Tony Gallagher’s impressive career at The Province newspaper spanning over 45 years began with a bold pitch to the sports editor.

How bold? With no resume and little experience, Gallagher essentially created his own beat to cover. A UBC political science student writing for the Ubyssey newspaper in 1967, he approached Province sports editor Don Brown to write game stories on UBC men’s basketball. Brown gave him a part-time job at $10 a pop. It proved a career springboard for one of BC’s most enduring sports media personalities.

Gallagher spent his first few years covering everything from Pacific Coast League soccer, high school sports, Vancouver’s tennis beat, and the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins. But it was hockey where he really made his mark, working the Canucks beat from 1976-87 and thereafter becoming a Province columnist. Known for digging up big stories—and occasionally burying players and coaches—Canucks GM Jake Milford gave him the nickname of ‘The Undertaker.’ Until his column’s retirement in 2015, Gallagher built a reputation as one of hockey’s most knowledgeable and connected writers. His work was so well respected Sports Illustrated offered him a job, but he chose to keep his family in BC instead.

Along the way, Gallagher covered 22 Stanley Cup Finals, three Winter Olympics, and several Canada Cups. He appeared as a regular guest on Hockey Night in Canada’s ‘After Forty Minutes.’ In 1989, he hosted his own sports talk show ‘Gallagher on Sport’ on CKWX radio, and since 2001 has remained a prominent voice on the TEAM / TSN 1040.


Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.

To view the 2018 Inductee career and thank you videos please visit our YouTube Channel here.