John McKeachie, who became well-known to B.C. sports fans as a member of the BCTV news team, wasn't born into the business.

He was always interested in sports, playing baseball and basketball growing up in Victoria then working eight years in the sporting goods industry. But he was a late convert to broadcasting, taking on a summer job with the old CKDA radio station, after breaking his jaw playing basketball at the University of Victoria.

The summer job became a career. He quickly moved up the ladder, working with CKNW radio on Vancouver Canucks hockey and B.C. Lions football games, then latching on with BCTV, where he lasted more than 25 years. Outside BCTV, McKeachie's hosting and broadcast career covered everything from the B.C. Summer and Winter Games to the Olympic Games in 1992 and '94, and more recent stints on talk radio.

Big John continues to be a sought-after personality who volunteers his time hosting events for various charities around B.C.

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