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SportWaterloo I sat in the semiâ€"darkness of my living room Monday It just so happened the snow was flying fast and furious evening, staring across the way at a plaque on the far wall, that day, and while I cursed the bad timing of the article, no bigger than my hand, but much bigger in my heart. Champ burst into the office, overcoat and snowboots flapâ€" The inscription reads: ping. ea hk . 21 hk‘ _ * â€" The occasion was the combined Tigerâ€"Expo yearâ€"end banâ€" quet and baseball peopleâ€"cumâ€"revellers were far too busy celebrating the accomplishments of the past, the fun and frivolity of the present and the promise of the future to noâ€" tice a few insignificant drops of rain. ' And in the middle of it all, chomping on his everâ€"present cigar, stood Merle (Champ) Glassford, the man almast sinâ€" gularly responsible for the scene in front of him. And of course the initiator of my special award, based not on comâ€" petition but on appreciation. That was his style. . Sportswriter of the Year . Rick Campbell Waterioo Tigers ,Weterioo Expos Basebail Clubs 1979. It was a cold, miserable night last October 27 when I was presented with that award, but inside the Kâ€"W Navy Club not a soul was lamenting the weather. _ B On that particular night, Champ had a smile on his face four lanes wide, and why not? His dream, to bring the city of Waterloo the best baseball organization possible, was knocking on reality‘s door. _ _ He was founder and president of one of the most successâ€" ful junior clubs in the province, had inched his way into the senior market with relentless drive that netted not only the finest facility in the Interâ€"County League but also one of the most exciting teams to play in it, and needed only a parkful of fans and a league championship to complete this parâ€" ticular dream. s But it wasn‘t to be. Just as Tigers® fortunes dipped this season, so did Champ‘s health, to the point where he couldn‘t come to the ball park even had he wanted to. | Although I was aware of Champ‘s terminal illiness these past two months, that didn‘t prevent news of his passing hitâ€" ting me like a ton of bricks. Not because he was a close working associate,but beâ€" cause in the short three years I knew him, he became a close friend and confidant, a cherished item in this world of forgettable faces and even more forgettable quotes. . Never will I forget the Thursday in late March of 1978, the day after I, truthfully for the lack of better copy, decided to getnheadsurtonthe‘rabblure-eutrytoleuiorhllz splashing a feature on them on front page sports, resp ent with full Tiger head at the top. 4 Champ Glassford passed awx‘eariy Monday morning, the victim of cancer, a disease that shows no mercy, plays no favorites, and to this day is accountable to no one. . $A Ia Cl m men see thlngs as they are and say why; > ~~~ _ _1 dream things that never were and say why not? ‘"Beautiful Rick, beautiful, you won‘t believe how much this publicity will help us. Can I get some extra copies?"" ‘‘*Sure, how many." "Oh, 25 or 50, whatever you‘ve got." At that point, a mutual admiration society was born. We sat and talked for almost an hour about the Tigers, me marâ€" velling at the enthusiasm exuding from every pore in his body, him I perceived shocked that he not only had method in his madness but also an ally as the snow piled up on the sidewalks. ) Our working relationship, but not our friendship, took a man was the respect others accorded him, friend and e detour that first summer when I was laid off by this alike. newspaper one week into the season. But I attended every One of the biggest jokes around the league was Tiger home game anyway, how couldn‘t I when the club Champ and colorful Toronto Maple Leaf owner Jack D manager . handed me a season pass numbered 001° ico detested the basepaths the other walked on. In re Fully understanding my predicament that summer, their absolute devotion to the game and irrepressib Champ, the personnel manager at Seagram‘s also did his tures drew the pair into a close friendship, to the damndest to land me a spot with the local distillery. And did â€" where Jack stated on his club‘s last visit to Waterloco too, even though I was forced to quit due to a physical disaâ€" the park "just isn‘t the same without him here." bility. x y He was right on with that comment. A man of man; "It‘s not your type of work anyway, Rick,"" said Champ, at Bechtel, Champ was the first to roll up his sleeves ‘"You‘re a born writer, your time will come, mark my sidered no task beneath his dignity, provided his man words." with every tangible and intangible amenity possible, a That‘s the type of person he was. Always full of praise, turned every ounce and more of player Toyalty. but never to the extent that his words become hollow. Unfortunately, the script of life cannot be whimsica Sure, I know that over the years Champ made his share of tered to suit our purposes. Of course the perfect sc enemies with his unyielding methods. It goes with the terriâ€" would have had Tigers winning the championship this tory and I‘d never pretend it wasn‘t the case. But I can‘t for their devoted owner, but fate dictated otherwise. speak for that â€" hell I slung my share of arrows in Tigers _ Fate also dictated though that the day before C direction, and Chanzut:ok every one in stride â€" didn‘t like Glassford passed away, Waterloo Expos would prev them, but accepted just as he would revel in the tales Ontario championship in a manner graphically remin of Tiger triumphs. of their founder‘s last years. One of the best examples of the way our friendship blosâ€" Fighting against toug® odds. Giving their utmost somed came early last season (1979), only days after I had â€" going out a winner. bitched in a column about the less than royal treatment I _ Thank you, Champ Glassford, for touching my life. RICK CAMPBELL Waterioo Chronicle, Wednesday, September 10,â€"1980 â€" Page 17 Next time I entered Bechtel Park‘s press box, there taped to the table in front of my customary seat (which had never been challenged) was this humungous sign "RESERVED FOR RICK CAMPBELL, WATERLOO CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR, signed Champ Glassford." had received, or more specifically my newspaper had reâ€" ceived in press boxes around the league. _ _ ""And why not,"" said Champ upon entering the press box moments later. ‘"The Chronicle is Waterloo‘s main newspaper and I think it‘s about time people treated it as such." _ Take that comment any way you like, I tell you it made me feel pretty darn good. To this day that sign rests above my desk. . : e ts 4 Could also never get over how visiting press and team managers were shocked by Champ‘s press box generosity, where such items as peanuts and cold drinks were always available free of charge. In the Interâ€"County loop, blaspheâ€" mous, almost unheard of. _ **Yeh, but where are the salt and vinegar chips?** I kidded the big cigar one Sunday afternoon. _ . ns â€"Next game, two bags of chips, salt and vinegar. Right in front of my seat. Family packs, for crying out loud. _ . â€" While I admired the professionalism with which he treatâ€" ed people, myself included, the thing I recall most about the man was the respect others accorded him, friend and enemy alike. One of the biggest jokes around the league was that Champ and colorful Toronto Maple Leaf owner Jack Dominâ€" ico detested the basepaths the other walked on. In reality, their absolute devotion to the game and irrepressible naâ€" tures drew the pair into a close friendship, to the point where Jack stated on his club‘s last visit to Waterloo, that the park "just isn‘t the same without him here."" Chronicle Sports Line 886â€"2830 He was right on with that comment. A man of many hats at Bechtel, Champ was the first to roll up his sleeves, conâ€" sidered no task beneath his dignity, provided his managers with every tangible and intangible amenity possible, and reâ€" turned every ounce and more of player Toyalty. alcal Fate also dictated though that the day before Champ Glassford passed away, Waterloo Expos would prevail at Ontario championship in a manner graphically reminiscent of their founder‘s last years. Fighting against toug® odds. Giving their utmost. And Unfortunately, the script of life cannot be whimsically alâ€" tered to suit our purposes. Of course the perfect scenario would have had Tigers winning the championship this year for their devoted owner, but fate dictated otherwise.