Rodger Brulotte Credit: Montreal Canadiens
By Sean Keeley on

Rodger Brulotte, a longtime voice of the Montreal Expos and beloved baseball commentator in Quebec, has died at the age of 79.

Best known for his signature home-run call “Bonsoir, elle est partie!” which roughly translates to “Good evening, it’s gone!”  Brulotte was renowned not just as a broadcaster but also as a columnist.

Brulotte began working for the Montreal Expos in 1969 as a scout.  He later worked in the public relations and marketing departments, helping create the team’s iconic mascot, “Youppi!” He started working in television in the early 1980s but came into his own on the radio, calling Expos games alongside Jacques Doucet for CKAC. In 1990, he moved to RDS and continued calling Expos games alongside Denis Casavant until the team left for Washington, D.C. in 2004. He joined TVA Sports’ Toronto Blue Jays broadcasts in 2011.

Brulotte underwent surgery last September to remove a cancerous tumour from his back, which unfortunately caused him to miss Toronto’s run to the 2025 World Series.

“If you ask anybody in Quebec, Rodger is Mr. Baseball,” Casavant said during the team’s World Series run. “He’s the most recognizable. His name and his voice are associated with baseball.”

“Rodger left a lasting impression on sports fans across Quebec, being at the heart of many memorable moments. His infamous ‘Bonsoir, elle est partie’ will remain etched in the collective memory for many years to come,” said the Montreal Canadiens, who adopted “Youppi!” as their mascot after the Expos moved, said in a statement. “With a career in the sports world spanning more than 55 years, Rodger was able to touch the hearts of many generations with his authenticity behind the microphone.”

“My friend has left us. One of Quebec’s greatest voices. Rodger Brulotte embodied ‘nos Z’amours.’ Montreal, all of Quebec, is in mourning. He was an inspiration to me, an unwavering ally in both good times and bad,” Montreal mayor Denis Coderre wrote on his Facebook page. “The least we can do is lower all flags to half-mast. My dear Rodger, I tip my hat to you for everything you accomplished. My thoughts and prayers are with you.”

“What a wonderful man! And what a joy it was to listen to baseball games with him,” wrote Quebec Premier François Legault. “I already miss those “Bonsoir, elle est partie!” — a line that will remain etched in our collective memory.”

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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