Bob Picken
September 24, 1932 – January 30, 2019
Inducted 1991
Primary Outlet
CJOB, CBC
Bob Picken had a memorable voice that became a familiar part of the Canadian sports landscape.
Picken was born on Sept. 24, 1932, and grew up in Winnipeg’s North End, graduating from St. John’s High School. In high school he joined the Winnipeg Citizen, covering midget and juvenile hockey, and went on to serve as secretary of the Winnipeg Midget Hockey League for five seasons.
In 1951, Picken received journalism training at Michigan State University. He launched his broadcasting career in the 1950s at CKY Radio and moved to CJOB in 1965 as sports director, where he also performed play‑by‑play for junior Jets and national hockey broadcasts. In 1969, he joined CBC Radio and TV, becoming a prolific voice in Manitoba sports through the 1990s. That included becoming The Voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1960s. Over his career, Picken covered 15 Grey Cups, four Olympic Games and 34 men's and women’s world curling championships, among many other sports events.
Beyond broadcasting, Picken was a multifaceted athlete, skipping teams at the Valour Road Curling Club to eight club titles and was the runner-up in the 1963 men’s provincial curling championship. He was also a catcher with the Elmwood Giants for 10 years, winning the juvenile title in 1951.
Picken was instrumental in founding the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association in 1955, later serving long term as its secretary and treasurer. He also made significant contributions to curling administration, serving in leadership roles with the Manitoba Curling Association, the Canadian Curling Association and as the first media-relations director for the World Curling Federation. He was also the first president of the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame and Museum in 1987.
A celebrated media builder, he produced Olympic curling promotion films and led broadcast teams at both the Brier and world junior championships. His volunteer legacy extended into baseball and golf. For more than 45 years, he supported the Grey Owl golf tournament and played key roles in tournament committees and club leadership.
Among his many honours, Picken was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball, Curling, Golf and Hockey halls of fame, as well as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame media wing, the Winnipeg Football Club’s Media Roll of Honour, Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and the World Curling Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2017.
Picken also twice earned the Scotty Harper Award for excellence in curling coverage and was named Honorary Life Member of the Manitoba Curling Association and the Valour Road and Portage curling clubs.
Picken freelanced from 1993 until retiring in 2008, continuing to cover curling and golf into his later years.
Bob Picken was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour in 1991. He passed away on Jan. 30, 2019.
Picken was born on Sept. 24, 1932, and grew up in Winnipeg’s North End, graduating from St. John’s High School. In high school he joined the Winnipeg Citizen, covering midget and juvenile hockey, and went on to serve as secretary of the Winnipeg Midget Hockey League for five seasons.
In 1951, Picken received journalism training at Michigan State University. He launched his broadcasting career in the 1950s at CKY Radio and moved to CJOB in 1965 as sports director, where he also performed play‑by‑play for junior Jets and national hockey broadcasts. In 1969, he joined CBC Radio and TV, becoming a prolific voice in Manitoba sports through the 1990s. That included becoming The Voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1960s. Over his career, Picken covered 15 Grey Cups, four Olympic Games and 34 men's and women’s world curling championships, among many other sports events.
Beyond broadcasting, Picken was a multifaceted athlete, skipping teams at the Valour Road Curling Club to eight club titles and was the runner-up in the 1963 men’s provincial curling championship. He was also a catcher with the Elmwood Giants for 10 years, winning the juvenile title in 1951.
Picken was instrumental in founding the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association in 1955, later serving long term as its secretary and treasurer. He also made significant contributions to curling administration, serving in leadership roles with the Manitoba Curling Association, the Canadian Curling Association and as the first media-relations director for the World Curling Federation. He was also the first president of the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame and Museum in 1987.
A celebrated media builder, he produced Olympic curling promotion films and led broadcast teams at both the Brier and world junior championships. His volunteer legacy extended into baseball and golf. For more than 45 years, he supported the Grey Owl golf tournament and played key roles in tournament committees and club leadership.
Among his many honours, Picken was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball, Curling, Golf and Hockey halls of fame, as well as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame media wing, the Winnipeg Football Club’s Media Roll of Honour, Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and the World Curling Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2017.
Picken also twice earned the Scotty Harper Award for excellence in curling coverage and was named Honorary Life Member of the Manitoba Curling Association and the Valour Road and Portage curling clubs.
Picken freelanced from 1993 until retiring in 2008, continuing to cover curling and golf into his later years.
Bob Picken was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour in 1991. He passed away on Jan. 30, 2019.