Bombers to fete their glory guys

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This article was published 30/04/2010 (5958 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a rich history often forgotten and not celebrated nearly enough over the years.

And most recently the legacy of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers has been tarnished as the franchise struggles through a long Grey Cup drought and a series of off-field embarrassments that have riddled the iconic "W" logo with bullet holes.

To that end — and especially as a method to celebrate their 80 years of existence — the Bombers are working feverishly this season to put a shine back on their brand. On Thursday, the club announced plans for its annual Legacy Dinner that includes honouring 13 Bomber legends as part of an effort to reconnect with the past and celebrate the glory, not the gory, years.

The three coaches honoured — Bud Grant, Cal Murphy and Mike Riley — all won championships and are still legends in these parts. The 10 players are held in equally high regard and include: Ken Ploen, Leo Lewis, Buddy Tinsley, Don Jonas, Joe Poplawski, Dieter Brock, Chris Walby, James Murphy, Milt Stegall and Bob Cameron.

"I think I was coached by or played with half of those guys up there," said Cameron, glancing at a display of 13 replica jerseys featuring the legends’ names.

"I span a few of those decades, I guess, and all of those guys are great individuals. I can remember the 50th anniversary, believe it or not, because it was my first year in 1980 and they made a bit of a deal out of it, but nothing like this.

"It’s pretty amazing. I’m really looking forward to meeting those guys and Dieter Brock… that brings back a lot of memories because my first year, he was the superstar on the team. And with a few bits of luck along the way, we would have won some Grey Cups with him.

"About five years ago, we did that at my university, Acadia, and all the guys I played with all got together and it was a special night. This is the same thing. Reliving those memories when you get to this age and seeing those guys you haven’t seen for years and telling those stories once again… it’ll be a lot of fun.

"The older I get, the better I was," Cameron chuckled. "That’s the way most of the guys think."

The club opted to use its 80th anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate its history rather than add new inductees to the Hall of Fame at the Legacy Dinner, to be held this year on June 30 at Canad Inns Polo Park. The 13 Bomber legends will be available at an autograph session on Canada Day, then honoured at halftime of the Bombers’ home opener on July 2 versus the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

"The common bond with all these men is they understand the community, they understand the tradition of Bomber football," president Jim Bell said. "Regardless of the era they played in, they share that connection."

Brock’s return to Winnipeg always brings back a flood of pro and con memories for longtime fans. As gifted a passer as any CFL quarterback, Brock never won a championship as the Bombers lurked in the shadow of the Edmonton Eskimos’ 1978-82 dynasty, and he was traded to Hamilton in 1983 before moving on to the NFL.

"I was just talking the other day to my wife and I think one of the worst decisions I made as a player was leave the chance to have a championship with Winnipeg," Brock said via conference call from Birmingham, Ala. "That was difficult to do because I knew we had a great football team. But at the time, I felt like it was my only chance to get an opportunity to play in the NFL.

"But this is such an honour to be asked to come back up there. I had a great opportunity to play with some great coaching staffs and great players in the 10 years I was there in Winnipeg. It was a special time in my career, no doubt about that."

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to the Legacy Dinner should call 784-2583 or visit www.bluebombers.com.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca