S P O R T S C a N a D Ia N S S H O N E B Rig H Tly in 19 86 Oilers Lose Stanley
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Prince George Citizen — Saturday, January 3, 1987 — 11 MARK ALLAN S p o r t s Sports editor Canadians shone brightly in 1986 by MARK HARDING field, Waldo is to synchronized swimming Returning to West Germany in October, in the American League East Division an impact on the Canadian sports scene Canadian Press what Johnson and Wayne Gretzky are to the Edmonton native and her champion with an 86-76 won-lost record, 9V^ games in 1986 was the national soccer team, their fields. The native of Beaconsfield, horse M r. T came from behind to win the behind the Boston Red Sox, while Montre Canada’s first entry in World Cup tourna Canadian athletes, often ignored by the Que., hasn’t lost a solo event since the final event of an international Grand Prix al was fourth in the National League East ment history. Although outscored 5-0 in international sports community, went to 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and in 1986 competition. with a 78-83 mark, 29^ games behind the its three games, the team was highly the world in 1986 and proved that they she won the national solo title, the Com The list of Canadian women to excel New York Mets. praised for its play and Canada was firm were among the best. monwealth Games duet crown and the both at the national and international le The Canadian Football League teams ly placed on the world soccer map. The calendar was dotted with brilliant world duet championship, both with Mi vels wouldn’t be complete without men that represent Montreal ana Toronto It may be a while before Canada has a individual performances abroad by the chelle Cameron. tioning diver Debbie Fuller of Pointe- fared little better. While the Alouettes fin world soccer title, but global curling likes of sprinter Ben Johnson, synchro Graham, often overshadowed by the Claire, Que., swimmer Allison Higson of ished out of the playoffs with an abysmal crowns seem to have found a home in nized swimmer Carolyn Waldo, skier Lau feats of the men’s national ski team Toronto and middle-distance runner Lynn 4-14 record, the Argonauts finished first this country. The men’s and women’s ti rie Graham and equestrian Gail Gree- members, grabbed centre stage in 1986. Williams of Vancouver. in the Eastern Division with a 10-8 record tles won in 1985 were retained in 1986 by nough. The Inglewood, Ont., native won a pair of On the men’s side, swimmers Alex Bau but were ousted from the playoffs 59-56 in Ed Lukowich’s Calgary rink and Marilyn The individual spotlight during much of World Cup downhill titles and placed sec mann of Sudbury, Ont., and Victor Davis the two-game, total-point playoff against D arte’s foursome from St. Catharines, the last 12 months has been on Johnson, ond twice and third three times, the best of Kitchener, Ont., cross-country skier the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ont. the soft-spoken speedster who blazed showing by a Canadian female since Nan Pierre Harvey of St-Lambert-de-Levis, One title that failed to remain in the across finish lines from Osaka, Japan, to cy Greene won her second combined Que., and figure skater Brian Orser of The Ticats then travelled to Vancouver to meet the Western Division-champion hands of a Canadian for long was Trevor Ottawa in times that earned him the bil championship in 1968. Penetanguishene, Ont., were major par Berbick’s World Boxing Council heavy ling as the world’s fastest human. In the second downhill race of the 1986- ticipants on the Canadian and internation Edmonton Eskimos in the Grey Cup, where they pulled off one of the biggest weight championship. The former Halifax At the Goodwill Games in Moscow in 87 season, Graham won at Val d’Isere, al scenes in 1986. upsets in Cup history with a 39-15 win resident lost the belt to American Mike July, Johnson posted the second-fastest France — the same day Rob Boyd of Many of these athletes pooled their ta over the heavily favored Eskimos. Tyson in his first defence. time in history for the 100-metre sprint — Whistler, B.C., took the men’s downhill at lents to form a team that hauled in 51 Berbick was stripped earlier in the 9.95 seconds — and then went to Edin Val Gardena, Italy. It was the first time gold medals at the boycott-plagued Com The Canadian Interuniversity Athletic ear of his Canadian title, which belonged burgh, Scotland, where the Jamaica na Canadians had taken a m en’s and wo monwealth Games, finishing second be Union football championship between the riefly to Edmonton’s Ken Lakusta but tive won the Commonwealth Games gold men’s World Cup downhill race on the hind Britain in that department. Overall, British Columbia Thunderbirds and West now is in the hands of Willie de Wit of in the 100. same day. the Canadian team won 115 medals to fin ern Mustangs was also one of the best During the indoor season, Johnson won Greenough became the first woman — ish third behind Britain and Australia. games in the country this year. The Gr?nde Prairie, Alta. six of the eight races he entered and re and the first Canadian — to win the world Meanwhile, Canada’s two major league Thunderbirds, who finished the season as Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall corded a world-best clocking of 6.50 se show jumping championship, held at baseball teams, the Toronto Blue Jays the No. 1-ranked team in Canada, erased of Fame in 1986 were skier Ken Read, conds in the 60-metre sprint at a meet in Aachen, West Germany, in July. The win and Montreal Expos, each contended at a five-point, last-minute deficit to defeat former M IL and CFL referee Red Storey, Japan. made her a sensation in Europe, where various stages of the season for their res the second-ranked Mustangs 25-23 for the swimmer Graham Smith, former NHL Although her sport doesn’t receive the equestrian events have a higher profile pective division titles but eventuallv ran Vanier Cup title. goalie Bill Durnan and thoroughbred own- international recognition of track and than in North America. out of gas. The Blue Jays finished fourth Perhaps the only winless team to make er-breeder Jean-Louis Levesque. mixup most memorable by Canadian Press favorites going into the frame. Hamilton won the Grey Edm onton. looked loose in its Cup, Toronto received the go- final practice, traditionally ahead for a domed stadium the team’s time for some play and Winnipeg Blue Bomber ful fun. receiver James Murphy proba ”1 never met (defensive line* bly got some grief from his man) Dave Fennell but I know wife. 1 don’t like him for retiring,” The first two events pro red-faced offensive guard Kurt vided lots to talk about in Chapman said after his Eski 1986. The third was probably mo teammates stripped him the direct result of one of the and left him lying at midfield. more memorable lines of the ‘‘He started this and it seems year. I have to take over. “Winning the Schenley is “ I had no idea they were Canada's 1986 champions the best thing that has ever going to do this. If I knew, I would not have come to prac (clockwise from left): Ben happened to me,” Murphy said after winning the Schenley tice.” Johnson/ the world's fast Award for most outstanding In Toronto, the Blue Jays est man; Carolyn Waldo, player in the Canadan Foot got the news that the Ontario Municipal Board had given world champion synchro ball League. “This is even bet ter than making love to my the final go-ahead for a domed nized swimmer; Laurie w ife.” stadium. The announcement Graham, top downhill To make matters worse, came as rain delayed the start of a doubtcheadcr against the skier; Ed Lukowich, Sil Murphy mixed up the names o f his wife and son in his ac New York Yankees. ver Broom winner; and ceptance speech. “It would be great if they Marilyn Darte, women's The Tiger-Cats also were could build it within the next half hour,” quipped Paul world curling champion. excited after drubbing the Edmonton Eskimos 39-15 in Beeston, the Jays’ executive the CFL championship game. vice-president of business ope Hamilton defensive back rations. Lance Shields, an import, was In boxing, former Canadian so excited he forgot that 12 champion Trevor Berbick men play the Canadian game, stunned the ring world when telling a reporter the lopsided he upset American Pinklon win was the result of 11 men Thomas for the W’orld Boxing working together on the field. Council. The win came as no Owner Harold Ballard sa* surprise to Berbick, who had vorcd the victory and couldn’t predicted the outcome. resist a dig at a local rival. “ I don’t need luck for no “ I ’ve enjoyed every minute duck,” he said. of being in Hamilton and On the baseball front, Na enjoyed the Hamilton people,'’ tional League batting champ he told the people of Steel* Tim Raines called a three-year town as they applauded their contract offer from Montreal champions. “Thank God, I worth a total of $4.8 million didn't get the (Toronto) Argo US unfair and embarrassing. nauts.” ‘‘It makes me wonder if The Tiger-Cat victory came they really want me,” Haines on the heels of a 59*56 aggre said.