This is a bittersweet day for all of us here at Global Kingston.
As you may know, Doug Jeffries, who recently celebrated his 46th anniversary in broadcasting on both radio and television, has now decided to retire.
Few broadcasters will ever reach that milestone, and Doug has set the bar high when it comes to his dedication to the local sports scene.
How do you sum up Doug’s career in broadcasting and sports? For him, it’s been about perseverance, dedication and a labour of love.
Douglas Michael Jeffries was born in Gananoque and raised on Churchill Drive, just a stone’s throw from Gananoque Secondary School.
Doug’s career choice was not a surprise, at least not to his high school buddies.
He wrote about wanting to be a broadcaster in his 1974 yearbook.
“Doug was a big fan of Max Jackson,” said longtime friend, Danny O’Hearn. “We would jokingly call Doug ‘Max’ all the time. That was his nickname.
“What can I say? Doug pursued his dream and that’s what he wanted to do.”
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Max Jackson, of course, was also a longtime sportscaster at CKWS-TV.
Doug spent 23 years on radio and the last 23 years on TV, keeping our community updated when it comes to the world of sports.
It’s safe to say he’s been to just about every local rink, field and sports club, interviewing countless coaches and athletes along the way and often shooting his own material.
But now, it’s time to hang up the microphone.
“Years ago I met Doug Jeffries’ family and I think he got his unique sense of humour from his brother, Masher,” Former CKLC Radio colleague and friend, Greg Hunter, said.
“But Lou, his dad, taught him a sense of community, a sense of involvement and he carried that into Kingston.”
And Doug’s admiration soon spread into the Kingston community, forging relationships with every organization in the Limestone City.
“Sports is an important part of the culture as you know and Doug has been the gatekeeper, making sure that people were informed and not just informed, he did it in a very personal and authentic kind of way,” former Queen’s University football coach Pat Sheahan said.
“Doug and I spent a long time meeting them at the bridge and doing the best we could, etc., but I’m going to have to defer to the words of Will Rogers: ‘Now it’s time to stand on the corner and clap as the parade goes by,’ and I really hope that Doug has a tremendous next chapter,” Sheahan added.
And Doug was always willing to pass on his knowledge to anyone who asked.
“It was so nice to have someone who was so easy to approach. There was no ego, I never felt silly asking Doug a question,” former CKWS colleague Julie Brown said.
She had the pleasure of working with Doug for a decade.
“Yes, he has sports running through his veins but he also is a family man, a spiritual man and music is such a part of his life as well,” Brown added.
“When I think of Doug Jeffries I think of his ability to be able to sing the entire score of Wizard of Oz frontwards and backwards and of course ‘Delilah’, the famous Tom Jones tune. He can sing it like you wouldn’t believe,” former CKLC radio colleague, Jane Douglas said.
It never took much to get Doug crooning tunes during sports, or even behind the scenes.
The “Pete” Petersen basketball league is close to Doug’s heart along with the Special Olympics, including the Shot Rocks curling team.
“Hello Doug, I heard you were retiring. Congratulations,” Special Olympian Ron Keiley said.
“We want to thank you for all your support for Special Olympics Kingston chapter. Thank you and enjoy your retirement,” coach Bill McCormick said.
“Doug did a really good job when he interviewed you. He was genuinely interested in you and generally interested in the sports and a lot of people take that for granted,” Queen’s hockey head coach Brett Gibson said.
“His passion for the individual, the sports team, the clubs and the city, I think, really separates him from a lot of people that you get interviewed by.”
An ultimate team player who makes everyone feel like a champion. Doug, enjoy your retirement. And maybe one day you’ll get that elusive hole in one!
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