Brendan McCarthy, the NL’s ‘hockey professor’ and leading sports journalist, has died aged 66.

Longtime Newfoundland and Labrador sports journalist and broadcaster, Brendan McCarthy, passed away on Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 66 years old. (Submitted by Richard Taylor)

Brendan McCarthy, a St. John, who earned the nickname “Hockey Prof” and established himself over the decades as Newfoundland and Labrador’s leading sports reporter, has died at the age of 66.

McCarthy died Saturday evening at the Health Sciences Center, following a day of visitation by family, friends and colleagues.

Even his beloved cat Cheddar was seen by his bedside, McCarthy’s son, Richard Taylor, told CBC News on Monday.

He said ‘I feel at peace,’ said Richard.

McCarthy had been battling leukemia for 15 years. His wife Audrey also died of cancer in April 2019.

Casting spells

His death was met with many spells, with great praise for his good coverage of hockey and other sports during his thirty years with The Telegram newspaper, but also for his kindness and ability to teach other journalists.

McCarthy’s longtime Telegram colleague, photographer Keith Gosse, said on Facebook that McCarthy was “the kindest, funniest, most loved and most respected person I knew,” and “a wonderful colleague, friend and true gentleman.”

Mark Dwyer, director of news and current affairs at NTV and a former Telegram colleague, wrote that McCarthy was “a gifted journalist, among the all-time greats, but he will be remembered most as a noble and wonderful man.”

McCarthy was originally from British Columbia, but grew up in New Brunswick. He moved to Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula in the early 1980s to work as a broadcaster at Q Radio. But his fame was made during his years with The Telegram, where he teamed up with sports editor Robin Short — who died in August 2021 — to cover the American Hockey League’s St. John’s Maple Leafs and later the St. John’s IceCaps. 1990s.

Brendan McCarthy, center, was inducted into the NL Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022. He posted this photo with his family during the event. From left to right, daughter-in-law Alicia Taylor, grandson Alex, Brendan McCarthy, grandson Ryan, and son Richard Taylor. (Posted by Richard Taylor)

McCarthy received the James H. Ellery Memorial Award in 1998 for his outstanding media coverage of the AHL, and was inducted into the NL Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.

Over the years, McCarthy regrouped the St. John’s Fog Devils of the then Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and more recently, the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers.

However, McCarthy never strayed far from his broadcasting roots and for many years provided color commentary for Leafs and IceCaps AHL games with play-by-play managers George McLaren and Brian Rogers on VOCM Radio.

While his beat was high-level hockey, McCarthy was also prominent in local sports, and maintained the paper’s weekly “Newfoundlanders Away” hockey statistics section.

In 2008, he wrote this book, Thinking Ahead: The Danny Cleary Storywhich told the story of the first man from Newfoundland and Labrador to play for, and win, the coveted Stanley Cup.

McCarthy also donated his time to support the Cancer Care Foundation and its efforts to build a new chemotherapy unit at Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Center. McCarthy and Short are featured in the video, with McCarthy sharing the story of her battle with cancer, and how her work and the support of her colleagues helped her.

‘The biggest influence in my life’

Meanwhile, McCarthy’s son said his father “had a big impact on my life” and he’s trying to emulate his father.

McCarthy also had a special relationship with his two grandsons, Alex, 15, and Ryan, 13, Richard McCarthy said.

Although the family is saddened by McCarthy’s passing, Richard McCarthy said they are focused on the positive impact his father had on many people.

“I appreciate how peaceful he was and how many people have touched him,” Richard McCarthy wrote on Facebook. “He was an inspiration all around with his kindness, selflessness and positive outlook. There is a void in him that will never be filled.”

Richard said visitors will be received at Barrett’s Funeral Home on Hamilton Avenue from 2pm to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday at Barrett’s.

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