London, Ont. sportscaster Pete James dies at 89

If you saw sportcaster Pete James somewhere in London, Ont., something was happening.

You may not have known what that was, as he was likely the only one who knew about it, and he was in the process of getting the story.

If you saw James, all you had to do was wait a little while and there he would be on the radio or TV telling whatever story he had found to everyone.

James was a presence.

That’s probably why he felt so noticeable when he was outside the walls of the studio or away from the TV desk.

For his entire career, sports information in southwestern Ontario — and often beyond —went through James.

In the mid 1960s, James became the first person outside of a hotel conference room to know that the London Nationals were becoming the London Knights.

James discovered this because he was literally outside that conference room with his ear pressed to the keyhole. He heard the words, ran to the nearest payphone and informed London.

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Because that’s what he did so well. James informed everyone.

After beginning his career in St. Catharines, James worked at CFPL-TV and CFPL Radio in London right through to the late 1990s, when he left television for radio and a spot opposite Steve Garrison.

James also took on the role of radio analyst on London Knights games and travelled with the team up until the 2011/12 season, when he switched to a post-game analyst role with Rogers TV, working with host Ryan Robinson.

James’ work covering the Western Mustangs was legendary. He made you feel purple and proud whether you were a Western alumnus or not.

He was the master of ceremonies for the opening of London’s downtown arena, which is now known as Canada Life Place.

He would later be in the broadcast booth in March of 2004 when the Knights clinched their first-ever Hamilton Spectator Trophy as regular season champions in the Ontario Hockey League.

The look on his face that night, having covered the Knights for 39 years, was unforgettable.

The pride he felt for the organization was indisguisable.

A year later, James was the first radio reporter on the ice as celebrations went on around him after the Knights captured their very first Memorial Cup Championship.

James was a member of the London Sports Hall of Fame and also received an RTNDA Lifetime Achievement Award for his excellent work as a reporter.

James died on Feb. 4 at the age of 89.

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