Hall of fame, not of shame

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/09/2009 (5866 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANY Winnipeggers are scratching their heads over the amount of time the directors of the Blue Bombers have taken to consider the Hall of Fame status of former team president Ross Brown. What’s to consider? He committed a heinous criminal offence and he should be stripped of the honour.

Indeed, it would seem as simple as that to many appalled at the radiologist’s crime, an anger stoked by the fact he was given 45 days in jail for downloading child pornography, a deal struck to save the case from collapsing for undue delay in the courts. But the matter deserves deliberation, not for the facts of Brown’s crime — they are known — but for the fact that the Bombers club is without operating instructions on how to revoke the honour. It is an unprecedented case, board chairman Ken Hildahl noted.

The matter reveals the necessity of having criteria for revoking an inductee’s membership, just as there are guidelines for naming people to the Hall of Fame.

The Blue Bombers board is not the first to confront a Hall of Fame member falling from grace. The national Hockey Hall of Fame was pressed to expel former politician and player agent Alan Eagleson from its membership in 1998, following his conviction for fraud. Eagleson, also removed from the Order of Canada, resigned before the board made its vote official. The Blue Bombers, however, do not have criteria for removing members. The board ought to make clear the conditions under which Hall of Famers no longer should enjoy the honour and respect of the esteemed position.

Those criteria ought to include serious criminal offences, but also extend more broadly to behaviour that can bring disrepute to the organization. The club’s public status will change in the near future, but its community support and the respect of its fans hinge upon its conduct and public profile.

Ross Brown was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 for his years of service to the Blue Bombers, including being part of the planning committee for the 1991 Grey Cup in Winnipeg. Chosen by former players and executives, those selected to the Hall of Fame are recognized for their "contribution to the success" of the team. The recognition, however, comes with an implicit obligation to maintain a character that does not dishonour the designation.

Understandably, it is not a decision that the Bombers directors take lightly. Perhaps, as with Eagleson, Brown will see that resigning will settle the matter more swiftly. A clear process, guided by criteria for removal, should make future deliberations less protracted.