The Toronto Argonauts are saddened to announce that longtime stadium
announcer Marc Chambers passed away on Friday, May 2. Mark had been
courageously fighting cancer since being diagnosed in July 2006.
Chambers’ longtime friend and Argo Alumni Mike Campbell reminisced,
“From the first day I met Marc, I could tell that he had a real
enthusiasm, interest and love of the game. We were fortunate to have him as
our announcer and I was fortunate, later on, to work with him in the booth.
He bled double blue and was as much a part of the team as the players –
we’ll miss him.”
Campbell continued, “The 1991 Grey Cup parade at city hall is one of my
fondest memories of Marc. Having him call us up one at a time and introduce
us to the hometown crowd, then listening for the applause and excitement is
a moment I’ll never forget.”
Marc originally became the in-stadium voice of the Argonauts in 1989 and was
immediately embraced by fans and players. His majestic voice and familiar
calls brought excitement to every play and could easily summon the crowd to
their feet. He was there when names like Rocket Ismail and Michael
‘Pinball’ Clemons took the field for the first time, and when legendary
receiver Terry Greer was honoured as an All-Time Argo. Marc called home
games during two Grey Cup seasons (1991 & 2004) and made the call when Damon
Allen achieved 70,000 passing yards.
Lori Bursey, President of the Argonauts’ Fan Club – Friends of the
Argonauts – remarked, “Marc hosted our very first major fan club event in
1991 at Wayne Gretzky’s with the same enthusiasm he had for the Argos as he
had for life. He had a wonderful relationship with players and fans alike,
and it carried over throughout the years, even to today.
Marc was not only a person who embraced people physically, he embraced them
emotionally when he met them. There was never a time that Marc did not have
a smile on his face and a positive outlook toward everything around him.
Marc touched more lives than he was ever aware. He will be forever missed by
all of us not only for his early Jumbotron halftime shows and distinctive
voice on the PA system in the Dome for many years, but more importantly, for
his loving, caring nature. You will be sadly missed, Marc.”
Marc’s talent transcended the roar of the stadium into the corporate and
media world as well. He was the voice of The Weather Network, airlines,
radio, pay-per view shows, commercials, television shows and many other
mediums.
Marc Chambers, you will be missed by the entire Argonauts family.
Family, friends and
fans are invited to pay their respects on Wednesday, May 7, 7p.m. to 9
p.m. at the Humphrey Funeral Home, 1403 Bayview Avenue in Toronto.
Donations can be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation to
conquer cancer.