Paul Morris (PA announcer)
Encyclopedia
Paul Morris is the former public address announcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs
and sound engineer at Maple Leaf Gardens
. He held the announcing job for 38 years, from October 14, 1961, to 1999 and was the PA announcer for 1,585 consecutive Leaf games. Morris was known for his dispassionate, monotone voice, instantly recognizable to two generations of Leaf fans.
Morris's father, Doug Morris, was an electrician at Maple Leaf Gardens
from its opening in 1931. Paul Morris began working at the Gardens in the summer of 1958 while a student at the Ryerson Institute of Technology
. He quit school and stayed at the Gardens, becoming PA announcer three years later when Red Barber was fired.
When the team moved from the Gardens to the Air Canada Centre
in February 1999, Morris was not given a full-time job at the new building. Instead, he was offered $300 a game to continue as announcer. He finished the season and then retired at age 61. Andy Frost
was hired as his successor in September.
At the Leafs' 1999-2000 home-opener on October 4, 1999, Morris was honoured during a pre-game ceremony and in the third period announced "last minute of play in this period" one last time.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and sound engineer at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
. He held the announcing job for 38 years, from October 14, 1961, to 1999 and was the PA announcer for 1,585 consecutive Leaf games. Morris was known for his dispassionate, monotone voice, instantly recognizable to two generations of Leaf fans.
Morris's father, Doug Morris, was an electrician at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
from its opening in 1931. Paul Morris began working at the Gardens in the summer of 1958 while a student at the Ryerson Institute of Technology
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
. He quit school and stayed at the Gardens, becoming PA announcer three years later when Red Barber was fired.
When the team moved from the Gardens to the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
in February 1999, Morris was not given a full-time job at the new building. Instead, he was offered $300 a game to continue as announcer. He finished the season and then retired at age 61. Andy Frost
Andy Frost
Andy Frost is a Toronto radio personality with stations Q-107 and AM 640, as well as the public address announcer at the Air Canada Centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He replaced long-time PA announcer, Paul Morris who retired at the end of the 1998/99 hockey season...
was hired as his successor in September.
At the Leafs' 1999-2000 home-opener on October 4, 1999, Morris was honoured during a pre-game ceremony and in the third period announced "last minute of play in this period" one last time.