An excellent read John and a great story to start the day. You were indeed a lucky young lad. Your memory fails you a touch though (or maybe it was a typo) Leeds is South of Ripon Whatever, hve a great day and many more in good health
Cheers ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Sykes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Leeds List" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 4:34 AM Subject: [LU] Non LU - comparing games > Hey you all.....let me relate a story for you. I came to Canada on the > final sailing of the Empress of Canada to the colonies.....we left > Liverpool on December 23, 1952....bound for Canada......we docked in St. > John, New Brunswick.....holy shit, even as a 14 year-old, I thought this > was worse than arriving in Australia on a prison ship in the > 1800's.....we hit a whole gale....force 10 on the Beaufort scale the > final day out.....I was one of only 23 people out of 300-odd who showed > up for dinner. > We eventually made it to shore. The ship sailed back to Liverpool and > on January 25, 1953 was set afire by a welder's torch during the annual > refit. The Empress of Canada was no longer....it keeled over on its > side and later was hauled off to Poland for scrap. From then on, I have > despised everything Liverpool....never mind Manchester...... > > On the trip over though, I saw the highlights of what in Canada is > called the Grey Cup.....like the Super Bowl....Canada's football > championship. It was between Toronto and Edmonton....Toronto won > 21-11....the game had been played a month earlier. I couldn't believe > what these players were wearing.....shoulder pads....padded pants and a > bloody helmet, some with a steel-wired guard in front. Each play from > scrimmage, the players clapped once as they moved into formation....I > figured they were giving themselves an ovation before they even did > anything. And on it went. I was brought up with rugby at grammar > school in Ripon.....we weren't allowed to even talk about what I called > "real football"........but I fooled them.....my grandparents lived in a > city called Leeds, 26 miles north of Ripon.....I used to take the number > 34 bus from Ripon to Leeds by myself on a Friday.....watch my beloved > United on some Saturdays.....and ride the bus home on Sunday. > > I was a very fortunate lad.....from age 10 to 14.....I was at Headingley > for the fourth test match......I saw Sir Don Bradman on his final > tour.....I saw Neil Harvey as a 19 year-old phenom......my favourite > Denis Compton and his pal Bill Edrich.....and yes, Yorkshire's heroes, > Sir Leonard Hutton and Norman Yardley, Johnny Wardle et al. Freddie > Trueman a wonder......even liked Cyril Washbrook, Evans, Bailey, Statham > and Tattersall. But as much as I loved cricket.....real football was > something special.....it was so special that I managed to play the game > at an early age in Canada.....through to juvenile.....and then be a > soccer broadcaster when the Vancouver Whitecaps joined the North > American Soccer League.......I was there when David Harvey, Johnny Giles > and Peter Lorimer joined out club....and others followed. > > Football was, is and always will be my game. I am turning 69 next > month.....I have lots of years ahead of me......and I'll be the first to > raise a glass when my beloved Leeds United goes back to its rightful > place......first in the Premier League. And it won't be a lifetime > either. > > As much as the preceding was rather lengthy, I hope you all appreciate > the fact that as I am so far away from Elland Road.....it's only by way > of a map. In mind, I am there with you all. > > Cheers to all Leeds United supporters, > > John "Grampa" Sykes > > _______________________________________________ > the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators > accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. > Leedslist mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > Join The Leeds United Supporters Trust at www.lufctrust.org _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist Join The Leeds United Supporters Trust at www.lufctrust.org
