I can’t imagine how the relatives and billet families will come to terms with the great loss in Humboldt, Sask.
Early in my radio career, I had the chance to live the road trip experience with the Castlegar Rebels as the play by play announcer for CKQR riding the bus to Spokane for a couple of playoff games in the mid-1980s. The walkmans, cribbage boards and backgammon games would come out to while away the three-hour trek.
Without fail, Coaches Ralph and Bruno Tassone would kick the boys off the bus a few blocks from the rink so they could stretch their legs. After a road win, the electric atmosphere on board as the teammates celebrated moving one win closer to the next round. Or how quiet the bus would become following a loss until someone lightened the mood and the team would realize there would be another day.
Hopefully knowing that the players and personnel on board spent the last moments of their lives experiencing that camaraderie will in some way cushion the blow of this tragedy.
Pete Lindy
Former Sports Director/News Director, CKQR Castlegar 1983-87
