Canadian sports moments book opens up a world of debate
Published Tuesday October 14th, 2008
It's a book that has hockey nuts leaping the boards and figure skating fans landing quads of delight, but has CFL aficionados rouge with anger.
One Hundred Greatest Canadian Sports Moments, the recently released hardcover book by Canadian Press sports writer James Bisson (Wiley, $39.95), celebrates not only our favourite moments in sports but also our second-favourite activity - arguing about it. "Everywhere I've gone to do interviews or speak to people about the book it always starts, 'I really enjoyed it, but,'" laughs Bisson in an interview from Toronto.
"Some people feel there's too much hockey, some feel there's not enough, some feel certain sports aren't represented very well and others are quite pleased."
Bisson led an 18-person panel of sports experts who chewed over, argued and spit-balled to come up with the 100 greatest accomplishments that define sports north of the 49th.
The result is a 160-page book of eye-catching photos and interviews with greats like Wayne Gretzky, Nancy Greene and Steve Nash.
Ranked No. 1 is the slam dunk dramatic Team Canada win over the Russians in the eight-game 1972 hockey summit series that - for one brief shining moment - united our Two Solitudes.
With it are rarely seen photos, including one of Phil Esposito's Game 5 pre-game pratfall, his legs facing the camera forming a perfect V as his teammates break into laughter.
Hockey is, of course, king in a book about Canadian sports. One in four selections refers to our junior, Olympic or international hockey teams or the NHL.
Gretzky leads the way with four picks. No. 8 celebrates the night in 1989 he surpassed childhood idol Gordie Howe to become the NHL's all-time scoring leader.
Gretzky told Bisson the mark needs an asterisk: "I played under a completely different system than Gordie Howe did. There should be two scoring marks." Those seeking caveats and controversy will find a lot between the slate-grey book covers - particularly those who don't believe the history of sport begins and ends with the advent of cable TV.
Three quarters of the Top-100 cite accomplishments and milestones that have occurred since 1980 - when Vincent Lecavalier was born, Marshall McLuhan died, and millions sat glued to the tube watching "Dallas" and wondering who shot J.R.
Toss in the 1970s and the number balloons to an overwhelming 84.
Blame the all-seeing eye of the TV lens.
"Television serves as such a wonderful visual medium that people who saw things on TV will remember those things more so than just about anything else," he said.
Fans of figure skating will find a feast of Lutzes and Salchows among nine picks, including Elvis Stojko executing a flawless long program in a dramatic come-from-behind win in the 1997 world championships in Switzerland.
Overall, there are 84 awards involving men, 14 for women, a mixed pair (figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier) and one horse (Northern Dancer). Baseball is second to hockey with 15 picks and 31 entries relate to the Olympics.
As for the CFL, Bisson says he's had his ears broiled and burned by angry fans on Prairie call-in radio shows. The league merited just four picks - the same as auto racing and speedskating. The leader was No. 49 - the 1970s-80s Edmonton Eskimos dynasty.
"A lot of people (on the panel) favoured events on which Canada shone on the global stage and I think as a result the CFL took a bit of a backseat," he said.
"If we're to revisit this at some point down the road I think you'll see a few items that didn't sneak in the first time get their due."
But until then.
Why is Raptor Vince Carter winning a slam dunk contest ranked at No. 64, but there's no mention of Ontario's James Naismith nailing a peach basket to a wall in 1891 to invent the game? And why the snub to the world-beating Edmonton Grads women's basketball team of the 1920s and 30s? And where's the nod to the Detroit Red Wings' famed 1950s all-Canadian Production Line? The opening of SkyDome? The closing of The Forum? Manon Reaume? Foster Hewitt?
All right, hand me that book again. And get me a cold one.
Let's go over this one more time.
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