Larry Wood
Bell Memorial — Inducted 1990
Larry Wood built one of Alberta’s most distinguished careers in sports journalism through decades of dedicated coverage of amateur and professional sport.
Wood began his media career in 1957 with the Medicine Hat News as a news reporter. By 1958, he had become the sole sports reporter on staff, covering all levels of competition in the region. In January 1960, he joined the Calgary Herald, initially working at the news desk before moving full-time into sports reporting in 1961.
Replacing veteran reporter Johnny Hopkins, Wood covered curling and baseball for eighteen years. During that time, he reported on sixteen World Curling Championships, becoming one of Canada’s most knowledgeable curling journalists. His deep understanding of the sport helped elevate curling coverage at both the provincial and international levels.
In 1978, Wood transitioned to the role of sports columnist at the Calgary Herald, where he continued to influence Alberta’s sports media landscape for many years.
Throughout his career, Wood covered three Summer Olympic Games, three Winter Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, numerous World Championships, Stanley Cups, Grey Cups, and Canadian Open golf championships. In 1980, he became the first Calgary Herald staff journalist to cover a World Cup alpine ski race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany — a race won by Canadian skier Steve Podborski.
In addition to print journalism, Wood contributed to sport broadcasting during the 1960s and 1970s, announcing curling and golf events on CFAC Radio.
After Induction
Wood continued writing and contributing to Alberta sport journalism following his Alberta Sports Hall of Fame induction.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to curling coverage, he was inducted into the Southern Alberta Curling Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Larry Wood passed away on February 15, 2022.
Awards and Honours
- 1990 — Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Bell Memorial Inductee
- Covered 16 World Curling Championships
- Covered 3 Summer Olympic Games
- Covered 3 Winter Olympic Games
- Covered 2 Commonwealth Games
- Sports Columnist — Calgary Herald
- Broadcaster — CFAC Radio (Curling and Golf)
- Wood was elected to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2002
- 2005 — Southern Alberta Curling Association Hall of Fame Inductee
