'Alex J. Walling was a true character': Longtime Halifax sportscaster dies

A staple of Halifax radio and television has passed away.

Alex J. Walling was born in Quebec City, but he made his mark in Halifax when he moved to the city in the 1970s and quickly became a mainstay of Halifax radio.

In his career, he covered the 1972 Summit Series and he also served as the Atlantic correspondent for TSN for nine years.

He also owned and operated the Atlantic Media Institute for 12 years and in 2008 he founded CJQC radio in Liverpool, N.S.

Walling died over the weekend at the age of 77.

“Alex J. Walling was a true character - boisterous, opinionated and, by his own admission, eccentric,” said Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame president and CEO Bruce Rainnie. “But that shouldn’t cloud how incredibly hardworking and credible he was. He knew his stuff, and if you took him on in any sport or music-related trivia contest, you were destined for a silver-medal finish.”

“With the passing of Alex J., we have lost yet another from that very special era of sport reporting in the province,” added Rainnie. “Pat Connolly, Al Hollingsworth, Joel Jacobson, Harry Flemming - it’s hard to believe that they have all passed on. And now with A.J. gone, the roster of ‘who to call when you need a Nova Scotia sport fact checked’ is down yet another all-star member.”

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