Anyone know a "definitive" Lion's history?

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CardiacKid
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Hey all,
Firstly, I got to say I love Lionbackers! I am new to the forum and have really appreciated the feedback to my questions and the quality of people's posts. Great insight and well-thought posts; makes following the Lions all the better.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a written history of the Lions? I would love to expand my collection of Lion's gear to include more historical stuff. And I want to learn more about the players my parents loved to watch and the "cardiac kids".

Thanks, Dave
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David
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Location: Vancouver (Kitsilano)

Hands down, you'll want to have all 4 of John Wirtanen's books in your collection.

Thrown To The Lions
The 1st 50 Years
BC Lions Memorabilia Pt 1
BC Lions Memorabilia Pt 2


All 4 books are an outstanding compendium of team history, photos, incites, stories, anecdotes, and (in the case of The 1st 50 Years) year-by-year accounts. Each book is roughly 400-500 pages. Money well spent if you're a fan of the club.

If you're a fan of the Cardiac Kids (columnist Jim Taylor coined "Jerry and the Cardiacs" for their late game heroics, but the '77 team is more commonly referred to now as the "Cardiac Kids"), look for a colour CFL book called "Yards." It came out late 1977 and features extremely rare photos of that team, as well as the other 8 CFL teams that year.

Image


DH :cool:
Roar, You Lions, Roar
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Robbie
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And of course, there's the book written by Bob Ackles himself:

The Water Boy: From the Sidelines to the Owner's Box: Inside the CFL, the XFL, and the NFL
Image

As a reminder though, the book doesn't contain a lot of factual BC Lions history but instead on his recollections as he states himself in the preface:
Bobby Ackles wrote:This is not a history of the B.C. Lions, although it contains my recollections of the considerable time I spent with the team: from 1953 through 1986 and then again from 2002 until who knows when.
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
Willie_the_wisp
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Here are a few more books related to Lions history:

"Countdown to Grey Cup" by Dave Skrien and Dick Beddoes (Lions' coach, Skrien's account of the 1964 season, including their Grey Cup victory.

"Dirty Thirty" by Jim Young and Jim Taylor - Lions hall-of-famer, Jim Young's autobiography.

"Flutie" by Doug Flutie with Perry Lefko - Doug Flutie's autobiography, which includes his 1990 and 1991 seasons with the Lions.

""Goin' Deep" by Matt Dunigan and Jim Taylor - Matt Dunigan's autobiography, which includes the 1988 and 1989 seasons with the Lions.
A long time CFL fan
Hendu
prospect
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:32 pm

I have three of Wirtanen's books: the 'original' "Thrown to the Lions" (2000), the update w/Toppy Vann on cover and "Collecting Lions Memorabilia - part 2" w/Lonnie Dennis on Cover. The first purchased directly from John W. The other two bought at MVP Sports in Victoria this past summer. But I cannot for the life of me find the "Collecting Lions Memorabilia - part 1" anywhere and feel I'm missing something by not having it!! I've tried E-mailing JW but no response (possibly wrong E-mail?) Anybody know how/where I can find 'Collecting - part 1".
Many thanks
Hendu
prospect
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:32 pm

Finally ordered "Collecting Lions Memorabilia - part 1" from the man himself.. John Wirtanen.
All's good there.
But.. still PO'd about the West Final last year v. Stampeders!!! (No, no Cauchy!!! Over there dammit!!! Over there!! :-(
Cheers..
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