By DAVE KOSONIC

Legendary journalist and broadcaster Gordon Sinclair loved Etobicoke and is still considered a legend by many area residents.

Sinclair, a member of the Etobicoke Hall of Fame, managed to cram an enormous number of accomplishments into his busy life before passing away at age 83 in May 1984.

Sinclair grew up in the Cabbagetown area but spent much of his life living in his family home tucked away just off Burnhamthorpe Road w., near the Islington Golf Course.

Growing up, he dropped out of high school during his first year and was terminated by his first two employers, the Bank of Nova Scotia and Eaton’s. He served part time with the 48th Highlanders of Canada

Things began happening for him in 1922 when he was hired as a cub reporter by the Toronto Star and began working his way up the newsroom ladder.

Before long, he rose to become one of the most prominent Toronto Star reporters and for a decade in the 1930s travelled around the world four times on assignment, which included interviews with Queen Elizabeth, Adolph Hitler and Teddy Roosevelt among others.

The Star wrote that Sinclair had travelled 340,000 miles in 73 countries for the newspaper. During that time he wrote eight books on his exploits.

Sinclair married co-worker Gladys Prewett in 1926 and they were parents of three sons and a daughter. His eldest, Gord (1928–2002), was also a successful and respected journalist in Montreal, as well as a majority radio station owner.

Sinclair joined Toronto radio station CFRB in 1943 and became part-owner of that station the next year. He continued with CFRB until his death.

He appeared on the popular weekly CBC’s Front Page Challenge for 27 years flanked by other television personalities including; Betty Kennedy, Pierre Berton and Fred Davis.

Sinclair was flamboyant and developed his own “distinctive” style of dress which included plaid blazers and loud bowties. He especially loved wearing a kilt to celebrate his Scottish heritage.

He gained considerable attention globally when he praised the U.S. from his Canadian perspective in 1973 and at later dates.

“This Canadian thinks it is time to stick up for the Americans…I am one Canadian sick and tired of them being kicked around,” Sinclair stated.

The  broadcaster loved cars and drove around in a Rolls Royce for many years.

He was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1979.

Sinclair died from a heart attack and rests in Etobicoke’s Park Lawn Cemetery. His spirit lives on in the community.