Danny Gallivan
Issue #81 - March 4, 2020
This edition of Sky Studio is dedicated to Danny Gallivan
This edition of Sky Studio is dedicated to Danny Gallivan who joined former colleagues in Sky Studio, Feb 26, 2020.
Danny’s laugh is what comes to mind when many think of him - he always had a joke, a zinger, a perfectly timed comment, all part of his many attributes making him someone you wanted to be around.
Somewhere in the 70s Danny loaned his hockey knowledge to Hyland Radio & TV as colour commentator for the former Junior B league’s Wawa Travellers games broadcast on CJWA, the Hyland station in Wawa.
Play by play of those games was handled by Greg Stephens who kindly provides us with these reflections of a former colleague:
“When I think of Danny, it’s impossible not to smile.
“For several summers, we shared a cabin with Art Osborne and others on Upper Island Lake. We called ourselves the “Over the Hill Gang”. Danny dubbed our canoe the “SS Bottoms Up”, an appropriate name for a couple of reasons.
“Danny wasn’t an official employee of Hyland Radio and Television, but was on the air on CJWA, our affiliate in Wawa. For two seasons, I did play-by-play for the Wawa Travellers in the old NOHA Junior B league and Danny did the colour. It was great fun to go on the air and say "Good evening. Greg Stephens along with Danny Gallivan bringing you the ..." I’m sure there were some who were wondering how in heaven’s name I got the great Montreal Canadiens announcer to do Junior B games.
“Danny brought a superb knowledge of the game and a lightning-quick sense of humour. One story…the Travellers were in the Michigan Soo to play the Sault Indians at the Pullar Stadium. It was a small crowd and in one end, there were only two fans, seated directly behind the net just above the level of the glass (there was no protective netting in those days). A player took a slap shot. The puck deflected off a stick and screamed over the glass directly at the two. In a milli-second, they dove to the side just as the puck slammed into the seats precisely where they had been sitting. It was a very close call. Danny’s comment: “Yes, they’re lucky but it’s going to take a week to clean up the mess.” I broke up as did the Indians’ broadcast crew seated next to us.
“In Blind River for a game one weekend, we stayed in the Blind River Motel and asked for a room within crawling distance of the bar. It was a good call, as several Black Russians did their damage that night.
“There are so many other stories, but suffice it to say, Danny was a great guy who was fun to be around and made people laugh. What better legacy can there be.
“RIP old friend.”
Special Announcement
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/sault-ste-marie-on/daniel-gallivan-9053595
https://www.sootoday.com/obituaries/gallivan-daniel-michael-2123574