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The walls of Mike's trophy room are lined with plaques and trophies he has won or been presented over the past 30 years. Photo by J. Peter Hvidsten STRONG LIKE BULL Mike's 30 year career promoting and competing in arm wrestling landed him in the ‘Hall of Fame’ Mike Haigh may be the best athlete you've never heard of. Inducted into both the Ontario and Canadian Halls of Fame in his sport, Mike’s 30-year career reads like an athletic dream. Humble and passionate on the topic, he’s philosophical when explaining why arm wrestling appeals to only a limited audi- ence. “It suffers from an image problem,” he says candidly. “It’s associated with dingy bars and settling w: In its simplest form, arm wrestling is a friendly test of strength among friends. But taken to a competitive level, it demands the same physical training, mental preparation, and intellectual strategizing as any “mainstream” spo! Mike’s unplanned journey began casually at Crandell’s Tavern in Port Perry in the mid-80’s. “I expected to compete against local friends and coworkers,” he recalls of that initial entry. “But most of the competitors were veterans of a well-established arm wrestling circuit. That was a phenomenal first experience, even ifI didn’t come close to wi What it did was whet his appetite. And when the competition returned to Crandell’s the fol- lowing year, Mike struck up a fruitful friendship with a fellow competitor which would change his athletic life. “Todd Steele would become my influential coach. But that night, all I wanted to do was pick his brain!” Steele would ultimately satisfy the newcom- er’s thirst for knowledge and greater achieve- ment. Photo on Page 1 - Arm wrestling Champions, from left, Gary Goodridge of Barrie (heavy and middle weight), Mike Haigh, Port Perry (light weight) and Leanne Johnston, Port Perry (ladies division). 4 FOCUS - MAY 2015