I took your advice and looked at a program that I have from 1967, which by the way only cost 50 cents. There were two play by play announcers listed. The one I think we are looking for is Bill Surphlis who was listed as the play-by-play announcer the other one listed was Bob Bye who did Pre-Game and Half-Time announcements.Toppy Vann wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 10:51 amIf anyone has a program from that era, it'd be noted inside of it.
I've racking my brain to recall who that announcer and for some reason I keep coming back to something like Bill S_______ and also a connection to Killarney HS football as a coach in the 60s BUT I may be connecting the wrong dots.
Here's a story of Dal Richards and the Lions and Roar, you Lions Roar:
https://beefeaterband.wordpress.com/dal-richards/
The B.C.Lions FC
“Come on and roar you Lions, roar….”
"Over 20,000 people laughed the first time Dal Richards played that song in 1954. They laughed because the Lions were funny in their own futility, a football team which had been freshly moulded out of everyone else’s hand-me-downs and have-nots. That is why Richards, a musician, and football, a sport began their long romance. Don Mckenzie, Stan James, Bill Morgan, and Ken Stauffer were directors of the newest team in the Western Interprovincial Football Union. With Tiny Rader, Jack LaBelle, Art Mercer and others, they had provided the impetus to get the league’s fifth franchise."
Empire Stadium
Moderator: Team Captains
Interesting. You're not the first person to mention their lasting memory of Empire Stadium or "word association" of the place is one of getting soaking wet.
Yet, I've been a Lions' season ticket holder since 1995 and can't think of many games - especially recently - where I've thought, "Sure glad I'm going indoors!" I am sure there have been some super-soakers on game day and I probably don't remember them because I was in the comfy confines of BC Place, but I am wondering how we can explain this strange phenomenon. Drier summers? Fewer Fall home games?
DH
Roar, You Lions, Roar
My seats at Empire in the 1960s and ‘70s were always under the roof but at Tempire I sat in the open in 2010 and 2011 and never felt more than a few scattered raindrops. The shift to an earlier season could certainly explain some of the drying trend. The regular season used to start at the beginning of August and continue to the first weekend of November. This year there is only one home regular-season game in October and none in November.
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Toppy Vann
- Hall of Famer
- Posts: 9794
- Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:56 pm
It was Bill Surphlis that I was trying to recall. Maybe the connection I was recalling wasn't Killarney football but the Jr Big Four Meralomas coach in the early '60s who put a few players in the CFL.tedbear wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 6:03 pmI took your advice and looked at a program that I have from 1967, which by the way only cost 50 cents. There were two play by play announcers listed. The one I think we are looking for is Bill Surphlis who was listed as the play-by-play announcer the other one listed was Bob Bye who did Pre-Game and Half-Time announcements.Toppy Vann wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 10:51 amIf anyone has a program from that era, it'd be noted inside of it.
I've racking my brain to recall who that announcer and for some reason I keep coming back to something like Bill S_______ and also a connection to Killarney HS football as a coach in the 60s BUT I may be connecting the wrong dots.
Here's a story of Dal Richards and the Lions and Roar, you Lions Roar:
https://beefeaterband.wordpress.com/dal-richards/
The B.C.Lions FC
“Come on and roar you Lions, roar….”
"Over 20,000 people laughed the first time Dal Richards played that song in 1954. They laughed because the Lions were funny in their own futility, a football team which had been freshly moulded out of everyone else’s hand-me-downs and have-nots. That is why Richards, a musician, and football, a sport began their long romance. Don Mckenzie, Stan James, Bill Morgan, and Ken Stauffer were directors of the newest team in the Western Interprovincial Football Union. With Tiny Rader, Jack LaBelle, Art Mercer and others, they had provided the impetus to get the league’s fifth franchise."
He was also one of the former Meralomas on the Lions first board of directors.
"In 1953, British Columbia’s new professional football club named the Lions adopted the Loma colours of orange and black. Meraloma Directors who served on the original BC Lions Board of Directors include Harry Spring, Eric Cameron, Ralph Henderson, Ewart Blossom, Vic Spencer, Bill Surphlis, Dr. H.H. "Hammy" Boucher, J. Campbell McLean, Les Lythgoe, Sinclair Mowatt, Stu Fraser, Jack Bain, and Bill Clancy.
Meralomas contributed many players to the CFL including Pete Thodos, Gordie Mitchell, Baz Nagel, Pat and Bruce Claridge, Neal Beaumont, Gerald Roper, Greg Findlay, Vic Chapman, Ken Phillips, Ken Reid, Eric Guthrie, Bill Lasseter, Mark McDonald, and Ray Elgaard."
William C. Surphlis
Deceased
Position: QB/HB,QB
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 172
College: Montreal Hornets, Pats Jr.
High School: West Hill (Montreal, QC)
Career: 1945-1946
"Bill Surphlis played from 1945 to 1946 during his career with the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Hornets."
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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Toppy Vann
- Hall of Famer
- Posts: 9794
- Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:56 pm
If you look above my posts here you'll see that tedbear has found your answer in an old Lions program.
It was Bill Surphlis at Empire Stadium.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
Selective memory.David wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:46 pmInteresting. You're not the first person to mention their lasting memory of Empire Stadium or "word association" of the place is one of getting soaking wet.
Yet, I've been a Lions' season ticket holder since 1995 and can't think of many games - especially recently - where I've thought, "Sure glad I'm going indoors!" I am sure there have been some super-soakers on game day and I probably don't remember them because I was in the comfy confines of BC Place, but I am wondering how we can explain this strange phenomenon. Drier summers? Fewer Fall home games?
DH
