[3] In 1938, Gallivan was invited to a New York Giants training camp as a power pitcher, but an early injury to his arm ended any thoughts of a major league career.

[2] Gallivan began his broadcast career at a local radio station in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, while attending St. Francis Xavier University.

[2] He taught high school algebra and Latin in Antigonish following graduation and took a stint in the Canadian Army before returning to continue his broadcasting career.

[4] In 1946, Gallivan moved to a radio station in Halifax where he became sports director and voice of the St. Mary's junior hockey team.

In 1952, Gallivan began a 32-year stint with Hockey Night in Canada, mostly calling games involving the Montreal Canadiens, before retiring after the 1983–84 season.

Gallivan did play-by-play for at least 1,900 regular season and playoff matches, including 16 Stanley Cup victories for the Canadiens.

[7][8] On October 9, 1970, he had the distinction of announcing the Vancouver Canucks' first-ever game in the NHL, a 3–1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on CKNW radio.

The ultimate Gallivanism was another word he coined: the "spinarama," which described a player evading a check or deking a defender with a sudden 180- or 360-degree turn.

2015 - Inducted into the inaugural class of the Maritime Sport Hall of Fame, (Builder category) The following games Gallivan called that were accessible on video: