Jacques Doucet, recognized for his enduring presence in Quebec’s baseball broadcasting, passed away at the age of 86, as announced by his family. With a career spanning decades, Doucet became a defining voice for French-language radio coverage of the Montreal Expos.
Born on March 8, 1940, in Montreal, Doucet started in journalism with the Canadian Press before transitioning to sports reporting. When the Montreal Expos were formed in 1968, Doucet was tasked by La Presse to cover the team. Initially serving as an official scorer at Jarry Park, he began contributing to French radio broadcasts during the Expos’ first season in 1969.
In 1972, Doucet took on the role of the team’s French-language play-by-play announcer full-time, a position he held for 33 seasons until the team’s final game in Montreal in 2004. During his tenure, he called over 5,500 major league games, including postseason and World Series events. His work established essential baseball terminology for Quebec, an area where English terms were previously prevalent.
After the Expos relocated to Washington in 2004, Doucet continued his broadcasting career with the Quebec Capitales from 2006 to 2011 and then joined TVA Sports. There, he brought French-language coverage to Toronto Blue Jays games. His contributions were recognized through numerous accolades, including induction into both the Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002 and Montreal Expos Hall of Fame in 2003. Doucet received the Jack Graney Award in 2004 and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Doucet’s passing occurred shortly after the death of his broadcasting partner Rodger Brulotte, with whom he had formed a lasting presence in Quebec’s French-language baseball coverage. The Toronto Blue Jays paid homage to Doucet, expressing heartfelt condolences to his family and acknowledging his significant impact on Canadian baseball.