Senior CALGARY
May 2014
Volume 12, No. 5
“Heart of the New West” - Your Senior Connection
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INSIDE: 6 Opinion 12 Coffee Break 7 Travel 14 Solutions 10 On the Town 15 Pet Contest SPECIAL Great Escape Travel Section ... 7-10 Serving the Community since 2002
After the final announcement Joe Carbury reflects on more than 50 years as the voice of the Calgary Stampede By Sarah Junkin From there, Carbury moved to For more than half a century, his Calgary and later Edmonton where was one of the most distinctive voic- he was a sports announcer doing es in Alberta. play-by- plays for both hockey and “And they’rrrre off!” was a sound football. Later he moved to Hamilas distinctive to the Calgary Stam- ton, Ont. where for three years he pede as the excited shrieks from the announced the Tigercats football roller coaster, or the smells of live- games. But it was during this time stock and cotton candy. that Carbury realized his heart was In a career that spanned 57 years, in Alberta. Joe Carbury started out by an“I missed the west, the people” nouncing sports on the radio before he said.” Hamilton was alright, but advancing to play-by-play commen- it wasn’t Calgary and I knew then tary for the Medicine Hat Tigers, that I belonged in the west.” the Calgary StampedCarbury returned ers, the Edmonton Esto Calgary to work for kimos, the Hamilton CFAC, and one afterTiger-cats, countless noon wandered down to hockey games, and dozthe Stampede grounds. ens of high profile box“I took in the rodeo ing matches. and got talking to someIn 1953 he began anone from the Stampede nouncing the thoroughboard,” he recalled. “He bred horse races at asked if I knew anyStampede Park which thing about racing. He he continued up until said they needed some2007, and in the 1960s, one to broadcast their his rich, resonant voice thoroughbred horseracbecame synonymous ing.” with the chuckwagon Carbury agreed to races until his retiregive it a try. ment in 2008. “I had no one to coach In all, Carbury has me, and when the first announced over 1,000 Joe Carbury announced race started and the hockey games and more over 25,000 horse races horn went off it almost in his career. than 25,000 horse races scared the hell out of Submitted photo which accounts for more me,” he chuckled. “But than half of horseracing’s 117-year 45 years later I was still there.” history at Stampede Park. By the time he retired in 2008 But Carbury said he took a circu- Carbury said his distinctive voice itous route to finding his calling. was becoming weary. Born in Winnipeg, he served as “My throat was getting hoarse a signalman in the merchant navy and I had an overnight in the hospibefore becoming a manufacturer’s tal,” he said. “I knew I was getting agent. close to the finish line.” He had originally thought about Now in his 80s, Carbury has following in his father’s footsteps nothing but fond memories of his and becoming an RCMP officer, but long career. at the age of 19, he was too young, “The Stampede was very good to and the recruiters suggested he ap- me,” he said. “They were wonderful ply again when he turned 21. So in people and couldn’t do enough for the meantime Carbury took on the me.” position of manufacturer’s agent, In 2003 Carbury was inducted and it was in this role that he was into the Alberta Sports Hall of passing through Medicine Hat on Fame, and a ‘grate portrait’ of the business. legend is located in the Pop Culture “I stopped in at a radio station and Entertainment section of the and got chatting with the program Walk of Fame on Stephen Avenue director,” Carbury said. “He asked in Calgary. if I was interested in a career in raSince his beloved wife Rose passed dio. I took an audition and became away a few years ago, Carbury lives a sports announcer on July 1, 1948. quietly in Calgary where he still I did a bit of everything and it was a works out every day, and maintains damn good training.” close contact with his two daughters
(Above) Joe holds his collection of pins, each representing a year he worked for the Calgary Stampede. (Right) Joe served in the navy as a young man, just before becoming a sports broadcaster. Submitted photos
and his grandchildren. All around his home are photographs, mementos and plaques commemorating his illustrious career. Carbury says he still wanders down to the Calgary Stampede most years. “On the first night of the chucks I admit I get a little teary,” he said. “I think to myself, I could still be doing that.”
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