Fritz Hanson to be inducted into Ring of Honour

[blueandgoldguy]

How about a positive thread for a change...

Fritz Hanson - the first superstar in Bomber history and one of the all-time greats from the early days of Canadian football - will be inducted to the Ring of Honour.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2018/09/18/ring-honour-inductee-fritz-hanson/

They called him ‘Twinkletoes’, the ‘Perham Flash’ and the ‘Galloping Ghost’, and every nickname just seemed to perfectly describe his enthralling skillset.

Melvin ‘Fritz’ Hanson was the first superstar in the history of the Winnipeg Football Club, pre-dating all the legends in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ long and storied history, arriving decades before Stegall and Roberts, Ploen, Lewis, Gray, Tinsley, Brown, Brock, James and Walby. Hanson – the 2018 inductee into the club’s Ring of Honour – first appeared on the local football scene in 1935 during the Great Depression – spurring a $1,000 offer from the New York Giants to sign in Winnipeg instead for $800 along with a new overcoat and the chance to be close to his hometown in Perham, Minnesota.

And he instantly put the franchise on Canada’s sporting map.

The ‘Winnipegs’ – as they were known then, before the nickname ‘Blue Bombers’ was hung on them by Free Press sportswriter Vince Leah – had fallen in the Grey Cup semi-final in 1933 and were just 3-4 a year later when the Bombers added Hanson.

The game was changing then, with more American college players migrating north to Canada and passing coming into vogue.

Long overdue but I'm glad it's finally happening.

 

 

 

 

[Dragon37]

I wondered  who and when they were going to do this. It’s really too bad they didn’t do this earlier when it was warmer or during the Banjo Bowl when you know you have a large crowd. Still glad they are keeping this going.

[SpeedFlex27]

When I was a teen back in the late 60's & early 70's my neighbour across the street from me on Clare Avenue in Riverview was a huge Bomber fan. Except he had seen it all from the beginning. He used to tell me stories about the pioneers of the Blue Bombers & other teams. Guys like Fritzie Hansen, Russ Rebholz, Keith Spaith, George Trafton, D i c k Huffman, Bob Fritz, George Druxman, Jack Jacobs, Tom Casey, Neil Armstrong, Dave Skrien, Jim Spavital ( As a player. He was an hellacious fullback), Leo Lewis, Ernie Pitts, Cornell Piper, Ken Ploen, Bud Grant & others. I truly believe that I got my love of the Bombers from him. He was such a cool guy to talk to. Told me about players & games that I had never heard of as a 14 year old. He was the most influential person I met when it came to  becoming a Blue Bomber fan. I'd see him cutting his grass or doing yard work. I'd wander over & pretty soon we'd be talking football for an hour or more. RIP Mr. McGibney. Thanks for teaching the Bomber legacy to a very impressionable young fan who was all ears.  RIP Fritz Hansen. A well deserved honour. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by SpeedFlex27

[blueingreenland]

Will he have a grandson or grandaughter there on his behalf?

[SpeedFlex27]

14 hours ago, blueingreenland said:

Will he have a grandson or grandaughter there on his behalf?

I'm sure there'll be someone there from his family.