Oakes was born on November 23, 1933, in Winnipeg.[1] He got his start in broadcasting in 1955 at CKRC, where he called games for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Winnipeg Warriors.[2] From 1964 to 1966, he worked for CBR in Calgary.[3] He then spent six seasons as the play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League.[3] In 1973, he became the radio announcer for the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association.[4] When the team moved east and became the Calgary Cowboys, Oakes was given the job of publicity director, but announcing duties were given to local broadcaster Eric Bishop.[3] In 1976, Oakes called 23 Los Angeles Kings games on HBO.[3][5] From 1977 to 1978, Oakes was the radio and television announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks.[3] He then returned to San Diego, where he the press relations director and announcer for the San Diego Hawks of the Pacific Hockey League.[3][6]
In 1983, Oakes returned to Winnipeg as the play-by-play announcer for Winnipeg Blue Bombers games on CFRW.[3] He retired from broadcasting after the season and returned to San Diego, where he ran a travel business.[7] He came out of retirement in 1990 to become the play-by-play announcer for the new San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League.[8]
In 2001, Oakes was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. He died on May 29, 2007, at his home in San Diego.[7]