B2-Wednesday, September 3, 1980 - North Shore News

More than just rich

side-lines

by Andy Fraser

Owners of sports franchises come in for a
considerable amount of criticism from the media

and the general public.
they ever stupid” variety.

Some of the criticism
should be directed more at
the product on the field,
some of it at the front office
administration, and some of
it is deserved.

When you look at the
Harold Ballard-Darryt Sittler
farce, you come to te con-
clusion that many organiza-
tions exist in spite of the peo-
ple at the top rather than
because of them.

But when you come right
down to it, few of us
know the people who own
and operate these clubs. Nor
are we particularly in-

Sort of the “Geez, are

terested, unless their actions
affect what we are invioved
with.

Sam Berger is the man
who owns the Montreal
Allovettes. When the af-
fluent lawyer moved into the
Quebec city a few years
back, he picked up a fran-
chise that was dying for lack
of fan support. Many
thought that the former
owner and director of the
Ottawa Rough Riders was
out to either self-destruct or
cultivate the biggest tax
write-off in the east.
However, with some astute

Management and changes he
has turned the franchise
around.

Part of the tum around
comes from good business
sense, and on the field pro-
duct that sells, and part of it
comes from Berger’s life
long love of the game. He
has always been imvolved
with the sport at the player
level. For many years, the
Ottawa Rough Riders and
their families would head to
the Bergers’ cottage for a
team weekend that is still
remembered by the par-
ticipants for the congeniality
and fnendliness of the host.

But there ts another side
to Sam Berger. A side that
few know about.

Shortly after the end of the

Second World War, the
Bergers had a German girl
working in their Ottawa
home.

This girit had become
separated from her family in
Germany during the war,
and had, over a period of
time, managed to end up in

Ottawa, working for the
Berger family, who were
Jewish.

The story of the girl's
family was one of those
classic tales from the war of
a family on the run being
forced to avoid both the
Germans and the advancing
Russians.

They had crossed much of
Europe in carts and wagons,
being hounded, shelled and
bombed and separated while
trying to hold together what
little was left, struggling to
Stay alive and feed the young
children.

Even today, members of
the family don’t speak easily
about those years.

When Berger heard about
the family’s plight from the
girl, he set out to locate
them im Europe (no small
feat during those days), then
arranged to have them
brought to Canada under his
sponsorship and expense,
and helped set them up in
their new land.

New swim club registering

Out of the ashes of the
former Mount Seymour
Swim Club and the Lions
Gate Swim Club mses the
CHENA Swim Club. The two
clubs merged during the
summer to provide an even
better opportunity for North
Shore swimmers to achieve
thetr goals.

As a result of the merger,
swimmers now have four
pools to swim in, Ron An-
drews, William Griffin, Rec
Centre, and Hollyburn. Fees
are: a Senior swimmer
$320.00, a Jumor $230.00,
and a new or developing
swimmer $180.00 for a ten
month swimming = season
from September 15 through
July (5

Head Coach Bruce Fisher

has assembled a coaching
staff of four

Registration and a_ free
swim will be held at the

Players
needed

he West
spurs

Vancouver
a division fo premuicr
{cam is geanng up for the
new season and is looking
for players to fill the roster
Anyone interested in try
ing out for Uhe team should
contact [)
M86 of show up for prac
tees at Ambleside Park
Tuesdays and Vhursadays at

Granger at 9) 1

6 WO pm

Advanced
Hand Writing
Analysis Course

Weds. Sept. 18

922-4714

North Vancouver Recrea-
tion Centre on Sunday,
September 7 1980 from 9-00
a.m. until noon.

If you need further infor-
mation prior to registration
day please contact one of
the following: Lynne
Neufeld 987-5160, Carol
Caughill 987-5194, Janice
McCormack 987-8277 or
Gwen Harvey 988-2338.

All North Shore boys and
girls are invited to register in

FALL SWIM SCHOOL
for 'Noviee and B.C.S.S.A.
swimmers. Each school will
run for one week, with swim
sessions held cach day dur-
ing the dinner hour penod.
School No. 1 will begin on
Monday, September 8,
between 4:00 and 5-00 pm
at the Ron Andrews Pool,

931 Lytton Avenuc, North
Vancouver School No 2
will begin on Monday.

September 1S. at the North

Phone Ahead
Lunch Pick-Up
985-4251

Open TO am Mid

Mon Saat

just off Lonsdale

106 West 13th St.

Vancouver Rec. Centre on
Lonsdale. School No. 2 par-
ucipants will be divided into
two groups, depending upon
age and ability, with sessions
scheduled from 4:00 - 4:45
p.m. and 4:50 - 5:50 p.m.
Registration for the
CHENA SWIM SCHOOLS

will be taken prior to the first
school session on either
Monday, September 8 at
Ron Andrews Poll, or Mon-
day September 15 at the

North Vancouver Rec. Cen-
tre. Registration fee is $5.00
per swimmer which includes
coaching fees, and T-Shirt.

Mini & Footlong Subs
$400 $320

AIL 7 Submarine Sandwiches have cheese lettuce 11
tomatoes omons and Special Sauce on them

for 1,

Good Times - Good Friends - Good Rugby

Capilano Rugby Club

“newcomers welcome”

PRACTICES: Tuesday & Tharsday
Kinsmen North
6:30 p.m.

FOR INFORMATION:
988-5905 o: 980-5864

Take violence off the street

2 orx3
meat fillings

Delicatessan — NO BLOCATION

— PLAY RUGBY

persons

filings to select trom
notce to prepare

Remember that the Berger
family was Jewish, and the
girl’s family were German.
What Sam Berger did at that
particular time was more
than just a good
humanitarian act.

That family is all grown up
now and spread across the
country. The father died a
few years ago, and many of
the children have families of
their own. But they have not
forgotten Sam Berger.

Maybe when we're ready
to shoot from the lip about

team this season.

people whom we really don’t
know, we should hesitate for
a moment and think of Sam
Berger.

There's usually more to a
person than what we are able
to see with our limited vision
and interests.

anus tineups with your
guaranteed seat to 20 Canu :
important part of the action

~ Official Canuck schedules are now v available at
Imperial Oil dealers and agents and at the

Requares a minimum 2 hours

Home of the 5 Foot Sub
feeds Bto 10 $4 <3 80

$4 7/80