A couple of weeks back, the Westgate Tigers played in Toronto against Sault Ste. Marie in the Northern Bowl. And, just a few days ago, I happened to run into a former high school football player, who ended up playing for the old Thunder Bay Giants.
You are probably wondering why I'm mentioning this. The two football events, just reminded me about how much I enjoyed the days of covering the old junior football team. It also got me to thinking about what other sports events, particularly during the fall and winter that we used to have in the city, that I miss.
One near the top of the list is the former Sun-Life Grand Prix of curling held at the Port Arthur club. This event brought some of the best men's and women's curling teams in the country here each November. It was the first time I had the chance to watch the late Sandra Schmirler's championship rink. It was very well-run event, and when it ended, left a void in the local curling calendar.
I miss the Royal Canadian Legion's Sports Celebrity Dinner. Each February, the organizers successfully brought some top big names in sports for 50 years to entertain us. The first chance to meet baseball Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Lou Brock. Along with other big hockey stars such as Steve Shutt, Frank Mahovlich and Gerry Cheevers. It sure made the cold days of February seem just a bit more palatable.
Speaking of an even that high-lighted winter, was when Big Thunder was the site for a stop on the World Cup ski-jumping tour. Another fabulous event, gone by the wayside.
What all this adds up to is the old saying ''you don't know how good something was, until it's gone. and by that time it's too late.''
