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~ VIEWPOINT [4 John B. McClelland jum Pad THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN I happened to glance at the Major League Baseball standings last week and nearly fell out of my chair. "They" i'd doing it to, me again," I muttered under my breath. "They" happen to be Canada's other baseball team, the one that has never won a World Series, in fact has never even made it to the big dance in October. 1 am one of those die-hard Montreal Expo fans, have been ever since the "Spos" made their way into the majors way back in 1969 when, they played their home games in that quaint little band-box called Jarry Park. Scanning the standings last week I noted that the Expos were sporting a record of 18 wins and 11 losses, good enough for second spot in the tough NL East, and just a couple of games behind the leading Atlanta Braves. That other Canadian team, the Blue Jays, by contrast had a record that day of 18 and 18 and were six games behind the Division leaders. How many times over the past few years have the Expos jumped out of the chute in a big hurry, piqued the interest of their fans, only to fall flat somewhere between June and October. Too many times I thought to myself, and hear they are again in 1994 off to a respectable start. 1 often said that rooting for the Expos over the years one has to have some kind bf masochistic streak buried deep in the psyche. Rooting for the Expos year in and year out has been painful, to say the least. But the deepeds cut came that Monday afternoon back in the early 80's when the Dodgers Rick Monday came off the bench to hit a home run that knocked them out of the NL final. It was "Blue Monday" for loyal fans from coast to coast. In the 1980's the Expos were the team to beat with a talent-laden lineup that included Gary Carter, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Tim Wallach and Jeff Reardon, one of the finest relief pitchers ever Every year, they'd be close, but not close enough and eventually most of the players went elsewhere to toil for bigger pay cheques than the Expos could afford. So much promise, never fulfilled At this time of year, my interest in sports remains mostly with the Stanley Cup playoffs. Baseball doesn't turn my crank until at least the all-star game early in July That's why I sat up and took notice that the Expos are within striking distance of the leaders and it's still early May. OK, now I'm interested. Every year ° 1 tell myself not to get too excited if the "Spos" show some promise. Every year, they disappoint. Winning isn't everything, of course, but just once. I'd love to see them on the big dance floor when October rolls around. This year? Naw......... Well, maybe. After all, once a die- hard, always a die- hard. Still with the world of sports, will George Burnett be the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers? I heard some strong rumblings recently that an announcement of this kind would be coming out of . Edmonton in the very near future. George is a Port Perry native who played minor hockey here before moving on to London in the OHL. He's a graduate of McGill University where he also played hockey and set some school records in the process. He got his coaching start as an assistant with the Junior C Uxbridge Bruins and then had a couple of fine years behind the bench with the Port, Perry MoJacks. ve The last two seasons, he has skippered the Oiler farm team in Cape Breton and won a Calder Cup last year A good choice for the Oilers? Looks good from this gorner. Hope it happens for George cause he knows hockey, deserves his shot at the big Poe and has "paid his dues." Mose cersind The Port Perry High chool Senior Rugby team is making some big noise this season. The Rebels, as I write this, sport an un-blemished record of seven straight wins. What's more, in those seven games the team has scored almost 200 points while holding the opposition to just 11. Not bad at all. Last week, the Rebels faced a big test as they hosted Dunbarton; a team ranked third on Ontario by the Rugby Association Playing in a very strong wind from the northwest, Dunbarton took advantage as they had the wind at their backs in the first half. But the Rebels held them and once the teams changed ends after the half, Port Perry rolled to a convincing 26-11 victory. This is one powerful squad. Watch for the Rebels to made a real run at an all-Ontario title for PPHS this season, * What committee, and d just what tho they plan to save? To the Editor: An article written by one Christopher Meyers Almey of the Oshawa Times staff reportedly stated that our Island Mississaugas apparently have a good chance of winning a legal casino licence from the province of Ontario. As one of fifteen groups in the running Chief Edgar states that the term "casino" is erroneous. Mr. Joel Aldred has written his concerns. He takes a stand as one not wanting this move on behalf of the "Save Scugog Island Committee". What Island committee? What do they plan on saving? The government be it local, provincial or federal has to post an organized meeting intent if deemed necessary and allow the residents in the > including Scugog Council a voice. We look forward to Mayor Halls input. We expect Chief Edgar, Ken, Alex and Gord, Gary Herrema and Mrs. Churley and any other politicians to speak to the facts too. I am in agreement that if necessary a hearing should be proposed and we citizens afforded an educated opportunity to hear the benefit and problems. But not the confrontational posturing right up front. We noted that the editor did his job in not putting forward the platitudes as in the Aldred store epistle save to simply suggest that he sees many problems associated with gambling. Even that statement leaves a lot to be desired as honest, forthright, and law abiding persons enjoy the occasional tryst with chance. I know I will! The Scugog Mississauga's are to be congratulated for their ingenuity, entreprenturship and intelligent direction. If the enterprise develops everyone in Scugog Township should bengfit. Port Perry will be the community on the map as directions will always use the reference. Sincerely, Gene Nolan Scugog Island. Raising the Flag in Palmer Park To the editor: This past kend the Ki Club the Legion Branch #419 and two bers of our local Cubs and Scouts. of Port Perry kicked off the Proud to be Canadian celebrations with it's Raise the Flag ceremony at Palmer Park. Once they made their way through traffic and the Lions Club collection of Road Tolls approximately 120 Scugog Township citizens and local celebrities turned out and enjoyed the music of the S.A. Cawker school band, led by Susan Morrison. Scugog Mayor Howard Hall spoke a few words about the significance of the day's evefits and what was to come over the next several weeks He noted that the Township Flag was being sent to Ottawa for the Parade of 127,000 Flag Parade and mentioned the Uxbridge Flag Flying Challenge, which volunteer Kinsmen and Kinettes will counting over thy t month. Mr Joel Aldred spok ignificant historical events th nd Canada and it's Flag We enjoyed the God Save The Queen solo by Band Leader Susan Morrison, while the flag was being ed to the pole by members of the Colour Guard of The entire Band gathered the crowd's attention with O'Canada as the 1992 'signed' Canadian Flag was raised. The signed Flag flew in the skies for the rest of the afternoon before being i replaced with the usual unsigned Canadian Maple Leaf and the Township Flag. I would like to thank those who have been mentioned, as well as Kins Da Goldberg and Larry Kendall for el support, advice and help for this event. You should know now Kinsmen that the Raise the Flag events are not over with yet. | am organizing some more. We still are left with the task of counting the number of Flags Flying and Window Flags Displayed throughout the Township #0 keep them up We will beat Uxbridge Township with your help and your demonstration of Patriotism Thank-you! EEN Event Chairman et Kin-David Bishop 1 Also proud to call himself a Canadian To the Editor better than the one they left Taking off a In response to the letter in So, come to our cduntry to be a the Citizen last week Canadian and leave the small price to pay "Canadians must learn garbage behind change with the timgs,"" 1 want | sent money to Alberta t entering a Legion Hall is a It seems to me that some people will stand behind hat when "politically correct," not submissive Men were not expected to be or wimps Yes, we need to be tolerant but The letter to the Citizen would not remove his hat at a local high school should be given more teaching in Canadian history and less sex education. He might have a to say that | am proud to be Canadian and if there are changes to be made they should come from the people who come here to be Canadians There is no place in the world I would leave Canada to live and | am pretty sure the ad people come here to live or is because this country is . help keep our Mounties in hats instead of turbans. Why should we be asked to trade our traditions for their «? I don't hew old David Butler is, but one of the Yeasons he and | cari write letters to the editor is because of the young men who lost their lives in two wars to keep our country what it is today. anything to keep from fighting for their country, including religion. If everyone took that stance we would lose our country tomorrow In regards to the good old days when you didn't have to lock your doors, didn't have to listen to how proud people are to be gay. Men were men and women were proud of them. written by Brad Moase was well thought out and I hope there are more young men like him in this country, and that makes me proud to be a part of them. Don't ask me to be tolerant of people who want to change me, but refuse to chapge themselves. Maybe the young petson who different attitude about the national anthem. Thisekind of behavior can only be explained as ignorance, stupidity or smart-alec. Maybe # what we need are some of the laws in Singapore. Also proud to be Canadian. Vallie Lovering, Scugog Township.