'An amazing man': Bob ‘Doc’ Holliday, well-known Winnipeg reporter, passes away

Bob ‘Doc’ Holliday (second from left) receives The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal from Premier Heather Stefanson (left), Lt. Governor Anita Neville (seated) and MLA Jamie Moses in December. Holliday passed away from cancer at the age of 80 on Dec. 28, 2022. (CTV News Winnipeg File)

Friends, politicians and pro wrestlers are paying tribute to a well-known Winnipeg man who passed away on Wednesday.

Bob ‘Doc’ Holliday, a long-time Winnipeg reporter, pro-wrestling promoter and community advocate, died following a battle with cancer at the age of 80, friends and family confirmed to CTV News Winnipeg.

“Bob was an amazing man,” said Glenn Johnson, his friend of 35 years, during an interview Wednesday night.

Holliday was a reporter with the Winnipeg Sun for many years on the crime beat. Johnson, who worked with Holliday at the Sun, said Holliday knew all of the homicide cops, the leaders of the Hell’s Angels, and everybody in between. Johnson added he was amazed by his skills as a reporter, being able to get people to open up to him, even during difficult circumstances.

“He was a police reporter. And he would get people to talk about their innermost feelings, which is really tough to do,” Johnson said. “As your reporter, you don't always get people at their best, and sometimes at their worst. And he was able to do that. And I was able to learn a lot of things from Bob about being a reporter, about how to how to be connected with people.”

Holliday was also well known for promoting professional wrestling cards in Winnipeg, and was later known for his work in preserving the history of St. Vital, serving as the president of the St. Vital Historical Society.

Winnipeg's Chris Jericho, who is currently wrestling with AEW, said his dad, Ted Irvine, and Holliday were friends.  When Jericho started to show interest in wrestling, Holliday brought him along on a tour.

"Bob had a tour of northern Manitoba and he brought me along to be part of the ring crew, which was the first experience I ever had in the wrestling business and that's kind of where I really got into the excitement of it," said Jericho in an interview with CTV News.

He said while on the road with Holliday, he would make $50 a day, noting Holliday made sure he got paid.

"I believe I got $500 paid in cash before the tour even started, which also shows how honest Bob was. Most promoters don't pay you the money they owe you back in those days."

Jericho said Holliday was always proud of the fact that he represented Winnipeg. Jericho added he has dedicated the AEW show to Holliday when it comes to Winnipeg in March.

"Bob had a lot of respect in the city, not just from wrestling the other work he did in hockey and I remember reading his true crime column every week in the Sun. So just an all around respected guy."  

Holliday was recognized locally in 2020 with Sadler Avenue being given the honorary name ‘Bob Holliday Way.’ Earlier this month, he was presented with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. Holliday was also a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

“Bob was somebody who cared so much about Manitoba,” Johnson said.

Several politicians have posted tributes to Holliday in the wake of his death.

“I have always immensely enjoyed all my interactions with Doc as he was never short of very interesting and entertaining stories from back in the day,” Coun. Markus Chambers wrote on Facebook.

MLA Rochelle Squires recalled her time working with Holliday at the Winnipeg Sun.

“He was generous with his time and expertise whenever newbies like me came around and he taught me how to build contacts and verify sources. His friendship extended beyond the newsroom and I will never forget his many acts of kindness,” she wrote on Facebook.

Johnson said a celebration of life for Holliday will take place at a later date.

-With files from CTV’s Taylor Brock