Hunt was known as "Shaky" thanks to his intramural goaltending career at the University of Western Ontario, where he was part of the school's first journalism graduating class, in 1948.
[3] Hunt left Caroline, his wife of 54 years, daughters Kathryn, and Cally, and sons Rod and Andrew.
Born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario, Hunt began his 50-plus years in journalism when he joined the Toronto Daily Star in 1948, working first as a city news reporter.
After telling Hunt what he was going to do to Liston, the young and brash Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) burst into one of his trademark verses.
The incident occurred after the NHL suspended Canadiens great Maurice Richard for attacking a Boston Bruins player with his stick, and later going after a linesman who tried to stop him.
[1] Every year, for as long as sportswriters can recall, Toronto Sun columnist Jim Hunt asked the most critical question at the coaches' press conference during Grey Cup week.
[3] So entrenched is this quirky tradition, that when he couldn't attend the last few Grey Cups, another journalist stood up to pose the question in his absence.
In 2001, Hunt was honoured by Sports Media Canada, the Canadian arm of the international sportswriters' association, with an achievement award.
[1] He also authored the autobiography All Work and All Play: A Life in the Outrageous World of Sports (ISBN 0-470-83552-4) with Steve Simmons a fellow Canadian journalist writing the foreword.
Long after he'd retired from full-time work he continued writing a Tuesday column for the Sun, his last one running 28 February 2006.