A familiar face – and voice – was among the 2025 BC Sports Hall of Fame inductees Wednesday (Oct.16).
White Rock's Jim Hughson, a longtime play-by-play commentator who enjoyed a 42-year career that includes a dozen Stanley Cup finals, two World Series and two Olympic Games, is being inducted in the media category.
The Fort St. John born-and-raised broadcaster called his first game on radio in 1979, and spent time broadcasting Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs games on television before joining TSN in 1987. He was the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1987 until 1994. While primarily known for his hockey commentary, Hughson was also part of the team that covered the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.
"I'm extremely honoured and humbled," Hughson said of his induction, noting while he had to move to Toronto for his career, he moved back to B.C. in 1994, settling on the Semiahmoo Peninsula, where he enjoys oceanside walks whenever he's able. "It's a spectacular place to live."
Hughson joined Sportsnet in 1998, first as a national play-by-play announcer before switching to working regional broadcasts for the Vancouver Canucks, remaining in that role until 2008. He joined CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada” in 2005, eventually replacing Bob Cole as the lead play-by-play announcer starting with the 2008-09 season. He was CBC’s secondary play-by-play men’s hockey announcer for the 2006 Turin Games, and was part of the lead hockey broadcast team for the 2014 Sochi Games.
Hughson did highlight the Sochi Canadian National Team – both the men's and women's hockey squads won gold in hockey that year.
"They were the best... the finest hockey I've seen," he said.
Hughson said it was difficult to name just one game or moment as a highlight, as he had the privilege of experiencing so many memorable games and moments, from Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Olympics to the World Series.
The Hockey Hall of Fame awarded Hughson the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2019 to honour his outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. He is also a four-time Canadian Screen Awards winner for best sports play-by-play announcer.
Other 2025 inductees included five athletes, three builder-coaches, one team, one pioneer, one media member and the winner of the prestigious W.A.C. Bennett Award:
Athletes
• Christine Sinclair - Soccer
• Ray Ferraro - Hockey
• Cindy Devine – Mountain Biking
• Nathan Hirayama – Rugby
• Walter Wu – Para Swimming
Builders-Coaches
• Chandra Madhosingh – Table Tennis
• Dr. Saul Miller – Sports Psychology
• Wes Woo - Weightlifting
Team
• 2000 BC Lions Men’s Football Team
Pioneer
•. Meraloma Club Founders – Multi-Sport
W.A.C. Bennett Award
• Robert Wright
– with files from Canadian Press
