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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-01-28, Page 1The L ck ow $enti www.lucknowsentinel.com n n 'L50 HST included PM40064683R07656 e i Wednesday, January 28, 2015 Morrisons Speak Lucknow Agricultural Society get it*online Iucknowsentinel.com James Masters/Owen Sound Sun Times James Mann, left, and Cliff Mann, right, pose with Montreal Canadiens' alumni Stephane Richer in the dressing room prior to the start of the Habs vs. Hab-nots fundraiser at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on Saturday, January 17, 2015. Lucknow Business Owner Skates with Habs Alumni Great 60th Birthday for Cliff Mann Rob Gowan Owen Sound Sun Times On Saturday, January 17, 2015, Cliff Mann received a 60th birthday present he will never forget. Mann, who turns 60 on Friday, received a gift that any true Mon- treal Canadiens fan would drool over — skating with the Montreal Canadiens alumni. "Being in the dressing room has been awesome, just being here with these guys," Mann said following the pre -game warm-up. "It has been a great experience, 100%. Just the build-up to it has been awesome." As part of Saturday night's fund- raising game between the Habs alumni and the Hab-nots, a team of locals from the Sunday Morning Hockey Association, the United Way of Bruce -Grey held an auction for two roster spots on the Mon- treal Canadiens team for the night. Mann's staff at Cliff's Plumbing and Heating bid on both positions and got them. Mann was able to bring along his 28 -year-old son James, also a lifelong Montreal fan. "It is very special just having him here to play and to be able to enjoy the experience together," said Mann. "It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance:' Mann has been a Canadiens fan his whole life. On Saturday he got to play with many of the players he has watched lace the skates up for Montreal over the years, including Steve Shutt, Guy Carbonneau, Yvon Lambert, Gilbert Delorme and Rick Green. "I have just always loved the Habs and I didn't like the Leafs," said Mann, who grew up on the Niagara Peninsula. "In those days there was only six teams and I wanted to cheer for a Canadian team." For James Mann, he was particu- larly thrilled with getting a chance to play with Stephane Richer. "It is amazing and really cool to meet some of the players, like Richer, who is my childhood hero I guess you could say," James Mann said. "It is a little bit before my time for most of these guys, but it is quite the experience, for sure." James Mann said his father had some influence on him becoming a Montreal fan, but when he was young he got a Richer hat — which he brought with him Saturday night. Richer went on to post two 50 -goal seasons in 1987-88 and 1989-90. "That is probably why I stuck with them," he said. The night was also special for those opposing the Montreal alumni Bobby Gillespie assisted United Way of Bruce -Grey executive direc- tor Francesca Dobbyn in organiz- ing the event. Dobbyn had booked the Habs alumni, but knowing very little about hockey, she noticed Gillespie wear- ing a Montreal Canadiens tie last fall while both were running for Owen Sound council. She said something to him at that time about helping her out, and after the election was over Gillespie contacted her. Gillespie took over organizing the hockey portion of the event, recruiting the Hab-nots team from the Sunday Morning Hockey Association and also getting spe- cial blue jerseys made, complete with a maple leaf on the front with the words Sunday Mournin' Hockey on them. Gillespie, a lifelong Habs fan, said during the game that it was a dream come true for him, even if he was playing for the other guys. "This is unbelievable to be able to play against some of the guys I grew up watching as a kid," said Gillespie. "I look at Richard Sevi- gny and he won a Vezina Trophy in 80-81, Stephane Richer scored 50 goals and Steve Shutt has five Stanley Cups in a row. How awe- some is that." Gillespie said he has been a Cana - diens fan ever since the 1950s. He became hooked while listening to Hockey Night in Canada announcer Danny Gallivan call Montreal games. "He was such a dynamic announcer and they had such great teams back then — Beliveau, Rich- ard, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey,„ said Gillespie. "Anybody watching those guys would be a big Habs fan” Gillespie, born and raised in Owen Sound, said he was enjoying sharing the night with so many other Habs fan. "It is a big Leafs area, but I am a big Habs fan and there are lots of us here tonight," said Gillespie. "You can see all them out in the crowd." yam.. Andrew Ladies Travelling for Charity Morrisons Speak Lucknow Agricultural Society get it*online Iucknowsentinel.com James Masters/Owen Sound Sun Times James Mann, left, and Cliff Mann, right, pose with Montreal Canadiens' alumni Stephane Richer in the dressing room prior to the start of the Habs vs. Hab-nots fundraiser at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on Saturday, January 17, 2015. Lucknow Business Owner Skates with Habs Alumni Great 60th Birthday for Cliff Mann Rob Gowan Owen Sound Sun Times On Saturday, January 17, 2015, Cliff Mann received a 60th birthday present he will never forget. Mann, who turns 60 on Friday, received a gift that any true Mon- treal Canadiens fan would drool over — skating with the Montreal Canadiens alumni. "Being in the dressing room has been awesome, just being here with these guys," Mann said following the pre -game warm-up. "It has been a great experience, 100%. Just the build-up to it has been awesome." As part of Saturday night's fund- raising game between the Habs alumni and the Hab-nots, a team of locals from the Sunday Morning Hockey Association, the United Way of Bruce -Grey held an auction for two roster spots on the Mon- treal Canadiens team for the night. Mann's staff at Cliff's Plumbing and Heating bid on both positions and got them. Mann was able to bring along his 28 -year-old son James, also a lifelong Montreal fan. "It is very special just having him here to play and to be able to enjoy the experience together," said Mann. "It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance:' Mann has been a Canadiens fan his whole life. On Saturday he got to play with many of the players he has watched lace the skates up for Montreal over the years, including Steve Shutt, Guy Carbonneau, Yvon Lambert, Gilbert Delorme and Rick Green. "I have just always loved the Habs and I didn't like the Leafs," said Mann, who grew up on the Niagara Peninsula. "In those days there was only six teams and I wanted to cheer for a Canadian team." For James Mann, he was particu- larly thrilled with getting a chance to play with Stephane Richer. "It is amazing and really cool to meet some of the players, like Richer, who is my childhood hero I guess you could say," James Mann said. "It is a little bit before my time for most of these guys, but it is quite the experience, for sure." James Mann said his father had some influence on him becoming a Montreal fan, but when he was young he got a Richer hat — which he brought with him Saturday night. Richer went on to post two 50 -goal seasons in 1987-88 and 1989-90. "That is probably why I stuck with them," he said. The night was also special for those opposing the Montreal alumni Bobby Gillespie assisted United Way of Bruce -Grey executive direc- tor Francesca Dobbyn in organiz- ing the event. Dobbyn had booked the Habs alumni, but knowing very little about hockey, she noticed Gillespie wear- ing a Montreal Canadiens tie last fall while both were running for Owen Sound council. She said something to him at that time about helping her out, and after the election was over Gillespie contacted her. Gillespie took over organizing the hockey portion of the event, recruiting the Hab-nots team from the Sunday Morning Hockey Association and also getting spe- cial blue jerseys made, complete with a maple leaf on the front with the words Sunday Mournin' Hockey on them. Gillespie, a lifelong Habs fan, said during the game that it was a dream come true for him, even if he was playing for the other guys. "This is unbelievable to be able to play against some of the guys I grew up watching as a kid," said Gillespie. "I look at Richard Sevi- gny and he won a Vezina Trophy in 80-81, Stephane Richer scored 50 goals and Steve Shutt has five Stanley Cups in a row. How awe- some is that." Gillespie said he has been a Cana - diens fan ever since the 1950s. He became hooked while listening to Hockey Night in Canada announcer Danny Gallivan call Montreal games. "He was such a dynamic announcer and they had such great teams back then — Beliveau, Rich- ard, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey,„ said Gillespie. "Anybody watching those guys would be a big Habs fan” Gillespie, born and raised in Owen Sound, said he was enjoying sharing the night with so many other Habs fan. "It is a big Leafs area, but I am a big Habs fan and there are lots of us here tonight," said Gillespie. "You can see all them out in the crowd."