The Thank You Canada Figure Skating Tour makes a stop in Summerside on Thursday, and fans are in for a treat with this star-studded lineup.
It is rare that locals get to see Canadian and world champions, as well as Olympic medallists. Names like Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, as well as Meagan Duhamel, Patrick Chan and Elvis Stojko, amongst others, will be in Summerside in what promises to be a spectacular show.
It was just nine months ago that Virtue and Moir captured the hearts of Canadians with a gold-medal performance in the free dance at the PyeongChang Olympics. Seeing them perform will be worth the price of admission.
Thursday's performance will be the 27th since the show hit the road in Abbotsford, B.C., back on Oct. 5th, and the final one before it takes a nine-day break and wraps up in St. John’s, N.L., on Nov. 24th. Those who don't have tickets yet better act soon. At last look there were not many left.
Football
Congratulations goes out to both the Summerside Clippers and Spartans on winning Island titles last week. The championship games were played last Saturday in Summerside in terrible conditions that included monsoon-like rain and wind. One has to wonder why the games would be played in such conditions?
Football games are rarely cancelled at any level, despite the most adverse of conditions sometimes. It is hard to get any worse weather than last Saturday unless the rain was snow, but maybe more common sense should come into play?
The forecast called it right, and there was plenty of time to reschedule. I would have liked to have seen some of the action, but sitting in the car with the wipers on is not for me, and getting soaked outside is just not worth it. With a beautiful lighted complex like Eric Johnston Field, there were plenty of days remaining to play the games.
P.E.I.'s showcase event for football should be played in better conditions.
Harness racing
Harness racing has wrapped up for another season in Summerside, with another good wager on a rare Monday night. Back on Oct. 29th, there was a live wager of $25,288 for 12 races. This past Monday in Charlottetown, the wager was $20,258 for 12 races. Both were rescheduled cards, and it’s hard to get a better comparison.
The almost $5,000 more adds to a strong year in Summerside, and surely those in charge will not cut any more dates next year at the Prince County oval. Charlottetown continues to race both Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 24th, and then switches to Saturdays only until Christmas.
MLB
There has been a lot of player movement talk this past week at the Major League Baseball general managers’ meetings in California. Teams set the groundwork for what is to come this off-season, and there are some staggering numbers being tossed around of what the top free agents will command.
Bryce Harper and Manny Machado headline the free-agent class, with both looking to cash in with $300-million-plus contracts. Harper has reportedly rejected a 10-year, $300-million offer to stay in Washington, and that is hard to believe. That would make the contract the second-richest in the history of the sport.
We all saw the dirty play and self-centered attitude of Manny Machado this past off-season, and is he really worth the distractions he brings?
During the playoffs a reporter asked him about hustling while running the bases, and his response was he will never be Johnny Hustle because running the bases hard is not his cup of tea.
Reports have it that the Philadelphia Phillies may make a big splash and sign both. It will be interesting to see where Harper and Machado land, and for how much?
Remembrance Day
Don't forget to take time to honour our veterans and war dead at one of the many memorials this weekend across P.E.I. The more we watch the news, the more we realize what a great country we live in.
We are free and safe in the greatest country in the world, and taking the time to honour those who fought for Canada is the least we can do. Lest We Forget.
Joe MacIntyre is a local life insurance broker. His column appears every Saturday. Comments and suggestions can be sent to [email protected].