One of the most iconic voices in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs has passed away.
Paul Morris, the legendary Maple Leafs public address announcer who worked nearly 40 years for the team from 1961 to 1999, passed away this week at the age of 86, the team announced in a statement late Monday night.
“The voice of Maple Leaf Gardens for decades, Paul never missed a game from 1961 to 1999. He called the final game at the Gardens and was the first voice at Scotiabank Arena. More than an announcer, Paul was part of Leafs history. His voice and legacy will forever echo in Leafs Nation,” the Leafs wrote in a statement on X.
The Leafs won four Stanley Cups while Morris was with the team, all in his first few years on the job in the 1960s.
Morris was replaced in 1999 by Andy Frost, who was subsequently replaced in 2016 by Mike Ross. With just three men holding the full-time Leafs PA announcer position since 1961, it’s clear that a whole generation of Leafs fans knew no other voice during their formative years as a franchise.
Ross was among those posting tributes to Morris on social media, sharing a picture of them on the Scotiabank Arena ice.
“I only met him once, but he was clearly a very kind man, who loved what he did. His was the voice I grew up hearing on Saturday nights sitting alongside my Grandpa,” Ross wrote. “RIP Mr. Morris.”
https://x.com/RossyOnTheMic/status/1889089670627377536
Leafs radio announcer Joe Bowen also posted a tribute to Morris, as the two shared the same press box for many years.
“Saddened to learn of the passing of ‘The Voice of the Gardens’ Paul Morris. His iconic voice announced Maple Leaf goals for 36 years and was a mainstay at Maple Leaf Gardens!!! RIP,” Bowen wrote.
