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Norshore Sentinel (Nipigon, ON), 25 Aug 1960, p. 13

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NORSHORE SENTINEL â€" THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1960 13 A Chat With Chuck By CHuCK McOUAT TOO MANY TOLERATORS Jack Thomas is one of a vanishing breed in sports, the old warhorse who is not afraid to say or do what he feels is just and fair for himself, his team and his sport. Taking the place of the fighters of old are the panty-waist "tolerators" of today who either have no opinions or who are so worried that someone might disagree with their opinion that they remain' quiet when key issues arise. Jack, as a fighter, is badly misplaced in the Lakehead Baseball league. He is surrounded by these seemingly uninterested tolerators who have allowed a blundering executive to pull league prestige down to the point where now even the consistent ridicule from fans has become tinged with pitious comedy. The word "uninterested" may be strong but it can be explained with strong examples. Firstly, there was general dissatisfaction with president Speed Bortolussi and most of his inactive executive after the 1959 season but, despite all their complaining, the teams made no definite plans to have new faces run for office. The old executive was returned almost intact to set the stage for the troubles this year. Secondly, the "tolerators" stood quietly by this season while the men they elected made a disgusting mess out of all operations of the league from the scheduling right down to the publicity. The facts of these continual boobs are so well known that it is not necessary to repeat them. "IT'S NOT HURTING ME SO . " Throughout the almost continual criticism from press, radio and fans alike the teams took on the attitude "if it doesn't hurt me directly I'll look the other way. It's one for all and all for me and to heck with what is hurting the league or what is fair. It's up to the executive to see that fair play is done and if they're not doing a good job we'll just have to tolerate it." They tolerated it last year and did nothing about it. They tolerated it again this year and unless the teams get together and bring in capable men for next year, they'll be tolerating it again in 1961. They'll tolerate until they're dead. Jack Thomas has been both criticized and praised for his decision not to bring his Comets to the Lakehead for key games which would have had an important bearing on the playoff picture. Whether you feel he was right in his arguement and stand (and this corner certainly does), you must admire his fortuitiveness in attempting to start a badly-needed revolution within the teams of the league. SHOULD REPLACE EXECUTIVES This fall when the 1961 elections are held, it can only be hoped that the teams will show a united front to insert new blood into the executive. Good men are not easy to find but of course nothing "good" ever comes easily. It is time the league quit tolerating and started progressive planning to improve the league as a spectator attraction. With a little work the lean years could be a thing of the past. But with a little more procrastination in improving the executive, the league could just as quickly become a thing of the past. CHUCKALUGS: The league will not take away the Terrace Bay franchise and Thomas will not be suspended. After the mess the league officials have made of the season, they wouldn't dare press their luck further on a weak arguement. . . . Wouldn't be surprised to see the teams stand up for Terrace Bay's arguement either! Meeting of the North Shore Hockey league coming up in early September and the best bet here is that the senior teams from the Lakehead and the NSHL teams will play a number of exhibitions in a "league." But there is reported to be action on the Western intermediate front, namely Dry den, Kenora and Warroad, however, to include the Lakehead in their plans. The two senior teams, however, are so inactive until the season is in full swing that they'll probably pass up both chances. THOMAS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ARE THE COMETS OUT? Is Terrace Bay still a franchised member of the Lakehead Senior Baseball league or have the Comets, along with their strong-willed manager Jack Thomas, been given the royal boot by LB A president Speed Bortolussi. Speed recently announced the Comets would lose their franchise and Thomas would be suspended if the Comets didn't show up for two rescheduled games in the Lakehead. The Comets, of course, didn't show up and promptly lost their chance for a playoff spot. But what of the edict? To date Thomas has heard nothing official. In fact he stoutly claims that the league has n^ver informed him of the possible consequences in disobeying their order. "All I know," adds Jack, "is what I read in the paper. But, if any part of this is true I would like to hear it officially. They're not1 going to buffalo me. I'll carry this right to the meeting where they plan on putting this through." "Never before in my 31 years of baseball have I seen an executive get in a worse mess than the one RED ROCK NEWS Mr. and Mrs. E. B. McCanna have left for a holiday in the West. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dufour and family have recently returned from a holiday in Geraldton. Mr. and Mrs. Russ Mabelsom and family spent their holidays in Kenora. Bill and Dot Marchant have just returned from a two months vacation in Europe, where they visited six countries. We hope to hear more about their trip in a future issue of the Sentinel. Red Rock Legion No. 226 will hold their first executive meeting on Sept. 6 and a general meeting on Sept. 7. Plans will be discussed for the early Invitational Bon-spiel for all district Legions. FLAG TENDERS VICTORIA (CP) â€" Tenders are being called through the B.C. purchasing commission for a contract to supply the province's new flag to the government. A government official in Victoria said the flags will probably go on sale in about three months. BIG TIPPERS TORONTO (CP)â€"William Brown, a porter at Malton airport, says Englishmen are good tippers, but visiting Americans rate only fair. they've been in this year. We feel and we hope that we'll get the support of the other teams on this because it's time someone stood up to these dictatorial decisions and fought back." FIVE-POINT PLAN Jack lists the following five-point program as his views on how the league could be bettered next year. They're not passed on as "sour grapes" by a loser but rather as constructive criticism for the other teams to consider before the fall meeting and election of officers. 1. "Get executives who have played the game, good baseball men. The ones we have don't know ho wto run a league. There are a lot of good young men available if they were just approached. Men who have just retired or who are near the end of their careers, such as Ed Cox, Larry Dunville and Bob Baxter, to name hree." 2. "It's an old beef but the' umps in the league just don't know the rules and I mean the umps in Terrace Bay too! There should be an umpire rschool and then the umps should be graded as "A" umps or "B" umps and only the "A" men should be in key positions for key games." 3. "We should play a longer schedule. Red Rock and Terrace had the two best pitching staffs and we murdered each other. We're asking for Saturday games next year ... if we're still in." 4. The teams should go back to the rules. By that I mean smarten up the little things like presenting lineups, etc. Do it up like the big league. Why should we be different just because we're smaller? But that all goes back to the executive riding herd. 5. Colonels need help. It's no good having one weak team in the league and I'm for allowing the juniors and juveniles who are capable and who want to play, to move up. Some did this year but there are lots more could be playing. HOTEL NIPIGON INN THE MEETING PLACE OF TRUE FRIENDS! THE HOTEL NIPIGON INN WELCOMES The Sentinel â€"We Wish Them Every Success in Their Service to the North Shore! ... the HOTEL NIPIGON INN features * Free Parking * Coffee Shopâ€"Full Course Meals *Switchboard Phone Service * and of courseâ€"the most modern accommodations Phone 520 or 521 Nipigon

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