Any of us who have gone to Ti-Cats games in Toronto - or like me have gone to hundreds of other games in Toronto over the years will notice someone missing.
Ralph the 'Program Guy' died recently.
[url=http://markhebscher.com/blog/toronto-s-greatest-sports-fan-is-dead]http://markhebscher.com/blog/toronto-s- ... an-is-dead[/url]"Programs! Programs Here! Get your program here!"
http://markhebscher.com/media/k2/items/cache/8e5f062e9750688c028aaa3058da9ec4_XL.jpg
He'll be missed.
Remember Ralph very well. For the longest time i thought he was only at Jays games - a Jays/Labatt's employee. Then I saw him at the inaugural season of the Raptors. Then at Argos games. That's when it dawned upon me that I he was an independent contractor. A guy who had cornered the programme business in Toronto! I thought it was so cool!
Specifically, I remember watching him at a Jays game. I watched him go up & down the aisles from section to section, level to level. The guy was in extraordinary shape. Brush cut. Big glasses. Reminded me of a Marine Drill Sargent!
In fact, when I was at the Toronto/Hamilton game this past Friday, I asked myself; "Where's that quirky program dude?" Never had the chance to meet him but something inside me said, "I bet there's a heckuva story behind this guy!"
Obviously there was.
RIP Peace Ralph ... Hope there's a buffet up in heaven!
P.S. Thanks for posting TravelPat ...
RIP Ralph.
I'm sure he was a great guy and like many who devote themselves to the sports organizations in this country but never receive any real credit for a job well done and are only missed after their gone, as I'm sure is the case here.
However if Toronto fans don't get out and support their team than sadly Toronto Football is headed in the same direction in the big smoke.
remember him selling programs in the 70's at cne stadium for the argos and concerts during the exhibition in the grandstand.
RIP Ralph
Thanks for the update.
One of the last of the old guard to survive the corporate and commercialized world of Toronto sports.
Reminds me of old Exhibition stadium and memory's of hot dogs wrapped in foil sold out of a cooler.
He symbolized a past era when sports seemed more simple and honest.
RIP Ralph and the era of simpler times in sports.
P.S. I hope they have a jacket for you in heaven!