Born 150 years ago, the Toronto Argonauts had to travel less than two kilometres to return home.
On Friday the Argos held a news conference to announce plans for the team’s 150th anniversary season. Fittingly, it was held at the Argonauts Rowing Club (ARC) on Lakeshore Boulevard, just west of BMO Field.
The rowers formed their club in 1872 and a year later the athletes started playing rugby football to stay in shape after their season ended. The three-down sport has evolved, but the team is still alive, surviving two world wars and as many global pandemics.
Appropriately, the current president of the ARC is named Jason. Mr. Van Ravenswaay opened the news conference by welcoming their football kin back to their roots.
“We’re proud for the shared history of our organization,” Van Ravenswaay told those assembled in the ARC’s Henley Room; which features a spectacular view of Lake Ontario. “We share a rich history of sport success in this great city. We share values of promoting sport in our community, engaging youth, and creating opportunities for healthy competition.”
He concluded his comments by saying “I’m looking forward to you beating the Ticats tomorrow.”
It was a perfect way to commemorate the family reunion.
The next speaker was Bill Manning, Van Ravenswaay’s counterpart with the football team.
“Our home opener, June 18th, we will raise another championship banner, our 18th. We’ll also give out to the first 10,000 people who arrive, a replica Grey Cup ring.”
It was a promotion that went over exceptionally well in 2018. With a big crowd expected for the game due to the banner raising – along with the fact the Ticats will provide the competition that night – fans will be encouraged to arrive early.
Manning also announced there will be a celebratory anniversary game.
“The excitement will continue each home game this season as we welcome back alumni from different eras, we celebrate their careers. We countdown toward the actual anniversary which occurred in October of 1873. We’ll have an event on October 4th (the birth date) and then the special game on October 6th.”
More details will be released about those events as the season progresses, but rest assured, the October 6th game will be one fans will want to attend.
The Argo president continued his remarks by mentioning a lengthy endeavor that started in January of this year.
“Throughout the season we’re going to count down the top 150 moments in franchise history and we had a historical subcommittee made up of five Argos historians…those five came up with the top 150 moments in franchise history. It should be an incredible reminder of our franchise’s great history for fans young and old.”
He thanked the members of the subcommittee; Paul Woods, James Fraser, Don Landry, Danny Webb and your humble typist.
Manning then made a major announcement that underscored the Argos commitment to the community and the sport.
“In honour of the 150th anniversary we wanted to do something special. So the Argonauts have teamed up with MLSE Foundation and we’re going to donate $150,000 this year; $75,000 of which will go to the Daily Bread Food Bank, and then another $75,000, we’re going to put into football in this community, for the development of football, and we’re going to announce a partnership in the ensuing weeks, later this season.”
He concluded by thanking some season ticket holders who had been invited to the event, and over a dozen Argonauts Alumni Association members who were also in attendance.
That paved the way for Stace Coray, the alumni association president, to make the announcement that there would be two players added to the list of All-Time Argonauts; Damon Allen and Derrell “Mookie” Mitchell.
Both players have already been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The pair will become the 25th and 26th players recognized by the Argonauts Alumni Association; whose members vote on the honour.
That ceremony will take place during the Argos game against the BC Lions on July 3.
Among the two dozen players already on the All-Time Argos list is Michael Clemons, the team’s general manager. He was the day’s final speaker and focused on the club’s commitment to the community more so than its on-field endeavours.
“There is one thing that cannot be denied and that is our work in community. If you want to show me a truly great person, don’t tell me about records or awards; money or power. If you want to show me a truly great person, show me what that person has done for someone else. And if you measure the thousands and thousands of impressions in community that the Canadian Football League has made, that’s its most important impact.”
When the floor was opened to reporters’ questions, Clemons was asked about his team’s outlook for the 2023 season. He focused on Chad Kelly, the new starting quarterback, who came off the bench in the fourth quarter of last year’s Grey Cup game to lead the Argos to the win.
“He scored ten points in the fourth quarter, and so all we’re asking him is to score ten points a quarter and he’ll be just fine.”
More details will be announced as the season rolls along. Other celebratory moments won’t be, including some in-game events that will be a surprise for fans when they’re at BMO Field this season.
Rest assured though Argos fans, the team’s 150th anniversary season is going to be one you’ll definitely remember.