Every so often, an old newspaper clipping says more than a box score ever could. Tucked away in the archives is a Christmas-season column by sportswriter Dave Dryburgh, a playful piece built around a simple idea: if Santa Claus were delivering gifts to Saskatchewan's sporting world, what would everyone ask for? The answers range from… Continue reading A Prairie Sportswriter’s Christmas List
Category: 1930s
Luther “Doc” Hughes: Proximity, Power, and Prairie Sport
Photo Credit: attheplate.com When Luther “Doc” Hughes arrived in Saskatchewan in 1911, he entered prairie sport through a role that offered access without equality. Brought to Saskatoon by J. F. Cairns to work with the Saskatoon Quakers, Hughes was initially employed as a groundskeeper and trainer, a masseur by trade, as later profiles would describe… Continue reading Luther “Doc” Hughes: Proximity, Power, and Prairie Sport
Tales from the Dirt Road (Halloween Edition)—The Ghost of Big Jim Williams
Prologue Last year, for Halloween, I wrote a piece titled "Tales from the Dirt Road (Halloween Edition)—The Ghost of Chet Brewer. " It was about discovering a photograph of Chet playing for the Indian Head Rockets in 1951. Brewer started playing mid-season for them (apparently snatched from Sceptre for a reported $800) and was not… Continue reading Tales from the Dirt Road (Halloween Edition)—The Ghost of Big Jim Williams
My visit with a legend: Jay-Dell Mah (attheplate.com)
Robyn and Jay-Dell (August 2024) As I've gotten older, I've come to realize just how precious time is, especially with those who have lived rich, storied lives. When given the opportunity, I always make sure to visit with these wise individuals because, once they are gone, their stories are gone too. Recently, I had the… Continue reading My visit with a legend: Jay-Dell Mah (attheplate.com)
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