Joe Bowen Concludes 44-Season Broadcasting Career with Maple Leafs
After an illustrious 44-season tenure calling Toronto Maple Leafs games on radio and television, Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Bowen is set to retire next month. Throughout his final season, Postmedia has been delving into Bowen's extensive archive of stories, highlighting memorable opponents, legendary players, and historic arenas from his decades behind the microphone.
Nostalgic Memories of St. Louis Arena and the Budweiser Theme
With the Maple Leafs visiting St. Louis on Saturday, Bowen reflected on the fierce Norris Division rivalry, when the teams clashed eight times annually, plus playoff meetings. He vividly recalls the iconic Budweiser theme song, "Here Comes the King," which was a staple at the old St. Louis Arena.
"I absolutely loved that song," Bowen reminisced. "They played it throughout the night at the Arena and before St. Louis Cardinals games when the Clydesdale horses would parade. I'd even listen to it while working out. It brings back so many memories of that place and the organist, usually Ernie Hays, up in the far corner of the rink. No fans clapped more or louder than St. Louis, and when that tune started slow and then sped up, it just got everyone going in that barn."
The Challenging Conditions of St. Louis Arena
The Arena, home to the Blues from 1967 to the mid-1990s, was originally a white elephant owned by Chicago Blackhawks owner James Norris. He insisted on placing a team there as a condition for supporting the NHL's expansion by six teams. However, the facility aged poorly, with mildew on divisional banners and cramped dressing rooms by the late 1980s.
"The visitors' room was by the Zamboni garage, so there were always vehicles parked there," Bowen recalled. He shared a harrowing anecdote about former player Dave Farrish, who accidentally ignited an acetylene torch while preparing his sticks before a game. "All of a sudden, the flame was engulfing the entire canister like an atomic bomb. Dave panicked and threw it under a truck. Everyone scattered, shouting 'it's goin' up!' An arena attendant bravely crawled under to retrieve the cylinder and extinguish the flame."
Fiery Encounters with Blues GM Ron Caron
Bowen also recounted tales of the late Blues general manager Ron Caron, known as 'The Professor' for his warm demeanor off the ice but infamous for his explosive temper during games. Bowen first witnessed Caron's outbursts while working as a play-by-play announcer for the AHL Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
"There'd be an early penalty on us, nothing severe, but he'd go ballistic on the refs or the opposing team for the rest of the game," Bowen said. "I wondered how he could properly assess talent." Despite his temper, Caron's Blues never missed the playoffs, building a tough small-market team that faced the Leafs in the playoffs four times in seven years.
In 1986, during a seventh game at the Arena, analyst Bill Watters jokingly told Caron that Hockey Night in Canada wanted the Leafs to advance to face Calgary. "Within minutes, we scored," Bowen recalled. "Caron erupted like Mount Vesuvius, pounding on the glass of his booth and swearing loudly." At Maple Leaf Gardens, Caron's press box antics included pounding on barriers and once throwing a chair toward Leaf executives Gord and Bob Stellick.
Quirky Travel Tales and On-Air Antics
During the Norris Division era, with no direct flights between Toronto and St. Louis, Bowen often changed planes in Detroit or Chicago. He sometimes crossed paths with Harold Ballard's girlfriend, Yolanda MacMillan, who enjoyed being paged as 'Mrs. Harold Ballard' to imply a marital status that didn't exist. If she and Ballard were at odds, Bowen and other media members might be tasked with carrying her luggage.
Bowen also fondly remembered working St. Louis TV games with late goaltender Greg Millen, who played for the Blues from 1984 to 1990. "Greg would embellish skating from the Blues' room entrance at one end of the rink to the opposite corner," Bowen said with a laugh. "You couldn't have put more mustard on that hot dog. When I asked him about it later, he just smiled and said, 'I made the most of that entrance, didn't I?'"
As Bowen prepares to hang up his microphone, his stories capture the essence of a bygone NHL era, filled with colorful characters, intense rivalries, and unforgettable moments that have defined his remarkable career.
