Former colleagues and members of the Canadian sports community spent the early part of Grey Cup Sunday expressing their respect for former CTV Calgary sports director Ken Newans who died Saturday. During the second intermission on Sportsnet’s Saturday Night Hockey broadcast of the Calgary Flames game against the Los Angeles Kings, Ron Maclean paid tribute to Newans, who was the sports director at CFCN in Calgary in the 1970s when Maclean was starting out in Red Deer. “God love Ken,” Maclean said.. “We lost him at the age of 95 tonight, (on) the eve of the Grey Cup. Ken was a brilliant sportscaster at CFCN, but he was also the voice of the Stampeders too doing their play-by-play and then as the PA (public address announcer). He covered 30 Grey Cups. He’s in the CFL Hall of Fame – just a kind, kind brilliant broadcaster, Ken Newans, so our love to family and friends out there.” Longtime Calgary Stampeder play-by-play man Mark Stephen weighed in, saying, ”Ken was so influential in so many ways to so many people. He has been, by far, the biggest influence and supporter in my broadcast career. It was a blessing to have kept in close contact with him after his career ended." The Stampeders also posted a tribute to Newans on their social media, saying “We are thinking of the entire Newans family, along with the countless others he impacted, and will always be grateful for the lasting legacy he left behind.” CTV Calgary’s current sports anchor Glenn Campbell, who is working Sunday’s Grey Cup broadcast, also paid tribute to Newans, saying, “He took a chance on me and was my mentor. He taught me about hard work and the importance of covering all sports, not just professional athletes.” In addition to his work with CFCN and the Stampeders, Newans was active in the amateur sports community, including working as the public address announcer for the University of Calgary Dinos for 27 seasons. “Noodles”, as Newans was affectionately known, was the only person to receive the Fred Sgambati Award twice for his coverage of Canadian university sports. He also received the University of Calgary’s Athletic Departments’ Distinguished Service Award in 1992 and the Peter Connellan Award for his unwavering support of Dinos football. Newans was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 as a multisport builder. He’s also in the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame and was inducted into the CFL reporters Hall of Fame in 1991. “Ken Newans was talented, passionate, and kind,” said CTV News Director Jeff Little. “As a legend in our industry, he never hesitated to lend a hand to those just beginning their careers. “I was lucky enough to be one of those people and, like so many others, I owe Ken a tremendous debt of gratitude.” Former CTV Calgary colleagues shared memories of Newans on Barb Higgins social media page. “He was such an amazing man; kind, generous, spunky and fun,” Higgins posted. “I adored Ken and will always be so grateful to have known and worked with him. We continued our friendship after retirement, celebrating his 90th birthday (5 years ago), along with Darrel (Janz)’s 80th and David (Spence)’s retirement. Life is precious” Higgins also sent condolences to Newans’ children Mike and Janet. Spence posted a tribute to Newans as well. Everyone in Calgary sports and beyond, it seemed, had a personal connection to Ken Newans.
