Former Toronto Maple Leafs voice Joe Bowen opened up about life after retiring. Bowen revealed one thing he misses about calling games. He said the camaraderie he shared with his broadcast partner is something he looks back on fondly.
After 44 years as the Maple Leafs’ play-by-play announcer, Bowen retired. He was celebrated by the franchise for his decades of dedication and the passion he put into every broadcast.
Bowen’s final two games gave him an opportunity to thank Leafs Nation, the organization, his mentors, and his family.
Although Bowen retired from announcing duties with the Leafs, he is still involved with the organization. However, he misses working with Jim Ralph, with whom he spent 25 years calling games with.
Ex-Maple Leafs Voice Joe Bowen Reveals What He Misses Most About Calling Games
Former Maple Leafs voice Joe Bowen admitted that it is nice to have more free time on his hands since retiring.
“The People [is who I miss most]. I don’t think that that’s strange by any stretch of the imagination. I enjoy the freedom that I have now of not following a schedule,” Bowen told theScore.
However, Bowen revealed that the camaraderie he shared with Jim Ralph and the experience working alongside him are what he misses most about calling games.
“I worked with color commentator Jim Ralph for 29 years or so. That’s been a little bit of an adjustment. And all the other people that were involved with the Maple Leafs, from the players, the coaching staff, and everything else, so you miss that,” he said. “But I’m doing a lot of ambassador work for the Leafs, so I’m down there on a regular basis and I get to see these people again.”
Bowen Reflects on His Final Season With the Leafs
Bowen also reflected on his final season as the Leafs’ play-by-play announcer. Over the course of the season, the organization celebrated his career, particularly with a special themed ‘Holy Mackinaw! Night.’
Bowen was given the night off as the Leafs honored him with a pre-game ceremony that featured a video package. Many Leafs legends, including Mats Sundin and Wendel Clark, were featured in the video and offered congratulations to Bowen.
Bowen also received an ovation from Leafs fans during his final home game at Scotiabank Arena. In a surprising gesture, the Leafs’ rivals, the Ottawa Senators, also acknowledged him during his final NHL game.
The Hall of Famer expressed his gratitude for how the organization treated him during his final season.
“What went on for me was remarkable. The Leafs did such a wonderful job celebrating. I was completely overwhelmed by everything. My family was very much involved, which was very, very important for me,” Bowen told theScore.
“Having it go that way was unfortunate, but at least I knew when the end was coming. It wasn’t going to be in overtime in Game 6 or 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” he said. “It was something that at least I could anticipate, plan, and, for the very first time, produce some sort of written script that I could try and read at the end because I knew it was going to be emotional.”
Ex-Maple Leafs Voice Joe Bowen Reveals One Thing He Misses About Calling Games