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Friday October 7, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday October 7, 2016 Blue Jays beer-tossing incident: Who threw that brew?Ê Amateur sleuths have joined Toronto police in the investigation into who threw a can of beer that narrowly missed Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday. But, while police have named their suspect, the Internet is not so sure. On Wednesday, police released a photo of an unnamed man who they said was the beer-thrower. That man turned out to be Ken Pagan, a journalist who works for Postmedia. Pagan acknowledged being the man in the photo. ÒI contacted Toronto police earlier this evening, around 7 p.m., and identified myself as the person in the photo,Ó Pagan wrote Wednesday night in an email to The Canadian Press, adding he Òcannot say much else.Ó ThatÕs when the Internet kicked in with videos shared on Reddit and YouTube. Starting from a wide-angle shot showing section 139 of the Rogers Centre, one video shows a silver streak crossing the frame. While itÕs impossible to identify any faces in the video, Pagan is clearly identifiable when the grainy images are cross-referenced with photos shot by Canadian Press photographer Frank Gunn. ÒFairly clear video of him throwing it backhanded like a Frisbee,Ó wrote Twitter user Melanie Harrington. Case closed? Not quite. Other photos of Pagan show him holding a plastic cup, not a can of beer. Then more video surfaced, in which some people claim to see a woman hurling the brew before disappearing from the scene. Both videos are so grainy, itÕs almost impossible to deduce what is taking place exactly. ther photos show a hole in the crowd just behind and to PaganÕs left, which some argued was the real throwerÕs location. They suggest the villain ducked out of sight as soon as the sudsy shot was fired. In the style of the infamous Zapruder film, both videos of the flying drink are grainy and difficult to make out. Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu sai

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday October 7, 2016

Blue Jays beer-tossing incident: Who threw that brew?

Amateur sleuths have joined Toronto police in the investigation into who threw a can of beer that narrowly missed Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday.

But, while police have named their suspect, the Internet is not so sure.

On Wednesday, police released a photo of an unnamed man who they said was the beer-thrower. That man turned out to be Ken Pagan, a journalist who works for Postmedia.

Pagan acknowledged being the man in the photo.

“I contacted Toronto police earlier this evening, around 7 p.m., and identified myself as the person in the photo,” Pagan wrote Wednesday night in an email to The Canadian Press, adding he “cannot say much else.”

That’s when the Internet kicked in with videos shared on Reddit and YouTube.

Starting from a wide-angle shot showing section 139 of the Rogers Centre, one video shows a silver streak crossing the frame. While it’s impossible to identify any faces in the video, Pagan is clearly identifiable when the grainy images are cross-referenced with photos shot by Canadian Press photographer Frank Gunn.

“Fairly clear video of him throwing it backhanded like a Frisbee,” wrote Twitter user Melanie Harrington.

Case closed?

Not quite.

Other photos of Pagan show him holding a plastic cup, not a can of beer.

Then more video surfaced, in which some people claim to see a woman hurling the brew before disappearing from the scene.

Both videos are so grainy, it’s almost impossible to deduce what is taking place exactly.

ther photos show a hole in the crowd just behind and to Pagan’s left, which some argued was the real thrower’s location. They suggest the villain ducked out of sight as soon as the sudsy shot was fired.

In the style of the infamous Zapruder film, both videos of the flying drink are grainy and difficult to make out.

Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said Toronto police would not comment on the conflicting theories.

“However, we are confident we have made a positive ID and we will continue to work with the Rogers Centre to further the investigation‎,” Sidhu wrote in an email to the Star.

As of early Thursday afternoon, there was no word on charges against Pagan. (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Tuesday, November 19, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Hamilton Tiger-Cats finally earn trip to Grey Cup after years in CFL wilderness

For SaleThe big men sat like happy boulders in their stalls, cutting off tape and laughing as the sweat dried, giants who couldn’t feel the pain. Left guard Peter Dyakowski said, “I hate those guys who have three Grey Cup rings,” and right guard Tim O’Neill said, “there’s always somebody on every team you’re rooting for,” and Dyakowski said with a grin, “aside from the East final year in Winnipeg [in 2011], we were always out of it early enough that the bitterness would have faded away.” They talked about how there are guys in this league who have three rings, five rings, even more, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats centre Marwan Hage, the fulcrum of this franchise for a decade, grinned sweetly.

“And I hate on every one of them,” he said.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are headed to the Grey Cup for the first time since 1999, back when Ronnie Lancaster was still alive, a lifetime in an eight-team league, an ocean. They did it by crushing the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts and their near-perfect quarterback in a half for the ages, a half they had been waiting for forever. Hage arrived in 2004, the same year Bob Young rescued the team from a fiscal sinkhole, and lived through the bad years. 4-14, 5-13, 3-15, 3-15 again. A joke, year after year. When they got talent, they found ways to screw it up. Hage was an all-star. He could have left.

“I used to drive to Montreal after each season, within two or three days, and you reflect,” said Hage, after Hamilton’s 36-24 victory over Toronto at the Rogers Centre. “Five hours on the road, and I’d think, ‘Man, am I doing the right thing here?’ Because I’d see my friends leave and go to other teams and win. And win. I can name so many guys who went to six different teams and four championships and …

“But to me, I wouldn’t trade it. I love the city of Hamilton. Hamilton’s been great to me, from Day 1, even in the bad times.”

There will be people who will half-jokingly blame this victory on Toronto mayor and global punchline Rob Ford, who arrived at halftime in his No. 12 MAYOR FORD Argos jersey. He sat in the lower bowl and posed for pictures, signed autographs, and brandished a tinfoil Grey Cup over his head, which probably interfered with police radio frequencies. One woman wearing black and gold held up a sign that said “Our mayor is better than your mayor;” one pro-Argos sign in the upper deck read “We have more than enough Tiger-Cats to eat at home.” The mayor caused a scene, as he tends to do these days. (Source: National Post)

Thursday November 29, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday November 29, 2012

Garneau campaign officially blasts off

A confidential report says Former astronaut and Montreal MP Marc Garneau launched his Liberal leadership bid Wednesday, joining an already crowded field of those hoping to win the party’s top job. Garneau made the announcement Wednesday morning in his riding of Westmount-Ville-Marie. Alternating between French and English, a fiery Garneau said it’s time for the Liberal party to set aside issues that divide and focus on those that unite.

“As leader, I will focus on the issues that matter to Quebecers and indeed to all Canadians. I will do this by making the economy my number one priority because I have to say it, how we propose as Liberals to deal with the economy will be crucial not only to our fortunes but to our country,” Garneau said.

The former Canadian Space Agency chief said Canada has become “angry, divisive and intolerant” under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and it’s “time for change.”

“I’m talking serious change to my party and my country. My goal is to restore integrity and principled leadership to Canadian politics,” Garneau said.

Earlier in the week, B.C. MP Joyce Murray also announced her intention to compete for the leadership position. As part of her bid, she said she would, as leader, enter talks with the New Democrats and Greens before considering fielding a single candidate in tightly-contested ridings during the next federal election.

Garneau said he wasn’t open to such a measure, saying he would field a Liberal candidate in every riding in Canada if elected leader. However, he conceded there is a sense among many Liberals that the party is being squeezed on the right by the Conservatives and on the left by the New Democrats. (Source: CTV News) 

 

Wednesday November 21, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday November 21, 2012

Tiger-Cats to play at University of Guelph in 2013

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will play CFL home games next season at the University of Guelph while their new stadium is being built, team president Scott Mitchell said Tuesday.

The university stadium has 7,500 seats. Mitchell couldn’t say exactly how many might be added next year, but insisted there should be enough to accommodate all season-ticket holders.

“We’re working with the university right now to get to that final detail,” he said. “I think any facility we were looking at, obviously, for 2013 was going to require some temporary facilities and infrastructure.”

A new 24,000-seat field is built on the site of Ivor Wynne Stadium, the team’s home for the past 84 years. The new stadium will also be used as a soccer venue for the 2015 Pan American Games. Ivor Wynne had a capacity of 29,600.

Guelph is a 45-minute drive from Hamilton, in an area where the Ticats have been looking to raise their profile.

“We’re really focused on two things. One is to provide a solution to all our season ticket holders — this will clearly do that — as well as enable a lot of new fans in Guelph and around the region to get to some games and . . . this accomplishes both,” Mitchell said.

He wouldn’t say how many season-ticket holders they have, but added that most will likely renew for 2013.

“We’re really focused on two things. One is to provide a solution to all our season ticket holders — this will clearly do that — as well as enable a lot of new fans in Guelph and around the region to get to some games and . . . this accomplishes both,” Mitchell said. (Source: Toronto Star)