Patti Dawn Swansson
Inducted 2015
Primary Outlet
Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg Sun
Witty, cheeky and always a straight shooter, Patti Dawn Swansson made her mark as a fearless voice in Canadian sports journalism.
Formerly known as Pat Doyle, the hard-nosed, cowboy-hat-wearing columnist once received a bomb threat for publishing an opinion piece, but never backed down. She is the first and only transgender woman to be inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour.
Raised in East Kildonan, Swansson was known for her abundant laughter and larger-than-life personality. She began her career in 1969 at the Winnipeg Tribune, starting in the mailroom. By the following year, she had joined the editorial team as a copy runner and soon found herself in the sports department. Her talent and tenacity eventually earned her a spot on the Winnipeg Jets beat, where she covered the team’s final game in the World Hockey Association and its first in the National Hockey League.
When the Tribune closed in 1980, Swansson took her talents across the country, working for the Toronto Sun, Toronto Star and Calgary Sun before returning home to the Winnipeg Sun, spending 12 years there as sports columnist and twice as sports editor.
Between 1969 and 1999, her work took her around the world. She covered nine Grey Cups, five Super Bowls, the Edmonton Oilers' first Stanley Cup win, Muhammad Ali’s final fight in the Bahamas and Wayne Gretzky’s first professional game in Indianapolis against the Winnipeg Jets. A framed letter from Gretzky thanking her for a column still hangs above her desk.
Swansson was also a host on Prime Time Sports on CJOB Radio and holds the distinction of being the only sportswriter to ever play in an official game for the Jets. In 1979, while covering rookie camp in St. Agathe, Que, she was called in to replace an injured Patrick Daley and laced up for the team.
“It was one of the coolest things I ever did,” she said.
Despite her many accomplishments, Swansson takes the greatest pride in mentoring young sportswriters. By living authentically and speaking openly about her journey, she hopes to inspire the next generation of LGBT sportswriters to pursue their dreams and share their voices.
Patti Dawn Swansson was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour in 2015.
Formerly known as Pat Doyle, the hard-nosed, cowboy-hat-wearing columnist once received a bomb threat for publishing an opinion piece, but never backed down. She is the first and only transgender woman to be inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour.
Raised in East Kildonan, Swansson was known for her abundant laughter and larger-than-life personality. She began her career in 1969 at the Winnipeg Tribune, starting in the mailroom. By the following year, she had joined the editorial team as a copy runner and soon found herself in the sports department. Her talent and tenacity eventually earned her a spot on the Winnipeg Jets beat, where she covered the team’s final game in the World Hockey Association and its first in the National Hockey League.
When the Tribune closed in 1980, Swansson took her talents across the country, working for the Toronto Sun, Toronto Star and Calgary Sun before returning home to the Winnipeg Sun, spending 12 years there as sports columnist and twice as sports editor.
Between 1969 and 1999, her work took her around the world. She covered nine Grey Cups, five Super Bowls, the Edmonton Oilers' first Stanley Cup win, Muhammad Ali’s final fight in the Bahamas and Wayne Gretzky’s first professional game in Indianapolis against the Winnipeg Jets. A framed letter from Gretzky thanking her for a column still hangs above her desk.
Swansson was also a host on Prime Time Sports on CJOB Radio and holds the distinction of being the only sportswriter to ever play in an official game for the Jets. In 1979, while covering rookie camp in St. Agathe, Que, she was called in to replace an injured Patrick Daley and laced up for the team.
“It was one of the coolest things I ever did,” she said.
Despite her many accomplishments, Swansson takes the greatest pride in mentoring young sportswriters. By living authentically and speaking openly about her journey, she hopes to inspire the next generation of LGBT sportswriters to pursue their dreams and share their voices.
Patti Dawn Swansson was inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour in 2015.