The Berger Collection (Leafs, Jays, Annuals): Part 3

By HOWARD BERGER

TORONTO (Sep. 13) - This part of my collection is Toronto-centric... it begins with one of the most memorable (and uncomfortable) sporting moments of my life.

BLUE JAYS FIRST GAME

The afternoon of April 7, 1977 ranks among the most prominent in Toronto sports history, as the Blue Jays began their first season in the American League with a 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox at old Exhibition Stadium. I had turned 18 a couple of months earlier and skipped a day of high school at William Lyon MacKenzie C.I. in North York to attend the game with friends. We sat in the second level of Sec. 10... on the first-base side, down the right-field line. I'll never forget walking into the stadium to see the entire outfield blanketed in a light dusting of snow. It was windy, damp and bone-chilling cold that day and I was happy as hell when the game ended. I rushed home; had dinner, and then went back downtown for a Stanley Cup quarterfinal game between the Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins. Quite the day. 

ONE OF MY PRIZED POSSESSIONS (ABOVE): A TICKET-STUB FROM THE FIRST-EVER BLUE JAYS GAME - THU. APR. 7, 1977. INTERESTING THAT NO DATE IS EVIDENT ON THE TICKET, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PRINTED BEFORE THAT SEASON'S AMERICAN LEAGUE SCHEDULE WAS FINALIZED.

MY PROGRAM (ABOVE) FROM THE BLUE JAYS FIRST GAME AT EXHIBITION STADIUM, WITH CENTRE-SPREAD LINE-UPS BELOW. THE DAY IS BEST REMEMBERED FOR THE PAIR OF HOME RUNS HIT BY INFIELDER DOUG AULT (NO. 25 OF THE BLUE JAYS). SADLY, AULT DIED OF A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND ON DEC. 22, 2004 AT 54 YEARS OF AGE. STARTING PITCHERS WERE BILL SINGER (TORONTO) AND KEN BRETT (CHICAGO). SINGER THREW THE FIRST PITCH IN CLUB HISTORY TO WHITE SOX OUTFIELDER RALPH GARR. MANAGERS WERE ROY HARTSFIELD (TORONTO) AND BOB LEMON (CHICAGO). HOME-PLATE UMPIRE ON THAT FRIGID AFTERNOON WAS A.L. VETERAN NESTOR CHYLAK.

COVERS OF THE FIRST TWO MEDIA GUIDES IN BLUE JAYS HISTORY (ABOVE). NOTE THE DEARTH OF BUILDINGS ALONG THE TORONTO LAKE-SHORE IN 1977: NO SKYDOME; AIR CANADA CENTRE OR PHALANX OF CONDOMINIUMS ON THE WATER-FRONT, AS TODAY. THE C.N. TOWER WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. EXHIBITION STADIUM CAN BE SEEN AT BOTTOM-LEFT OF THE COVER-PHOTO, ACROSS FROM ONTARIO PLACE.

HOCKEY AND THE MAPLE LEAFS

THE NIFTY, LITTLE POCKET-BOOK ABOVE IS IN TERRIFIC CONDITION, GIVEN ITS AGE (47 YEARS).

IN MY COLLECTION, I HAVE ALL THE OFFICIAL NHL GUIDES SINCE 1962-63. THE ABOVE ITEMS ARE ALSO NEARING A HALF-CENTURY IN VINTAGE.

THE ANNUAL NHL GUIDE EXPANDED DURING THE 1970s AND BECAME MORE OF A COLORFUL ITEM - AS EVIDENCED BY THE EDITIONS ABOVE AND BELOW. ON THE COVER OF THE 1971-72 GUIDE ARE (TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) MAURICE RICHARD, BERNIE GEOFFRION AND BOBBY HULL; (BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT) PHIL ESPOSITO AND JOHNNY BUCYK. COVER OF THE 1974-75 GUIDE (BELOW) IS AN ACTION SHOT FROM BOSTON GARDEN DURING 1974 STANLEY CUP FINAL, FEATURING BOBBY CLARKE OF PHILADELPHIA; BOBBY ORR, PHIL ESPOSITO AND WAYNE CASHMAN OF THE BRUINS. PHILLY BECAME THE FIRST OF THE 1967 EXPANSION TEAMS TO WIN THE CUP THAT SPRING.

THE CURRENT-DAY NHL GUIDE AND RECORD BOOK IS A COFFEE-TABLE-SIZED ITEM MORE THAN 660 PAGES IN LENGTH. THE 2004-05 EDITION (ABOVE) IS A COLLECTIBLE, FOR IT REPRESENTED THE SEASON CANCELED BY THE OWNERS' LOCKOUT. ON THE COVER IS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING CAPTAIN DAVE ANDREYCHUK HOISTING THE 2004 STANLEY CUP AFTER A GAME 7 VICTORY OVER CALGARY.



FRONT COVER (ABOVE) AND BACK COVER (BELOW) OF 1966 NHL PLAYER ALBUM, ISSUED BY THE COCA COLA COMPANY. DON'T YOU LOVE DON SIMMONS' GOALIE MASK (ABOVE)?






FRANK MAHOVLICH AND TED GREEN BATTLE ON COVER OF LEAFS MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) IN 1963-64: SEASON IN WHICH LEAFS WOULD WIN THEIR THIRD CONSECUTIVE STANLEY CUP.



ABOVE MEDIA GUIDE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN MY COLLECTION.



BILL GADSBY (LEFT) AND GORDIE HOWE ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR 20th NHL SEASONS ON FRONT OF DETROIT'S 1965-66 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). WINGS WOULD LOSE THE '66 CUP FINAL TO MONTREAL.



GORDIE HOWE RETIRED AFTER THE 1970-71 SEASON AND A QUARTER-CENTURY WITH THE RED WINGS (ABOVE), DURING WHICH HE ESTABLISHED NHL RECORDS FOR GOALS, ASSISTS AND POINTS THAT WERE LATER ABUSED BY WAYNE GRETZKY. HOWE MADE A COME-BACK WITH HOUSTON OF THE WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION IN 1973-74 SO HE COULD PLAY WITH HIS SONS - MARK AND MARTY. MR. HOCKEY, AS HE IS KNOWN, HAD A FINAL NHL FLING WITH HARTFORD IN 1979-80 AT 52 YEARS OF AGE.



LINE-UPS (ABOVE) FROM PROGRAM OF TORONTO-CHICAGO GAME AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS IN THE 1967-68 SEASON (BLACKHAWKS PREVAILED, 1-0). FOUR NIGHTS LATER - ON MAR. 3, 1968 - THE LEAFS TRADED FRANK MAHOVLICH TO THE DETROIT RED WINGS.


AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS
In 1969 and 1970, I sent requests to Maple Leaf Gardens for players to mail autographed pictures to me. As you can see below, I received a terrific response from a number of well-known Leafs and future Hall of Famers. What a thrill it was to arrive home from grade school and see an envelope from the Gardens.

INSIDE HOCKEY WAS A SUPERB PRE-SEASON ANNUAL THAT COINCIDED WITH NHL EXPANSION IN 1967-68 FROM SIX TO 12 TEAMS. I HAVE A HALF-DOZEN IN MY COLLECTION... THE FIRST THREE EDITIONS ARE PICTURED HERE (ABOVE AND BELOW).

BOBBY ORR WAS UBIQUITOUS ON THE COVER OF HOCKEY MAGAZINES IN THE LATE-'60s AND EARLY-'70s WHILE HE WAS CHANGING THE STRATEGY OF THE SPORT WITH HIS UNPARALLELED OFFENSIVE SKILL. ORR IS WATCHED BY RANGERS DEFENSEMAN HARRY HOWELL ON FRONT OF THE FACE-OFF YEARBOOK FOR THE 1969-70 SEASON (ABOVE).

HOCKEY ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE

As a young hockey fan growing up in the late-'60s, I developed an interest in the various magazines that came out once a month during the season. There were primarily three of them in that era: HOCKEY WORLD and HOCKEY PICTORIAL were produced by the same company that published THE HOCKEY NEWS. Then there was HOCKEY ILLUSTRATED, which distinguished itself by including four pages of glossy color photos in its centre-spread - a real novelty back then. Around 1970, the collectible value of these magazines dawned on me and I began to keep them. Prior to that, my dad would bring home an issue and I'd quickly mutilate the thing by cutting out photos for a scrap-book. Therefore, the selection of my oldest HOCKEY ILLUSTRATED magazines (pictured below) were re-purchased by me from fellow collectors more than 20 years ago. They are stored safely and properly.

DECEMBER 1962 (ANDY BATHGATE, BOB PULFORD, GUMP WORSLEY).



FEBRUARY 1966 (BOBBY HULL, JOHNNY BOWER).



JANUARY 1967 (BOB BAUN, BOBBY HULL).



MARCH 1967 (BOBBY ROUSSEAU).



NOVEMBER 1967 (TIM HORTON, BOBBY HULL, TERRY SAWCHUK).



JANUARY 1968 (ED GIACOMIN).



APRIL 1968 (FRANK MAHOVLICH, CLAUDE PROVOST).

THE LEAFS OPENED THE 50th ANNIVERSARY SEASON OF MAPLE LEAF GARDENS ON OCT. 10, 1981 WITH A COLORFUL PROGRAM DESIGN (ABOVE) AND A BIZARRE 9-8 VICTORY OVER THE BLACKHAWKS (LINE-UPS BELOW). OTHERWISE, IT WAS A DREADFUL YEAR FOR THE BUDS, WHO WON ONLY 20 GAMES AND COMPILED A MEASLY 56 POINTS - ONE OF THE WORST SEASONS IN CLUB HISTORY.

HAROLD BALLARD WAS STILL ALIVE WHEN GLOBE AND MAIL HOCKEY WRITER WILLIAM HOUSTON PENNED THIS UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF THE TRUCULENT LEAFS OWNER... IN FACT, IT WAS SO UNAUTHORIZED THAT BALLARD THREATENED HOUSTON WITH PHYSICAL HARM WHEN HE LEARNED ABOUT IT. BALLARD DETESTED HOUSTON AND THE ENTIRE GLOBE SPORTS DEPARTMENT; NOR DID HE FREELY EXPRESS LOVE FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA. SADLY FOR BALLARD AND THE COUNTLESS HOCKEY FANS IN THIS REGION, THE LEAFS WERE A LAUGHINGSTOCK THROUGH THE 1980s - TO THE EXTENT THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE DAY BALLARD WOULD DIE.

AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH DIABETES AND CIRCULATORY-RELATED ISSUES, HAROLD BALLARD PASSED AWAY ON APRIL 11, 1990 AT 86 YEARS OF AGE. THE LEAFS WERE IN THE MIDST OF A PLAYOFF SERIES WITH THE BLUES AND WERE TOLD OF BALLARD'S DEMISE UPON LANDING IN ST. LOUIS THE DAY BEFORE GAME 5. BALLARD WAS SO OUTWARDLY CRUEL TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA THAT VETERAN TORONTO STAR COLUMNIST JIM PROUDFOOT SHOWED NO MERCY (BELOW).

THE LEGEND OF THE MAPLE LEAFS SURPRISING STANLEY CUP CHALLENGE IN THE SPRING OF 1993 GROWS WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, AND WITH EACH YEAR OF PLAYOFF ABSENCE IN THE POST-LOCKOUT NHL. WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT WAS TO COVER A GRUELLING 21 GAMES IN 42 NIGHTS AS DOUG GILMOUR AND CO. ADVANCED TO THE CONFERENCE FINAL AND CAME WITHIN MINUTES OF A TRIP TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND. ULTIMATELY, THEY WERE FOILED BY WAYNE GRETZKY AND THE LOS ANGELES KINGS IN GAME 7 AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS. PROGRAM ABOVE IS FROM GAME 4 OF THE CAMPBELL CONFERENCE FINAL AT THE FORUM IN INGLEWOOD CALIF. ON SUNDAY, MAY 23, 1993. LEAFS BEAT THE KINGS 4-2 TO SQUARE THE SERIES TWO GAMES APIECE.

WENDEL CLARK - SELECTED FIRST OVERALL BY THE MAPLE LEAFS IN THE 1985 NHL DRAFT - STANDS ALONGSIDE DARRYL SITTLER, DOUG GILMOUR AND MATS SUNDIN AS THE BEST AND MOST POPULAR PLAYER TO WEAR THE BLUE & WHITE IN THE POST-1967 ERA. WENDEL AUTOGRAPHED THE CLUB'S 1993-94 YEARBOOK (ABOVE)... THE LEAFS ESTABLISHED AN ALL-TIME LEAGUE RECORD BY WINNING THEIR FIRST 10 GAMES THAT SEASON AND MADE A RETURN VISIT TO THE STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS, ONLY TO BE THWARTED IN FIVE GAMES BY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

THE DETERMINED GLARE... LOOSELY-STRAPPED HELMET... JERSEY TUCKED INTO LEFT SIDE OF PANTS... THESE WERE ALL TRADEMARKS OF DOUG GILMOUR: THE GREATEST LEAF OVER A SPAN OF TWO BRILLIANT SEASONS (1992-93 AND 1993-94), WHEN HE TOTALLED 238 POINTS IN 166 GAMES AND 53 POINTS IN 39 PLAYOFF ENCOUNTERS (COVER OF '93-94 LEAFS CALENDAR ABOVE). GILMOUR'S 95 ASSISTS AND 127 POINTS IN '92-93 REMAIN LEAF STANDARDS. HE HAD A CLUB-RECORD 35 POINTS IN 21 PLAYOFF GAMES WHILE LEADING LEAFS TO WITHIN MINUTES OF THE 1993 STANLEY CUP FINAL. THIS NOVEMBER, "KILLER" WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME.

ANNUALS WITH MAPLE LEAFS ON COVER:

The 1990s were much kinder to Leaf fans than the wretched '80s, as Cliff Fletcher arrived in town off a Stanley Cup achievement in Calgary [1989] and began digging out from the Ballard years. Three prime acquisitions accelerated the process beyond anyone's imagination: Gilmour was acquired in a mammoth, 10-player deal with the Flames in January 1992; Pat Burns was signed as head coach in May 1992, and Dave Andreychuk came over from Buffalo in a February 1993 swap for veteran goalie Grant Fuhr. Leafs made consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup semifinals - the only time that has occurred since 1967. As such, a number of preview magazines sported Leaf covers in the '90s... they are pictured below.

IN JUNE 1994 - AT THE NHL DRAFT IN HARTFORD - MATS SUNDIN WAS ACQUIRED BY CLIFF FLETCHER FROM THE QUEBEC NORDIQUES. WHEN GILMOUR WAS TRADED TO NEW JERSEY IN MARCH 1997, SUNDIN BECAME THE FACE OF THE FRANCHISE AND REMAINED SO THROUGH THE 2009-09 SEASON. MATS (AND HIS OLD EUROPEAN-STYLE HELMET) IS PICTURED ABOVE ON COVER OF THE 1995-96 YEARBOOK ISSUED BY THE SPORTING NEWS.

WANT TO KNOW WHY DON CHERRY AND BRIAN WILLIAMS ARE SO FAMOUS? LOOK WHO THEY WERE PICTURED WITH ON INSIDE COVER OF THE FAN-590 HOCKEY FORECASTER IN 1997-98 (BELOW).

AMONG OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE IN ADVERTISEMENT OF 1999-2000 FORECASTER (BELOW).

COMING OUT OF THE LOCKOUT, THE LEAFS HAD BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS 10 OF THE PREVIOUS 12 SEASONS AND HAD MADE FOUR TRIPS TO THE STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS. LEAF FANS HAVEN'T SEEN A PLAYOFF GAME SINCE MAY 4, 2004, THE LONGEST-SUCH DROUGHT IN FRANCHISE HISTORY.

THE LEAFS CELEBRATED THEIR LAST STANLEY CUP TEAM WITH A LAVISH CEREMONY AT THE AIR CANADA CENTRE PRIOR TO A SATURDAY-NIGHT GAME AGAINST EDMONTON ON FEB. 17, 2007 (PROGRAM ABOVE). IT MARKED THE ONE AND ONLY APPEARANCE OF DAVE KEON AT A TEAM-ORGANIZED EVENT SINCE HE WAS UNCEREMONIOUSLY DUMPED BY HAROLD BALLARD AFTER THE 1974-75 SEASON. ALL OTHER SURVIVING MEMBERS OF THE 1966-67 CLUB WERE ON HAND.

THE LEADING SCORERS IN LEAFS AND PENGUINS HISTORY WERE ON THE FRONT OF A PROGRAM (ABOVE) FOR A TORONTO AT PITTSBURGH GAME AT MELLON ARENA IN 2004.

A GROUP OF ENTHUSIASTIC LEAF SUPPORTERS IN THE BLOG UNIVERSE PUT OUT THIS HANDSOME ANNUAL (ABOVE) IN 2009-10 AND HAVE PUBLISHED THEIR THIRD EDITION THIS AUTUMN.

NO. 99

No player has ever dominated the cover of hockey publications as thoroughly as Wayne Gretzky in the 1980s... and why not? He is the most famous and recognizable person in the game's history. THE HOCKEY NEWS featured No. 99 on many of its Yearbook covers (below).

AFTER GRETZKY'S PHENOMENAL ERUPTION OF 50 GOALS IN 39 GAMES TO START THE 1981-82 SEASON, VETERAN EDMONTON SUN COLUMNIST TERRY JONES PENNED A QUICK POCKET-BOOK (ABOVE).

I COVERED MY FIRST STANLEY CUP FINAL IN 1985, WHEN THE OILERS DEFENDED THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A FIVE-GAME DESTRUCTION OF PHILADELPHIA. AT EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THE NEXT DAY, I PICKED UP A COPY (ABOVE) OF THE EDMONTON JOURNAL [MAY 31, 1985].

WHAT A GREAT COVER SPORTS ILLUSTRATED PRODUCED (ABOVE) FOR ITS EDITION FOLLOWING THE MEGA-TRADE OF WAYNE GRETZKY FROM EDMONTON TO LOS ANGELES ON AUG. 9, 1988.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE THEATRE ON THE NIGHT OF OCT. 16, 1989 WHEN GRETZKY ECLIPSED GORDIE HOWE'S ALL-TIME NHL RECORD OF 1,850 REGULAR-SEASON POINTS - BACK IN EDMONTON, OF COURSE - WITH THE L.A. KINGS. MR. HOCKEY WAS ON HAND FOR THE OCCASION, CHRONICLED IN THE NEXT DAY'S LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS (ABOVE) AND TORONTO SUN (BELOW).

WHO ELSE WOULD ADORN THE FIRST EDITION OF THE NHL's OFFICIAL PRE-SEASON ANNUAL (ABOVE)?

THIS SPECIAL MAGAZINE, ISSUED BY THE HOCKEY NEWS, MADE FOR TERRIFIC DEBATE AND CONVERSATION. FOR MY MONEY, GRETZKY WOULD BE 1-B BEHIND BOBBY ORR, ONLY BECAUSE ORR WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE NEXT-BEST PLAYER IN THE NHL DURING HIS PEAK YEARS IN THE EARLY-TO-MID-1970s. GRETZKY IS THE MOST NATURALLY-GIFTED PRO ATHLETE I'VE SEEN, BUT THERE WERE OTHERS IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE HE PLAYED (MARIO LEMIEUX, PETER STASTNY, STEVE YZERMAN, MARK MESSIER, DENIS SAVARD). NOT SO WITH ORR.

GRETZKY STOOD OUT ON THE ARTWORK-COVER OF AN NHL PUBLICATION TO END THE 1900s (ABOVE).

POCKET-BOOK PREVIEWS WERE COMMON DURING THE 1970s, SUCH AS THE ABOVE ITEM LEADING INTO THE 1974-75 SEASON, WITH PHILADELPHIA AS DEFENDING CHAMPION. MAGAZINE-STYLE ITEMS, ALSO FROM THE MIDDLE-'70s, ARE PICTURED BELOW.

HOCKEY HELD ITS OWN WITH SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IN THE '70s... OCCASIONAL COVERS FEATURED THE BIGGEST NAMES AND STORIES IN THE GAME (ABOVE, BELOW).

PROGRAM (ABOVE) FROM THE BEST INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY TOURNAMENT I'VE SEEN - THE CANADA CUP OF 1987 THAT FAMOUSLY ENDED WHEN MARIO LEMIEUX TOOK WAYNE GRETZKY'S FEED AND SCORED IN OVERTIME TO BEAT THE RUSSIANS IN THE THIRD AND DECIDING GAME OF THE FINAL AT COPPS COLISEUM IN HAMILTON. AMONG THE MOST STUNNING RESULTS IN MODERN-DAY INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY WAS THE FINAL OF THE INAUGURAL WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT IN SEPTEMBER 1996 (PROGRAM BELOW), WHEN THE AMERICANS - COACHED BY RON WILSON - ERUPTED FOR FOUR LATE GOALS TO OVERCOME CANADA AT THE BELL CENTRE IN MONTREAL.

THE NHL UNDERWENT CHANGE DURING AND AFTER THE 2004-05 SEASON CANCELED BY AN OWNERS' LOCKOUT. TECHNICALLY, THE BIGGEST ADDITION WAS THE SHOOTOUT; ARTISTICALLY, IT WAS SIDNEY CROSBY GRADUATING FROM JUNIOR TO PRO. THESE COVERS OF THE HOCKEY NEWS, AND THE 2005-06 SPORTING NEWS ANNUAL (ABOVE AND BELOW) TELL THE STORY.

BASEBALL AND THE BLUE JAYS

IN THE MID-'60s, SANDY KOUFAX WAS THE TOP PITCHER IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES: IN PHOTO (ABOVE), BEING CONGRATULATED AFTER LEADING THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS TO VICTORY OVER MINNESOTA IN THE 1965 WORLD SERIES. I HAVE A STACK OF THESE BASEBALL DIGEST POCKET-MAGAZINES FROM THAT ERA... ALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE YOUNG BASEBALL FANS MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE THERE WAS ONCE A MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM IN MONTREAL, GIVEN THAT THE EXPOS MOVED TO WASHINGTON MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO, AFTER THE 2004 SEASON. THE ABOVE ITEM IS FROM MONTREAL'S THIRD SEASON IN THE MAJORS... THE EXPOS AND SAN DIEGO PADRES WERE EXPANSION TEAMS IN 1969.

I VIVIDLY REMEMBER WATCHING THIS HISTORIC MOMENT ON TV AS A 15-YEAR-OLD GRADE 9 STUDENT: HENRY AARON BELTING HIS 715th CAREER HOME RUN AGAINST THE DODGERS AT ATLANTA FULTON-COUNTY STADIUM ON APR. 8, 1974 - BREAKING THE LONG-TIME MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD HELD BY LEGENDARY BABE RUTH. THE EARLY-SEASON MATCH WAS TELEVISED NATIONALLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND AARON DIDN'T WASTE TIME - HITTING THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED HOMER IN HIS FIRST AT-BAT AGAINST PITCHER AL DOWNING. HAMMERIN' HANK'S RECORD HAS SINCE BEEN ECLIPSED BY BARRY BONDS, THOUGH UNDER DUBIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE BLUE JAYS YOUNG, DYNAMIC OUTFIELD - CONSIDERED BEST IN BASEBALL THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE '80s - IS FEATURED ON COVER OF THE 1987 SPORTING NEWS YEARBOOK (ABOVE). LEFT TO RIGHT (AS ON THE FIELD): GEORGE BELL, LLOYD MOSEBY, JESSE BARFIELD. BELL WOULD BE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE'S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER THAT SEASON WITH 47 HOME RUNS AND 134 RBI.

ON JUNE 5, 1989, THE BLUE JAYS PLAYED THEIR FIRST-EVER GAME AT SKYDOME (NOW ROGERS CENTRE) AND LOST 5-3 TO MILWAUKEE BREWERS (WHO WERE STILL IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE) DESPITE THE HISTORIC MOMENT FEATURED ON THE FRONT OF NEXT DAY'S TORONTO SUN (ABOVE) - PROVIDED BY FIRST-BASEMAN FRED McGRIFF.

THE BLUE JAYS PREVAILED OVER BALTIMORE IN A TIGHT RACE TO WIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION TITLE IN 1989 (CLINCHING CELEBRATION ABOVE ON COVER OF 1990 PROGRAM) BUT WERE EMBARRASSED BY RICKEY HENDERSON AND THE OAKLAND A's IN THE ALCS.

WHAT A MOMENT IT WAS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 2, 1990 - AT THE OLD MUNICIPAL STADIUM IN CLEVELAND - WHEN PITCHER DAVE STIEB TOSSED THE FIRST (AND, TO DATE, ONLY) NO-HITTER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY (COVERAGE IN TORONTO NEWSPAPERS ABOVE AND BELOW). STIEB HAD TWICE BEFORE COME TANTALIZINGLY CLOSE TO PERFECT GAMES ONLY TO LOSE THEM ON TRICKY BOUNCES. BUT, THE BEST PITCHER IN BLUE JAYS ANNALS MADE AMENDS.

REMEMBER THIS SHORT-LIVED (BUT VERY GOOD) AMERICAN SPORTS DAILY? THE NATIONAL - EDITED BY FRANK DEFORD - WAS PUBLISHED THROUGH 1990 AND THE FIRST HALF OF '91 BEFORE FOLDING. I WAS IN LOS ANGELES SPENDING TIME WITH MY FUTURE WIFE ON DEC. 5, 1990 WHEN WORD ARRIVED OF THE MONSTER TRADE BETWEEN THE BLUE JAYS AND SAN DIEGO PADRES (FEATURED ON COVER OF THE NATIONAL AND SPORTS FRONT OF SAN DIEGO UNION, BELOW). THE DEAL - ENGINEERED BY JAYS' GM PAT GILLICK - PUT HIS CLUB OVER THE TOP. ROBERTO ALOMAR WOULD BECOME THE UNDISPUTED BEST PLAYER IN BLUE JAYS HISTORY (HIS FAMOUS HOME RUN OFF DENNIS ECKERSLEY AT THE OAKLAND COLISEUM IN THE 1992 ALCS FUELED THE JAYS FIRST WORLD SERIES TITLE) AND JOE CARTER WOULD BELT THE NOW-LEGENDARY WALK-OFF HOMER AT SKYDOME (AGAINST PHILADELPHIA) THAT ALLOWED THE 1993 JAYS TO REPEAT AS WORLD CHAMPIONS.

AFTER TOSSING HIS NO-HITTER AT CLEVELAND IN SEPTEMBER 1990, DAVE STIEB WAS ON THE COVER OF THE 1991 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL-ISSUED YEARBOOK (ABOVE).

THE JAYS WON THEIR FIRST WORLD SERIES AT 12:35 A.M. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1992 AT ATLANTA FULTON-COUNTY STADIUM WHEN RELIEVER MIKE TIMLIN GOBBLED UP A DRAG-BUNT ATTEMPT BY THE BRAVES' OTIS NIXON AND TOSSED TO JOE CARTER AT FIRST BASE FOR THE FINAL OUT. SPECIAL FOLLOW-UP MAGAZINES BY THE TORONTO STAR (ABOVE) AND SCOTT MORRISON OF THE TORONTO SUN (BELOW) FEATURED THE NEW CHAMPIONS IN CELEBRATION.

HOW PRESCIENT OF BASEBALL FORECAST '93 MAGAZINE TO FEATURE - ON ITS COVER - THE MAN THAT WOULD END THE SEASON WITH ONLY THE SECOND WALK-OFF HOME RUN IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY.

UNTIL LAST SEASON, CLASSY CARLOS DELGADO (PICTURED, ABOVE, ON COVER OF THE BLUE JAYS 25th ANNIVERSARY YEARBOOK IN 2001) WAS THE FRANCHISE LEADER WITH 336 HOME RUNS. HE WAS TIED, HOWEVER, BY VERNON WELLS BEFORE THE LATTER WAS TRADED TO LOS ANGELES ANGELS.

FOOTBALL... CFL AND NFL

AFTER 39 YEARS AT THE CNE, THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS PLAYED THEIR FIRST HOME GAME AT SKYDOME (PROGRAM ABOVE) AGAINST HAMILTON, LOSING, 24-15, BEFORE 32,527 FANS.

AFTER BREAKING JIM BROWN'S NFL SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING MARK WITH 2,003 YARDS IN 1973, O.J. SIMPSON OF THE BUFFALO BILLS WAS ALL THE RAGE, AND FEATURED ON NUMEROUS ANNUAL MAGAZINE COVERS THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF THE DECADE. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW SIMPSON MUST YEARN FOR THAT TIME IN HIS LIFE AS HE SERVES A LONG PRISON SENTENCE TODAY IN NEVADA, UNRELATED TO HIS INFAMOUS MURDER TRIAL IN 1995 FOR THE DEATHS OF HIS EX-WIFE AND HER WAITER-FRIEND.

GOOD CALL BY THE EDITORS OF PROS FOOTBALL ANNUAL TO FEATURE QUARTERBACK JOE NAMATH ON THE COVER OF ITS 1969 ANNUAL (ABOVE). BROADWAY JOE BACKED UP A NOW-LEGENDARY PREDICTION BY LEADING THE NEW YORK JETS IN A MASSIVE UPSET OF BALTIMORE TO WIN SUPER BOWL III THE PREVIOUS JANUARY - NEW YORK BECOMING THE FIRST AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE CLUB TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST AN ESTABLISHED NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE OPPONENT. IN 1970, THE TWO LEAGUES MERGED.

ONE OF THE FIRST FOOTBALL PUBLICATIONS I EVER BOUGHT WAS THE ABOVE ITEM: A TRADE-PAPERBACK-SIZED PREVIEW OF THE 1970 NFL SEASON (I WAS 11). ON ITS COVER IS AN ACTION SHOT FROM SUPER BOWL IV IN JANUARY 1970, AS THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BECAME THE SECOND AFL CLUB TO WIN THE BIG GAME, KNOCKING OFF MINNESOTA AT TULANE STADIUM IN NEW ORLEANS.

LOS ANGELES RAMS QUARTERBACK ROMAN GABRIEL - HE HAD A BULLET ARM - GRACED THE COVER THE PROS 1971 NFL ANNUAL (ABOVE).

IN 1972, THE MIAMI DOLPHINS BECAME THE FIRST TEAM TO ENJOY A PERFECT NFL SEASON - WINNING ALL 14 REGULAR-SEASON GAMES; TWO MORE IN THE PLAYOFFS, AND SUPER BOWL VII OVER WASHINGTON AT THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM. QUARTERBACK BOB GRIESE ADORNED THE COVER OF THE 1973 DELL FOOTBALL YEARBOOK (ABOVE). IN 2007, THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CAME CLOSEST TO EQUALLING MIAMI'S RECORD, WINNING THEIR 16 REGULAR-SEASON GAMES AND ADVANCING TO SUPER BOWL XLII. BUT THEY LOST TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS, 17-14, AT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM.

THROUGH THE 1960s, '70s, '80s, '90s - AND CONTINUING TO 2007 - STREET & SMITH'S PUBLISHED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE BEST NFL PREVIEW MAGAZINE. I HAVE, AS PART OF MY COLLECTION, EACH EDITION FROM 1965 TO THE FINALE IN '07. SEVERAL OF THESE ITEMS (INCLUDING THE '65 VERSION, ABOVE) ARE PICTURED HERE. IN THE '60s AND '70s, STREET & SMITH'S WOULD INCLUDE A SECTION ON THE CFL, WRITTEN BY A PROMINENT CANADIAN JOURNALIST. AFTER 2007, STREET & SMITH'S MERGED WITH THE SPORTING NEWS, WHICH CURRENTLY ISSUES THE PRE-SEASON ANNUAL.

PRO FOOTBALL ILLUSTRATED WAS AN EXCELLENT PREVIEW MAGAZINE - REPLETE WITH COLOR PHOTOS - DURING THE 1970s AND '80s. QUARTERBACKS JOE NAMATH (NEW YORK JETS) AND JOHN BRODIE (SAN FRANCISCO 49ers) WERE FEATURED ON THE 1971 COVER (ABOVE). NAMATH AND FRAN TARKENTON OF MINNESOTA MADE THE '72 COVER; LARRY CSONKA - THE BULLDOG-LIKE RUNNER OF THE MIAMI DOPLHINS - GRACED THE 1973 MAGAZINE (BOTH BELOW).

HARD TO IMAGINE A QUICKER, SWARMING-TYPE DEFENSE THAN THE 1985 CHICAGO BEARS, WHO TORE A 15-1 SWATH THROUGH THE NFL; SHUT-OUT THE NEW YORK GIANTS AND LOS ANGELES RAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS, AND THEN DEMOLISHED NEW ENGLAND IN SUPER BOWL XX AT THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME IN NEW ORLEANS. IT REMAINS NOTABLE THAT CHICAGO'S ONLY LOSS THAT SEASON OCCURRED IN MIAMI ON A MONDAY NIGHT... THE DOPLHINS THEREFORE PRESERVING THEIR LONE UNDEFEATED SEASON OF 1972. THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE CELEBRATED THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEARS' MONSTER SEASON WITH A SPECIAL COFFEE-TABLE-SIZED MAGAZINE (ABOVE). COVER PHOTO SHOWS PLAYERS CARRYING HEAD COACH MIKE DITKA (RIGHT) AND DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR BUDDY RYAN (LEFT) OFF THE SUPERDOME FIELD AFTER THE ANNIHILATION OF THE PATRIOTS.

STREET & SMITH'S GOT INTO THE BASKETBALL BUSINESS IN 1988, FEATURING ON ITS INAUGURAL COVER (ABOVE) PERHAPS THE THREE MOST DYNAMIC PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY: MICHAEL JORDAN, LARRY BIRD AND IRVIN (MAGIC) JOHNSON.

THE 1995-96 ATHLON SPORTS NBA ANNUAL FEATURED, ON ITS CANADIAN COVER, THE SPLENDID ORIGINAL LOGO OF THE EXPANSION TORONTO RAPTORS (ABOVE).

IN NOVEMBER 1995, VANCOUVER MAGAZINE PASTED THE ENORMOUS BRYANT (BIG COUNTRY) REEVES ON ITS COVER (ABOVE), IN ANTICIPATION OF THE VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES FIRST SEASON. THE GRIZZLIES LASTED SEVEN YEARS ON THE WEST COAST BEFORE MOVING TO MEMPHIS IN 2001 AND LEAVING TORONTO AS THE LONE CANADIAN CITY IN THE NBA.

THE CHINA CLIPPER - RUNNING BACK NORMIE KWONG OF THE EDMONTON ESKIMOS - GRACED THE COVER OF THIS CFL MAGAZINE 55 YEARS AGO (HELL, EVEN I WASN'T BORN YET).

THIS POCKET-SIZED MANUAL (ABOVE) IS AMONG MY MOST-TREASURED CFL ITEMS... I JUST LOVE THE TEAM LOGOS FROM THE MIDDLE-'60s.

THE CFL ISSUED THIS POCKET-BOOK PRIOR TO THE 1974 SEASON... AND NEVER AFTERWARD. IT SHOWS HAMILTON QUARTERBACK CHUCK EALEY BEING CHASED BY ARGONAUTS DEFENSIVE TACKLE GRANVILLE LIGGINS (EVERYONE CALLED HIM "GRANNY").

IT'LL BE HARD TO FORGET THIS GREY CUP GAME (MEDIA GUIDE ABOVE) - PLAYED IN A RAGING SNOWSTORM AT IVOR WYNNE STADIUM IN HAMILTON. TO THIS DAY, I CANNOT FATHOM HOW THE ARGONAUTS AND EDMONTON ESKIMOS PUT UP 80 POINTS ON THAT TREACHEROUS FIELD (TORONTO WON 43-37).

THOUGH IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPARE ERAS, THE ARGONAUTS OF 1997 (MEDIA GUIDE ABOVE) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE MOST DOMINANT TEAM IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. FOR THE SECOND YEAR UNDER COACH DON MATTHEWS - AND LED, INCOMPARABLY, BY QUARTERBACK DOUG FLUTIE - THE BOATMEN RAN UP A 15-3 REGULAR-SEASON MARK AND BREEZED TO VICTORY OVER SASKATCHEWAN IN THE GREY CUP (47-23). TORONTO OUT-SCORED ITS OPPOSITION 660-327 IN 18 REGULAR-SEASON GAMES, OR 37-18 PER MATCH. "IT WASN'T EVEN FAIR," STAR RUNNING BACK (AND FUTURE ARGOS COACH) MIKE (PINBALL) CLEMONS ONCE TOLD ME, REFLECTING ON THE 1997 CAMPAIGN.

HEY, THAT'S MINI-ME (ABOVE) AS A THREE-YEAR-OLD IN 1962. LITTLE DID I REALIZE THE MAPLE LEAFS HAD STARTED A THREE-YEAR STANLEY CUP RUN.