Team1200 Host "Buzz" dead at 41

The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, July 26, 2008

Local sports-radio personality Tim "Buzz" Kilpatrick succumbed to complications from a lung infection yesterday.

He was 41.


Kilpatrick, who began working for the TEAM 1200 in 2002, was admitted to the General campus of the Ottawa Hospital last week, suffering from shortness of breath. Kilpatrick was diagnosed as having an infection in his lungs, and his condition quickly deteriorated. He died at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Kilpatrick, raised in London, Ont., began working as a radio sports reporter in his home town before moving to Calgary in the early 1990s to work in radio there. He first worked at KICK-FM, again in sports, before moving to the station's morning show. He eventually joined another Calgary radio station, KISS-FM, where he also worked on the morning show.

Kilpatrick returned to London in the late 1990s to work at radio station CFPL. He came to Ottawa when he was hired by the TEAM 1200 six years ago. He was a co-host on the afternoon drive-home program with Don "The Dandyman" Romani before moving to the Three Guys on the Radio morning show.

Kilpatrick, who on the afternoon show played the straight shooter with the unpredictable Romani, was a bit of a fall guy on Three Guys on the Radio. The show's co-hosts, Steve Warne and "Stuntman Stu" Schwartz, and a former co-host, "Jungle" Jim Jerome, would often tease Kilpatrick about his taste in music, his penchant for younger girlfriends and his favourite hockey team -- the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kilpatrick was also host of The Buzz on Junior Hockey.

Kilpatrick was on holidays when the illness struck. He had just returned to Ottawa from New York where he had gone to watch the Yankees play. Kilpatrick was a big fan of the baseball club.

TEAM 1200 program director Dave Mitchell said a tribute to Kilpatrick is planned on Monday's Three Guys on the Radio. As well, management will meet with staff following the program to talk about Kilpatrick's sudden passing.

Funeral arrangements were still being made yesterday.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008

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I am a regular listener to TGOR although I can only listen for about an hour each morning as I get ready for work and drive to the office. While I enjoyed his contribution to the program, I was a bigger fan of his work with the Ottawa 67s and his discussions on major junior hockey. Friday pre-games won't be the same without the Buzz on Junior Hockey nor will listening to 67s games on TEAM1200.

Rest in Peace Buzz - you will be missed.