Sports Fan ~ I Am!

(to a degree, I confess)

Since way-back-when - I've followed the Toronto Blue Jays

when originally they were affiliated with the International League

and known as The Toronto Maple Leafs ~ playing in Maple Leaf Stadium.

While pursuing post-secondary education in Toronto, I attended a few games.

Today, with reference to my TV Guide, I watch the games televised.

Perhaps my interest ignited, when in my teens, Dad took me see Brantford Red Sox games. Locally, in High School, I played 'fielder' for the 'Burford Blue Birds' ~ a small league of farm girls.

The Olympic Games I thoroughly follow

(especially our Canadian teams)

And when our teams so proudly enter the stadium,

I get all 'teary-eyed' when O Canada welcomes them in.

On a recreational level, I played badminton...tennis...bowled on a few teams...and during my teaching years, skied every winter weekend. With avid friends, we hit the slopes locally...often to Collingwood's Blue Mountains... or Buffalo's Kissing Bridge.' When time permitted, immensely were thrilled with ski weeks in the Laurentian Mountains.Tennis I enjoyed over the summer ~ these sports conducive to my health and strength. With my son, I enrolled him in ski lessons and taught him to golf. My daughter would have nothing to do with winter sports...her love was gymnastics, dance, music ~ and of greatest pleasure was 'equestrian' ~ a sport in which for several years, she excelled.

When first hearing about Toronto's basketball team,

I considered their team name most appropriate: “The Toronto Rafters”!

(shooting high to score points)

The sports page enlightened me: they are Toronto Raptors!

(What a great team name!)

First time, ever, a Canadian team in the NBA vied for the playoffs!!!

Best of 7 games Toronto Raptors are competing with Golden State Warriors ~
from Oakland, California.

Miraculously, our Raptors won the first game, losing the second game by a few points.

.

The Golden State Warriors' head coach enthusiastically stated,

"Hearing the Ontario crowd sing to O Canada, 

it was beautiful." 

Hamilton Will Have a Jurassic Park After All

Core Entertainment which runs Hamilton`s First Ontario Centre

on Wednesday, hosts The Hamilton Honey Badgers who

are making their 7 pm game against the Guelph Night-Hawks.

This game free...with the Raptors Game to be shown on screens in the arena when it`s done.

As of late Friday afternoon, there were 37 cities and towns across Ontario, creating their own version of Jurassic Park for the NBA finals, ranging from Windsor to Kingston...to Thunder Bay...to Ottawa.

There are 33 or more  Cineplex Theatres showing the games on their screens.

Plans for viewing of Games 4 through 7 will be announced later.

Today, my heart is with ~ and for our Raptors!

Compiled by Merle Baird-Kerr...June 5, 2019

Your views welcome: mbairdkerr@bell.net