Ken Nicolson
| Ken Nicolson | |
|---|---|
| Friar | |
| Died | 1992 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1950–1967 |
Ken Nicolson was a sports broadcaster from Fort William who became the long-time voice of the Winnipeg Jets. Ken Nicolson was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 as a builder.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Ken Nicolson was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 26 September 1998 in the builder category for football, hockey and curling.[1]
Career and service
Ken Nicolson began his athletic involvement in Fort William during the 1950s and 1960s as a hockey player. While a student at Selkirk High School, he served as a co-captain for the Selkirk Rams football team. His career in media began at the school when he started announcing games, which led to a professional broadcasting career spanning three decades.[1]
In the early 1960s, he worked as a part-time broadcaster for CJLX Radio, where he reported on local minor hockey and other community sports. He was promoted to the position of full-time sports director at CJLX Radio in 1965. That same year, he received the Guy Perciante Memorial Award for his work in sports media. He moved to CKPR Radio and TV in 1966 before relocating to London the next year to broadcast Junior A Hockey.[1]
Nicolson moved to Winnipeg in 1967, which became his long-term residence. He accepted the role of sports director at CJOB Radio in 1969. During this period, he performed play-by-play duties for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for three seasons and provided coverage for major curling events, including the Brier and the World Curling Championships.[1]
Starting in 1972, he became known as the voice of the Winnipeg Jets in the World Hockey Association. When the team's broadcast rights transferred to CKY Radio, he continued with the club as a hockey coordinator and colour commentator. He reached the milestone of broadcasting 1,000 professional hockey games in 1982. Throughout his career, he returned to Thunder Bay frequently to assist with local fundraising efforts.[1]
He dedicated significant time to charitable causes, helping to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and establishing the Friar Nicolson Diabetes Foundation. His professional achievements were honored with an induction into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. He died in 1992 following a struggle with diabetes.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1950–1967) rests on the following dated evidence. He played hockey in Fort William during the 1950s and 1960s and worked as a broadcaster in the area until moving to southern Ontario in 1967.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Served as co-captain of the Selkirk Rams football team
- Received the Guy Perciante Memorial Award in 1965
- Appointed Sports Director for CJLX Radio in 1965
- Appointed Sports Director for CJOB Radio in 1969
- Performed play-by-play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for three years
- Served as the primary broadcaster for the Winnipeg Jets for over 20 years
- Reached the milestone of 1,000 professional hockey game broadcasts in 1982
- Inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990
- Founded the Friar Nicolson Diabetes Foundation[1]
- Possibly the same as Kenneth Rooney Nicolson; the name matches, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Ken 'Friar' Nicolson", builder profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/builder-profile/97d91726-a863-4810-a82d-5fd764350f84 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.