Nice article on the TSN site regarding the Bombers honouring Cactus Jack Wells and Jack Matheson.  Funny I didn't know they had a "Bob Irving Media Centre".

 

 

 

WINNIPEG, MB., - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will honour the late Jack Matheson and Jack Wells on Thursday, two men who made a significant impact upon the Winnipeg Football Club and the CFL through journalism.

In acknowledgement for their decades of dedication, the Blue Bombers are naming the press box located in the Bob Irving Media Centre, the Two Jacks Press Box to credit the men and their contributions to the team.

"The two Jacks were both esteemed journalists, each a master at his craft.  But more than that, they were good men who were admired and respected by everyone who knew them.  Many of the journalists covering the Bombers today credit the two Jacks as being the inspiration for their own careers," said Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller. "This is one of many initiatives we are undertaking to recognize individuals who have made an impact on the Football Club."

John Hampson "Jack" Wells (1911 - 1999), better known to most as Cactus Jack Wells, was a Winnipeg-based sports broadcaster who covered the Winnipeg Blue Bombers extensively during his illustrious career, which began in 1939.  Cactus became the play-by-play announcer for Bombers games in 1941 and eventually became the first television voice of Western Division games for the CFL on CBC. Cactus Jack was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1988.

John "Jack" Matheson (1924 - 2011) was a legendary Winnipeg-born sports journalist who covered the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the Winnipeg Tribune and CJOB radio for nearly four decades.  Jack was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1986.  The Jack Matheson Award is annually presented by the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association to a student with aspirations in sports journalism.

 

I can't think of a finer gesture to honour these two characters in the history of the Blue Bombers.

Well done!

 

Now we have all the media legends covered.

Really miss Matty, he was also a lot of fun on the ole Football Hotline.  Tubthumper and some of the other so-called football writers....would be well served to go through the Trib archives, and see what good writing actually looks like....and perhaps gain an understanding...of just how bad their stuff really is.   Assuming they could actually make the effort.

Really miss Matty, he was also a lot of fun on the ole Football Hotline.  Tubthumper and some of the other so-called football writers....would be well served to go through the Trib archives, and see what good writing actually looks like....and perhaps gain an understanding...of just how bad their stuff really is.   Assuming they could actually make the effort.

Matty was the best........but who was his competition at the FP during his hay days? I seem to recall whoever that was, he was still much better than what we have now.

For all the complaining people do about Asper and that, if not for him and his familly, this wouldn't have happened. They were the ones who made it happen through donations and things of that nature. Was in the official announcement released by the CLUB.

 

Can't say i remember these 2 guys, but... from what i've read and have been told, i like it. Always good to honour the past  

 

Really miss Matty, he was also a lot of fun on the ole Football Hotline.  Tubthumper and some of the other so-called football writers....would be well served to go through the Trib archives, and see what good writing actually looks like....and perhaps gain an understanding...of just how bad their stuff really is.   Assuming they could actually make the effort.

Matty was the best........but who was his competition at the FP during his hay days? I seem to recall whoever that was, he was still much better than what we have now.

 

The Bombers were blessed with 2 exceptional beat writers back then. Matty at the Tribune & Don "Doc" Blanchard at the Free Press. They could write circles around the the writers the papers have covering them today.

Hal Sigurdson was an exceptional football writer and Sports Editor at the Freep from the mid 70s until around 1990. His writing style was more homespun and folksy than Matheson's.

 

I used to hate Jack Matheson for being hugely biased toward the home side and being overly critical during lean times.

In hindsight, I think it was because he truly bled blue and gold...Caring too much about the Blue Bombers is something you sure can't say about too many Winnipeg broadcasters/journalists today.

I was thinking Reyn Davis but I guess he only covered the Jets, he was another great FreeP reporter.

 

 

Really miss Matty, he was also a lot of fun on the ole Football Hotline.  Tubthumper and some of the other so-called football writers....would be well served to go through the Trib archives, and see what good writing actually looks like....and perhaps gain an understanding...of just how bad their stuff really is.   Assuming they could actually make the effort.

Matty was the best........but who was his competition at the FP during his hay days? I seem to recall whoever that was, he was still much better than what we have now.

 

The Bombers were blessed with 2 exceptional beat writers back then. Matty at the Tribune & Don "Doc" Blanchard at the Free Press. They could write circles around the the writers the papers have covering them today.

 

Thank you....I agree.

Reyn Davis was an exceptional hockey writer & I think he also covered curling for the Free Press when curling actually was a big deal in Manitoba. CJOB used to broadcast the Men's Final from the Manitoba Consols as they were called back in the 60's, 70's & early 80's. Back then, the hockey & football writers respected the teams they covered in good & bad times & they got the respect back... 

For me, I loved listening to Cactus Jack on the post-game OB show and his "happy honker" award, and Jack Matheson on the OB noon hour sports report. Matheson had a mixture of insight and humour that is all too rare these days.

Here's a video from the Bombers website on the announcement:

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/99503

 

 

Nice article on the TSN site regarding the Bombers honouring Cactus Jack Wells and Jack Matheson.  Funny I didn't know they had a "Bob Irving Media Centre".

 

You haven't been paying attention, have you. Here's the video of the announcement of the naming of the Bob Irving Media Centre in May, 2013:

 

Reyn Davis was an exceptional hockey writer & I think he also covered curling for the Free Press when curling actually was a big deal in Manitoba. CJOB used to broadcast the Men's Final from the Manitoba Consols as they were called back in the 60's, 70's & early 80's. Back then, the hockey & football writers respected the teams they covered in good & bad times & they got the respect back... 

 

It still is.

Here's a video from the Bombers website on the announcement:

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/99503

 

 

Nice article on the TSN site regarding the Bombers honouring Cactus Jack Wells and Jack Matheson.  Funny I didn't know they had a "Bob Irving Media Centre".

 

You haven't been paying attention, have you. Here's the video of the announcement of the naming of the Bob Irving Media Centre in May, 2013:

 

Reyn Davis was an exceptional hockey writer & I think he also covered curling for the Free Press when curling actually was a big deal in Manitoba. CJOB used to broadcast the Men's Final from the Manitoba Consols as they were called back in the 60's, 70's & early 80's. Back then, the hockey & football writers respected the teams they covered in good & bad times & they got the respect back... 

 

It still is.

Thanks, I've never seen that before.  Recognized Doug Brown, Tim Burke, Butchko, Brock Bulbuck...any other big names in that video?

 

Here's a video from the Bombers website on the announcement:

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/99503

 

 

Nice article on the TSN site regarding the Bombers honouring Cactus Jack Wells and Jack Matheson.  Funny I didn't know they had a "Bob Irving Media Centre".

 

You haven't been paying attention, have you. Here's the video of the announcement of the naming of the Bob Irving Media Centre in May, 2013:

 

Reyn Davis was an exceptional hockey writer & I think he also covered curling for the Free Press when curling actually was a big deal in Manitoba. CJOB used to broadcast the Men's Final from the Manitoba Consols as they were called back in the 60's, 70's & early 80's. Back then, the hockey & football writers respected the teams they covered in good & bad times & they got the respect back... 

 

It still is.

Thanks, I've never seen that before.  Recognized Doug Brown, Tim Burke, Butchko, Brock Bulbuck...any other big names in that video?

 

Exactly what did they recognize Burke as? One of the worst head coaches in Bomber history? He's already been outed. Same for Butcho.

Okay on second view, picked up Cameron, Kennard, Asper, Joe Mack (of course) Mitch Zalnasky.  Who's the dude in the gold suit?

Another video from the Bomber site showing the announcement with family in attendance.

 

http://www.bluebombers.com/video/index/id/99573

Cactus Jack and Matheson. Very synonymous with the teams past. Excellent in their field and two very different characters. I got a big laugh out of Cactus and his play by play. Sometimes he had the wrong teams on the field, but that was Jack. The guy was just a tremendous personality who enjoyed the game and wasn't shy in the early days to 'tip a few'. Miss him a lot and what they brought to the media in the Peg.