1963 lions ring

[Merolamas56]

Does anyone know where I can find an image or a link to an image of the 1963 Lions Grey Cup signet ring?

The ones that were gifted to team members by Slim Delbridge for playing in the Grey Cup

I have a photo of Sonny Homer with his ring, but it is still in the presentation box and the top of the ring is not bvisible

[Toppy Vann]

Does anyone know where I can find an image or a link to an image of the 1963 Lions Grey Cup signet ring?

The ones that were gifted to team members by Slim Delbridge for playing in the Grey Cup

I have a photo of Sonny Homer with his ring, but it is still in the presentation box and the top of the ring is not bvisible

I recalled an older thread. This might offer a clue.

On the site where you have pictures of the previous BC Lions Grey Cup rings:

http://www.lionbackers.com/history/gcring.html

viewtopic.php?t=11277

I grew up in North Van and Sonny Homer who was 9 years older than I was dating a friend's sister when I was around 12 years old.
Over my teenage years he'd drop by a pool hall that was on the north side of Lonsdale at 15th where we hung out. That preceded the pool hall that opened up in the 100 block of East 15th during my teenage years. John's pool hall was the old style, with the large billiard tables and lighting only over the tables.

Sonny, as was his younger brother Don and his mother who called my house to congratulate for me for a shoe string tackle on the first play from scrimmage at half time at Empire when the North Shore Cougars were playing Saskatoon Hilltops. It was cold and my eyes were watering even before the game so when this End was heading for a TD (not my man LOL as I had taken a back who had squared to the outside and the End from the other side came over the middle JUST TO BE CLEAR lol). My eyes were watering so I thought the 10 yard line was the Goal Line so I dove and took him down by an ankle about the 12. They scored but so did we when we got the ball back.

Jump forward to the night Sonny was at BC Place signing autographs I was blown away that he recognized me as from North Van before I could say my name.. As he shook my hand I had to interrupt him as he starting to introduce me to the other former Lion Jim Sandusky as my older brother who was a NV track star. He knew my last name and that I played football for Larry Reda as he was often at Gordon Sturtridge games but got confused with the track part - which wasn't me. I always thought he'd marry that gorgeous sister of my my friend but he was 21 or so and things do change. We'd be playing touch outside and a few catches later, he'd be gone to meet the sister.

His mom, brother Don and he werl the most outgoing, friendliest people you'd ever want to meet.

[Merolamas56]

Unfortunately , nothing there is no image the 1963 "runner up" ring. Just the six rings awarded for actually winning the cup.

Players received rings in 1963 when they didn't win , the 1964 team that did win didn't receive rings until 42 years later.
Instead they received miniature Grey Cup replicas and according to LaVerne Barnes in her book, cufflinks made of dogwood? (of which she was unimpressed)

The 1963 rings were paid for by Slim Delbridge, the miniature Grey Cups were provided by the CFL. Barnes wrote that the cufflinks were provided by the provincial government

In one of the Frank Cosentino books he quotes a ruling from a league meeting in which they budgeted the amount to pay for the miniature cups, The league continued to give little cups until the early 1970s which may have led teams to believe that they did not need to give their players rings


Any other ideas where to look for an image of the 1963 "runner up " ring?

[Gridiron Ernie]

Unfortunately , nothing there is no image the 1963 "runner up" ring. Just the six rings awarded for actually winning the cup.

Players received rings in 1963 when they didn't win , the 1964 team that did win didn't receive rings until 42 years later.
Instead they received miniature Grey Cup replicas and according to LaVerne Barnes in her book, cufflinks made of dogwood? (of which she was unimpressed)

The 1963 rings were paid for by Slim Delbridge, the miniature Grey Cups were provided by the CFL. Barnes wrote that the cufflinks were provided by the provincial government

In one of the Frank Cosentino books he quotes a ruling from a league meeting in which they budgeted the amount to pay for the miniature cups, The league continued to give little cups until the early 1970s which may have led teams to believe that they did not need to give their players rings


Any other ideas where to look for an image of the 1963 "runner up " ring?

This is a shot in the dark, but, have you already tried contacting the BC Lions Alumni Association? They have a website and a 'contact' link; perhaps someone there could point you in a helpful direction. Best of luck.

[Merolamas56]

I was hoping John Wirtanen might have it in one of his books, which was the first place I looked