THE OTHER SIDE OF SPORTS

By on December 25, 2012

NHLPA executive director Don Fehr (photo by: Brad Penner-US PRESSWIRE)

THE OTHER SIDE OF SPORTS

Season greetings oh loyal and sometimes ravenous fans, in this issue I will attempt to inform you that at times there is a misspelled word on radio.

Now since it appears that because of an individual named Donald Fehr there just might not be an NHL season in 2012-2013.  This is much like the fiasco he was a major player in with major league baseball in 1994-1995.  Gee no world series that year, could the Stanley Cup be far behind?

So fans I am now going to substitute Mr. Fehr’s name into a speech given by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on March 4, 1933 at his first of four inauguration speeches.

The president words went something like this as he spoke of this country’s situation in the middle of the great depression.

“We have nothing to Fehr but Fehr itself,” said President Roosevelt and by changing Fehr for fear it is just as true today as it was then.

Personally after Donald Fehr has made a mess of two sports why not try for three, like NASCAR?  NHL hockey right now is done until mid-January so it appears that this season is past well done, it’s burnt to a crisp.

Moving right along and it appears that the Toronto Blue Jays should have little or no trouble filling their small spring training home at the corner of Douglas and Beltrees this coming February and March.  With a capacity of just 5,509 and their new line up on the field elbow room might just be at a premium this spring at Grant Field.

As a note here and if my memory serves me correctly there are only about five more spring sessions due at Dunedin’s ball yard.  The originally contract called for 15-yearsd with the team having two, five year extensions for a total of 25-years total.

Gee, wouldn’t it be nice to keep the team from north of the border in Dunedin as most of the time it’s a good public relations draw for the city.  That is not including the moneys that flow into the area’s economy.

Now to a sad note this issue, the passing of former major leaguer Ryan Freel by his own hand.

Freel was so full of life no matter what uniform he donned (photo by: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE)

Ryan was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 1995 and ended up playing for five teams during his major league career but there is a story that sums up his career.

During the spring of either 1997 or 98 Ryan was fielding balls in left field during batting practice on field two at the Blue Jays old complex in Dunedin.  On one fly ball to left Ryan ran full tilt into the chain link fence in foul territory but bounced right back up and resumed his position to the cat calls of the veteran players.

Well the rookie took it in stride as it was his way of playing the game but a veteran player took offence to Ryan’s actions.

After the BP session was over with and before the first time invitee to spring training entered the old clubhouse Ed Sprague Jr. took Ryan aside and dressed him down, this for showing the veteran players up by his play that early in camp.

Well Sprague was gone from the Jays by the end of the season and Freel hung around for a few years more but it showed that he had heart.  Freel used all he had to stay in the game of baseball but maybe it wasn’t enough to keep him on the field in the game of life.

Well fans maybe, maybe not will I write a year end column it all depends on how badly one gets treated by those who continually put their own self-interest and gratification over those in need.

So until then…

Categories: Other Side of Sports (Too), Sports
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