Al McCann
Bell Memorial - Inducted 1993
For close to thirty years, Al McCann covered the triumphs and defeats of Canadian athletes both nationally and internationally as Sports Director of CFRN Radio and TV in Edmonton. His distinguished career in broadcast sports coverage began in 1959 when he became Sports Director at CJLJ-TV in Lethbridge. In 1963, he headed to Edmonton where he went from sports announcer for CFRN to the position of sports director - from which he recently retired. Al McCann has covered 28 CFL Grey Cups, numerous Stanley Cups, Curling Briers and World Skiing Championships. In 1976, Al McCann was chosen as the overall host of CTV's coverage of the Olympics in Austria. As a member of the 1980 and 1988 CTV Olympics broadcasting team, he attended four Olympic Games after Austria, covering downhill and alpine skiing.
Al McCann has been inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Reporters Hall of Fame. He has also received a special Citation of Merit from the City of Edmonton.
After Induction
Al McCann has been inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Canadian Football Reporters Hall of Fame in 1993. He received a special Citation of Merit from the City of Edmonton.
Update: April 26, 2000
Al McCann's career in Edmonton spanned three decades - from 1963 to 1993. He reported on hockey, football, curling, soccer, baseball and golf. He presented stories of Edmonton's professional sports teams: the Oilers, Eskimos, Trappers, and Drillers as well as local amateur teams. Al also covered 28 Grey Cup games, many Stanley Cup finals, six Olympics and other major events such as the lndy-500, Daytona-500 and PGA championships.
From the sports desk, Al was promoted to Sports Director. He was a mentor to many staff throughout the years and was invited back in 2004 to be a host at the station's 50th Anniversary broadcast.
In 2013, Al was featured - along with Ernie Afaganis, Bryan Hall, Rod Philllips and John Short - on the Sportscasters Mural on the north facade of the Capilano Centre building.
Update: May 2015
Born: January 9, 1930
Passed away: March 11, 2015.
