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~~1 6-T The Canadian Champion, Friday, September 24, 2004 *comment CIM A LEFTYPBul HITs wrM *The Canadian Champion WJGH M, n M to n14N49[o,28ýt n 1fh erl (905) 878-2341 Alà' alnEtrrs rnpo urii triitr Ot tfigü C itrulax:o 905-878-4943 Gaco lnOmqesRve Fwcr Yug Gof0N 1a olve Pub sh e 0 dm WcoFP lS ocms ie uoaBsns Aveil isn Fa,\ 90 -7626 Aes LidaM hs\ekMrhý mii&ým.Mdal:pltF uiien Murv FlinSopn Nw lstslgaBsns ie Cirv culatin A0 -7854 NotubradNwNrhYokMriOkil ev Tmm(le Pd MhpigNwOagvlegnirOdiesHce es rli thaln e O le Pu ls e oaOhwIhlyCaigoiotPryTi e ebruh hi Terkasaso Offnt Mude Rihmn Hl/hr I/aga baS cr GelOive Isscae H a k aulse tryg iro titvil/xrd rbn National Hockey League commission- er Gary Betlman and NHL players' union boss Bob Goodenow said last week, as the league announced a lockoul thal will effeclively shut dlown the upcoming sea- son, that both sides were "willing to negoliate a fair agreement" and apolo- gized to the fans for the labour disrup- tion. Don't believe either onue of them. If fans mattered a whit to, eiîher of these men, hockey fans wouldnît be forced this winter 10 lune in toi professional bowling or Ausnralian cîiff diving in a bid 10 feed their sports addiction. This "labour situation," which was foreseen years ago, is about whal mosl labour situations are about - money. The players want 10 ensure Ihal even a fourlh liner wbo, scores three goals a year can gel a million-dollar contract while the owners, multi-millionaires aIl, wanl an even heftier alice of the NHL pie. I may be belabouring the obvious, but there's plenty of blame îo be placed on both sides. The owners, for their part, need a new collective bargaining deal in place t0 save themselves from, well, themselves. Out-of-control salaries are solely the fault of owners who over-paid for players in a bid 10 outdo other owners. For sup- posedly smart businessmen who made their fortunes outside the sporling armna, lhey have shown incredible stupdy when il cornes 10, playing with their sporting loys. The players, for their pant, must realize thal the NHL hasn'l caughl on in the United States (a poker loumamenl ouI- drew the recenî U.S-Russia World Cup game on TV), there's lintle revenue com- ing in from lelevision contracla. some franchises are in real danger of going belly up and the Wade Belaks of the hockey world aren't worth $1 million a year. Our advice toi hockey-starved fans dur- ing this lockout is toi go walch the Milton lceHawks play. For those of you who haven'î altended a junior hockey game of late, check out Memorial Arena Fridays aI 7:30 p.m. If's poelty cheap, loci. The cost for a ticket is $8, with children under 10 genting in for free. *OUrTedr Write Thanks to everyone who supported ninth annulai Leslie Wells Slo-Pitch Tournament Dear Editor: On bebaîf of the Leslie Wells Slo- Pilcb Toumnamrenl Commilîme, I'd like 10 exted a very special lbank- you for the generous contributions 10 our ninîb annual Leslie Well Slo- Pitcb Toumnamrent. This evenl wouldn'î bave been possible wilhouî tbe support of many companies in Milton. Held Augusl 13 10 15, the tourna- ment was a u-emmndous success and enjoyed by aIl players and fans Ihal allended. Thanks 10 the Milton Lions Club for ils continurd sup- port for Ibis growing event, as wmll s toi tbe operations staff aI thc Nipissing yard for making the Thompson Road hall diamonds aI Lions Park a firsI-class location in whicb 10 play. The 2004 comminee is pleased 10 announce Ibal $18,500 was raised, and will be donaled 10 a number of organizalions, including the Canadian Red Cross Society of Milton, St. John's Ambulance of Milton, Pierre DeBie, Heallb Recovery, Dumencu Boys in Trust, E.C. Drury's 251h anniversary reuntion, Milton Lions Club chai- ties and Milton District Hospital, in memory of Barrie Elliol and Bob "Stumper" Davidson. Over the pasl nine years Ibm Leslie Wells Cbarily Slo-Piîch Toumament bas raised more Iban $100,000 for various charilies in Milton. Once again, lhanks for your sup- port of Ibis evenl. Grog Ollerenahaw, Leslie Wells Sio-Pltch Tournament Committee E-matil iril jour lotters to the editor to miltoned@haltonsearch.com. Canadian Thn"anksgiving has its own unique flavour Most of us celebrale Thanksgiving every year but how many actually know about the onigins of the Canadian festivities? I admit 1 didn't really know much until I was editing an article written by Stephanie Thiessen to be fealured in the October/November issue of North Hallon Bife, a sisler publication of The Champion. In fact, I think knowledge of the American Thanksgiving. a day our neighbours 10 the soulh celebrale biggcr than Chrislmnas. is more comn- monplacc with pilgrims and football. Rciteraling sections of Uic article. l'mn going t0 pass on some of riîy ncwfound knowledge 10 you. In 1957. Parliamneol officially dcclarcd the sec- ond Monday of October as Thanksgîving. In pre- vious years. Uic holiday had been changcd 10 October fmmn November due 10 complaints thal il was celebrated loo lte for the Canadian growing season. If's commonly known thal when Americans stuif themselves wilh lurkey every fourth Thursday of November, they're celebrating Uic feal: of their pilgrim fathers. 'Mis is the namte given 10i a group of about 100 English colonis who landed fmom Uic Mayflower and created Uic furst seulement of New England in 1620. But surprisingly cnough, ourMTanksgiving oni- gins date even further back. Historians agrec thal Uic Oirst T1hanksgiving bappened around 1578 when English navigalor Martin Frobisher cell- bratcd surviving bis jciumcy in what's nnw Newfoundland. The Amenican holiday aclually had some influ- ence on bow the holiday was celebraîrd in Canada. Is the 1750s, sentlers moving to the Nova Scotia area from Amnerica brought wi Uiem their Thanksgiving traditions, explaining many of the similarities. This conîinued as cluamps of Americans immigrated 10 Canada Uirougbout the sent century. for various reasons. WiUi the Christian church ai the centre of the communîty, special church services acrte Uic norm. An article in an Ociober. 1903 issue of a local newspaper refers ti a "splendid" Thanksgiving dinner Ihal was toi be held Oclober 15 aI the Melbodisl Cburch in Milton. "The ladies of Uic cburch are making arrange- ments for an admnirable supper," il reads. "Therle will be an attractive musical programme." Villagers oflen celebraled Thanksgiving in Victorian limes with a communal feast as well as games and dancing. As il docs loday, the Thanksgiving meal in thc laIte I 9th century would bave resembîrd closely Ihal of our soulhem neigbbours - and the dcli- cacies werenlt much different fromn whal we savour ibese days. A lypical menu might bave included Toast turkey, chieken, polaloes, squash, onions. cran- bcrry sauce, plum pudding and for dessert, mince. pumpkin and apple pies. Hopefully. ibis addcd insight will make the hol- iday more meaningful for you as il bas for me. U -