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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-01-07, Page 5t Sugar and Spice. by Bill Srniley We are well into another season of what passes these days for that once-thrilling Canadian sport of hockey. Far more interesting than being a• . spectator at games will be watching from the sidelines some renewed and determined attempts to decrease the potential mayhem in the former sport. As an intelligent eight-year-old knows; hockey is 'no longer a .sport, it is an entertainment, superior to professional wrestling in this department only because it is faster, bloodier, and most of the participants, though not all, are not fat and middle-aged. Some are fat and young. Some are also middleaged. Some are old enough to be grandfathers, and 80 per cent of the so-called athletes in this new form of Grand Guignol vaudeville are grossly over-paid. A few discerning sports writers, and a good many former fans of the game, are sick at heart over what has happened to what was once the ,fastest and most thrilling game onearth. The great majority of the so-called fans, howevey, along with most. sports writers and nearly all of management, deride any attempt to restore the skills and thrills of what used to be the most skillful and thrillful sport of them all —. professional hockey. • Perhaps that is because the current crop of fans consists of yahoos looking for blood, the sports writers are sycophants looking for an angle, and the owners are stupid, as they have always been, looking only for a buck. At any rate, Ontario has a new Attorney-General, Roy. McMurtry, a former athlete of some ability, and he is determined to stamp out the viciousness that has turned pro hockey into a Roman circus. He had the appalling audacity to declare publicly that assault and battery on the ice would be treated- the same as it is on the streets, with a criminal charge. He took the unparalleled step of putting cops in the arenas and laying charges against the goons who try to decapitate an oppponent with a stick, or emerge from a spearing duel with the enemy's guts wrapped around the point of their sticks.' McMurtry is making political hay out of it, but I, and a host of others, don't care, and say: "Go to it, boy." As expected, his edicts have been greeted with hoots of scorn by the yahoos, the sycophants and the manipulators. Or as Variety, the showbiz magazine, might punt in one of its succinct headlines: "Hook Jocks Mock Socks". Translated, that would mean that hockey people make fan of any attempt to stop the fighting and violence in the game. Solidly behind McMurtry. however, is a majority of the people remotely interested in the game: the better sports writers, who have, seen ,it'go steadily downhill; kids who want to play hockey for fun, without being terrorized; parents of kids who play hockey; real fans of the game, who have seen their favorite sport turned into a carnage Of clowns. Surely even the robber barons of hockey, the owners, with their 19th century mentality, can see the' handwriting on the wall, large and clear. The game is going, down the drain. Let me give some frinstances. Whenl was a y outh, our town had a Junior A team.A.hey played it fast and tough and clean. The referees jumped on sla-Shing, spearing. .boarding, kneeing. Fights were infrequent. In a town of 4,000, there were /1,500 at every game. A hundred cars would accompany the fans' to play-off..games 50 miles away. Today, I live in a town of 11,000, which boasts a pretty fair Junior B team. The crowds at games run around two or three hundred. . Hoekery - Night in Canada used to bind this whole nation together, from radio days well into television. Its ratings have dropped disastrously. What's happened? A lot of things. First, the quality has gone down and the price has gone up. That's a no-no in any business. Sixty per cent of pros today couldn't have made, a fair-to-middling senior amateur team 25 years ago. Arena owners, egged ors' by greedy players and those parasites, their agents, have hoisted the cost of tickets to the point where ticket scalpers are committing suicide, But most important of the sh6er viciousness of today's game, with its Nazi storm-trooper techniques, its open support of "intimidation," its appalling message fcir young players that violence beats skill and speed, has made a great segment of real fans turn their backs on it in disgust. When the players are all millionaires, and the arenas are half empty, maybe the morons who control the sport will get the, message. Huronview The McMillan Family of Goderich entertained with a musical program for.` Family Night" on Depember 23rd. Don and Shirley McMillan and- their family Ernie, Eleanor and Elizabeth play their instruments in harmony and solos as well as vocal trio and duet numbers. Mrs. Art Hemwood played the piano accompaniment. The annual visit by the Merviillans at Christmastime is enjoyed by everyone and George Feagan- expressed the appreciation of the residents,. The residents were entertained with an afternoon of organ Music on Wednesday with Ed Stiles of Goderich at -the- console.. Mrs„ Betty Rogers sang several solo numbers and led the singing of Christrrias 'Carols. Mrs. Scratch thanked Betty and Ed on behalf of the residents. Dick- Roorda led the Sunday ,evening song service sponSoren by the Clinton ChriStian Reforitied Church and Mrs. Elsie Henderson played the piano for the singing of Christmas miisit. The hit-der Choir provided their own guitar accompaniment for several selections with a vocal duet by Aim Jonkman and Coble Arising. Mit. Elsie Henderson and Norman 'Spelt provided the old' tyme music for the first part of Monday afternoons program. TheeSeConci part of the program consisted of Musical Mini-berg- by the rhythm' band i V&A] SOloS byOleti FiScher and. Morgan baltoti. Marie Flynn of Clinton arranged a variety program for "Family Night" with Lila :Storey emcee' for the evening. Mri, Varl Ross, NelSOn 1-ioWe' and Harold Black played atecinipatintient for the pregrant, There Were dance numbers by the Centennial Steppers, duets by Jane and Lanrie DaWn Flynn and ioatine Johnston, :solos by Debbie Plod; Loh Strong and. mouth Organ selections Lorne LaWtoh. MrS,Bell, a grandmother of the Sell girls i thanked those responsible for the entertainment on behalf bf the „ Winghom. Mern - QUALIFY SERIVE ClaFf'MASIgfilP Open Every Weekday 'Pont Gnarielitee for Over 3S Twilit of CEMETERY LETTERING 884 WINGOAM 101114 MALLicit °riot Shop VG v~un f e Holidpy visitors in .B_Ivevale. Skaters compete A number of Brussels area figure skaters participated in the Goderich Christmas School testing held on Sunday. The following were successful in various classes. Preliminary Figures - Robert Cardiff; Dutch Waltz - Robert Cardiff. Senior Bronze Dances - 14 step Chris Cossitt; Ten Fox - Chris Gossett. European... Dance - Leanne,Cossett; Silver Free Skate - Kathryn -Cardiff; 4th Figures - Carol Wheeler. .Senior Silver Dances. The Blues Dance - Carol Wheeler: This concludes her Senior Silver Dances and Carol will star on her gold. 2nd. Figures -"ChriS Cossitt. Correspondent Mrs. Joe Walker Celebrating Christmas on Saturday with Mr. and Mrs. Alex MacTavish and Bob were Donna Harrison and Timmy, Mrs. Janet. Walker,- Mr.. and Mrs, Lloyd Walker, Douglas, Denise, Steven and Beverly, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Henning, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Wright and Shari, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Wright, Mr. and *Mrs. Raymond Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Walker, Sheila, Kevin and Daryl, Linda Harkness and. Kathy Walker. Sympathy is extended to Mrs. Roy Sanderson and the brothers and sisters of Mr. Gordon Sanderson who passed away Saturday, December 27. Christmas dinner guests with Mr. and Mrs. Harold Elliott were Mr. M. and Mrs. George 'Fischer, Dayle and Ralvin, Mrs. Lloyd Henning, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Henning, Bob Pritchard, Mrs. Joe Walker, Marie, Kathy, Sheila and Kevin. Other guests later OPP Reports Recent investigations carried out by OPP officers at Wingham Detachment include: One investigation with one person charged under the Liquor Control Act. Eleven charges laid and eighteen warnings issued under the Highway Traffic Act. Twenty investigations with four charges laid under the Criminal Code. Two Toronto men, Jame Hayes and Ralph Nawhegahbo will appear in Goderich Court on January 5, op charges of possession of a stolen auto after a high speed chase by Sgt. Len George from Bluevale into Wingham on December 23, which resulted in the stolen car-colliding with a parked car owned by Willis Hall, Wingham, at the intersection of Victoria and Josephine Streets. A break, enter and theft occurred at Smith's Service Station, Wroxctcr, on Dec. 26-27 in which $600.00 in tools and cigarettes were stolen. Provincial Constable Harold McKittrick is investigating. A break, enter and theft occurred at King's Home Hardware, Fordwich on December 26-27 in which $300.00 in Motor Oil, a water pump and work bench were stolen. Provin- cial Constable Carl Ricker it investigating. A.break, enter and theft occurred at Ron's Gas Bar, Lakelet on December 26 -27 in Which $155.00 in tools and cigarettes Were taken. Provincial Constable John Vessey is investi- gating. During the week, there were 10 Motor Vehicle Collis ions investigated, which caused an estimated 110;250.00 damag in e, but no injuries were sustaed. ' Every week nidre and more people discover what !nighty jobs are accomplished by low cost Post Want ' Ads. Dial Brussels 887-6641. were Linda Harkness, Daryl Walker and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Elliott. Mr, and Mrs. Harry Elliott spent Christmas with 'Mr, ,and Mrs.Jack Elliott, and family at Richmond Hill. Mr. and Mrs. West Haugh, Donna and Mae and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Yuill of Belgrave visited on Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Fraser Haugh and Eileen. Mr. and MrS. Gordon Hall returned from a holiday with Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hall at Shakespeare. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hall of Chatham brought them home and are spending a few days with them here. Sunday morning at the Blue- vale United Church, Rev. Wilena Brown's New Year's meditation was, "off with the Old and on with the New." The Sunday School Children - enjoyed the film, "The Christ- child comes to Christian Homes'.. Harold Johnston takesover the duties as new Sunday School Superintendant next Sunday. New Years Day guests of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Walker, Marie, Kathy, Sheila Kevin and Daryl were Linda Harkness, Pam Hic- key, Kalvin Fischer, Bob Prit- chard, Daryle Fischer, Mrs. Lliiyd Henning, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Henning, Mr. and Mrs. George Fischer, Mr. and Mrs, Harold Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Elliott and Mr, and Mrs. Marty Cretier and Amy-Jo. New Years visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Golley and family were Mr,. and Mrs. Burns. Moffatt and Brian. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Johnston, Arlene and Steven, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Moffatt, Sandra and Greg, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Moffatt and family of Southamp- ton. -Christmas visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Thornton, were Mr. and Mrs. John Madill of Scarboro Miss Cindy Thornton of Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Thornton of Sarnia, Mr. Robert Golley Of Morris Township and Jean and Lloyd Robertson. Mrs. Ross Mann spent New Years with Mr. and Mrs. Siosert and family. of Fordwich. Consolidate those debts That flood of bills that piled up during the postal strike get rid of them right now with a fast, low cost V and G Personal Loan. Your loan will be life insured, payable tip to 60 months and you can pay back any amount any time Without penalty. tkutt -doi.110ANy• WN:toti§lifti Manager LiStOWel i, •Coritarid THIE BRUSSELS 1:10Str. JANUARY 7, 1976