to call first Kings game in 45 years".NHL.com.February 8, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 9,2017.
  15. ^"Jiggs McDonald to call Islanders-Kraken game on Wednesday night".Newsday.Retrieved2023-03-10.
  16. ^@IslesMGN (February 3, 2022)."Jiggs McDonald and Butch Goring pre-game video"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  17. ^"Islanders' broadcast crew for Thursday night's game vs. Blue Jackets will look very different".Newsday.Retrieved2023-03-10.
  18. ^@IslesMGN (March 11, 2022)."Jiggs McDonald and A. J. Mleczko pre-game video"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  19. ^9/1/1989 Super Series - Buffalo Sabres vs. Soviet Red Army (Full w/ Commercials)onYouTube
  20. ^SUPER SERIES 1989 - Red Army @ Buffalo SabresonYouTube
  21. ^Steve Nidetz (February 7, 1989)."MCGUIRE'S GAME IN TOP FORM AGAIN".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedFebruary 9,2016.
  22. ^Gorten, Steve (2010-01-19)."Florida Panthers stay with hot hand in goal".South Florida Sun-Sentinel.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-02-27.Retrieved2010-07-15.
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Preceded by Stanley Cup FinalsAmericannetwork television play-by-play announcer
1989–1992 		Succeeded by
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