21 Facts About Ernie Calcutt

Ernest George Calcutt was a Canadian sports commentator and radio news director.

Ernie Calcutt worked for CFRA 580-AM in Ottawa, and was the voice for the Ottawa Rough Riders radio broadcasts from 1964 to 1983.

Ernie Calcutt served as a president of the Canadian Football Reporters, and was inducted into both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame.

Ernest George Ernie Calcutt was born on November 1,1932, in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Allan and Doris Ernie Calcutt.

Ernie Calcutt grew up in the Centretown neighbourhood of Ottawa, was an altar boy at St Patrick's Basilica and frequented the Ottawa Auditorium as a youth.

Ernie Calcutt played Canadian football and ice hockey, and attended St Patrick's High School.

Ernie Calcutt began working for CFRA 580-AM radio part-time in 1961.

Ernie Calcutt worked with Metropolitan Life Insurance for 12 years, until he joined CRFA full-time in 1964.

Ernie Calcutt became the station's sports director in 1965, and then its news director in 1968.

Ernie Calcutt was the English language radio sports commentator for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1964 to 1983.

The Ottawa Citizen described Ernie Calcutt as having an encyclopedic knowledge of Canadian football, and that he was candid about the Ottawa Rough Riders and not intimidated to give criticism despite that the team and radio station had common ownership.

Ernie Calcutt was credited for having a sense of on-air humour, and for coining the phrases "pulling an el foldo" and "being as wide open as a church door on a Sunday morning".

Ernie Calcutt served as president of the Canadian Football Reporters, and was a recurring host of the Schenley Award for the league's most valuable player.

Ernie Calcutt served as a director with the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club, and was a founding member of both the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame in 1968, and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in 1974.

Ernie Calcutt was a frequent master of ceremonies for the Ottawa Sports Awards annual dinner, and made contributions to the Easter Seals telethon hosted in Ottawa.

Ernie Calcutt helped establish Operation Go Home, to return runaway children to their families.

Ernie Calcutt died on January 10,1984, in Ottawa, Ontario, due to a stroke.

Ernie Calcutt's remains were cremated and a memorial was erected at Notre-Dame Cemetery in Ottawa.

Ernie Calcutt was succeeded by John Badham as the radio announcer for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the sports director of CFRA.

Ernie Calcutt was inducted into the builder category of the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.

Ernie Calcutt was inducted into the football reporters section of Canadian Football Hall of Fame on November 26,2017, in a ceremony at the 105th Grey Cup game played in Ottawa.