For over forty years, Don Taylor has been bringing BC sports fans “up to date in the world of sports.”
With his perfect blend of hilarious impressions (think Marv Albert’s ‘gorgeous move’ or the Maple Leaf Gardens PA announcer), catch phrases (‘top shelf where grandma keeps the peanut butter’), or obscure trivia (‘wearing Neil Belland’s old number 34 sweater’), and on whatever medium—radio, TV, newspaper, online—he remains appointment viewing to this day. Add to that his encyclopedic sports knowledge, informed opinions, and goofy sense of humour and Don is one of the most popular and widely respected sports media personalities in BC history.
Born and raised in North Burnaby, Don was the youngest of six kids in a sports-crazed household where family dinners were eaten off TV trays watching whatever game was on that night. He followed his older brothers into lacrosse and played hockey like his favourite player Frank Mahovlich. After high school, he studied broadcasting at Vancouver’s Columbia Academy and took a job for three years at CJDC in Dawson Creek gaining valuable experience as a radio DJ, television newscaster, and sports director. Three years at CKGY in Red Deer followed before Paul Carson brought Don back home in 1985 as the new host of CKVU’s already popular Sports Page. There he and the show flourished for the next 15 years—the most popular host of BC’s most influential sports highlight show.
Don branched out in the late 1990s, writing a weekly sports column in The Province, hosting his own sports talk show on CKNW, and recording colour commentary for EA Sports video games such as NHL 2002.
He returned to television in 2001, serving as the nightly on-air host of Sportsnet Connected in BC until 2014. At the same time, he co-hosted a daily sports talk radio show on TEAM/TSN 1040 alongside co-hosts David Pratt, Barry Macdonald, and Bob Marjanovich from 2003-21. Since 2021 he has created another winner with BC viewers, co-hosting CHEK TV’s Donnie and Dhali: The Team alongside Rick Dhaliwal.
Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.