Awesome sharing from our international members, and I've enjoyed reading every post!!
I'm a born and raised Calgarian, but my parents are not. My parents moved here in the 1970s and my Dad (a native Winnipegger) cheered for the Leafs, as he grew up in the "(Not So) Original Six" era. His heroes were guys like Horton and Armstrong.
By the 70s, with Leaf ownership alienating fans through Leaf mediocrity and management run-ins with star players, Dad became disillusioned with the team. When Imlach (and Ballard) traded Lanny to the Rockies, Dad (like many Leafs fans) had enough and turned on the Leafs. That was around 1979...
1980--Atlanta moves to Calgary. My folks had been here at least 4 years already. Dad lost interest in the Leafs, but the Flames were kind of a novelty, being the "new kid on the block". He had passing interest, but was not super engaged. That changed in 1981 when Lanny McDonald became a Flame.
It was this converted my Dad into a Flames' fan, and, by influence, me, as I grew up. All I remember growing up was that my Dad was a Flames fan. If not for Lanny's arrival and my Dad's conversion, I could have been a <shudder> Leafs fan.
When I was little, I loved John Tonelli, and later, Carey Wilson. In 1989 (when I was ~10 years old), I remember running outside of my house with my sister to wave Flames signs as cars honked after GM 6 in Montreal (Dad screamed especially loud when Lanny scored). As I progressed through Jr. and Sr. high, people knew me as a devout Flames fan--something that my students now recognize.
This year's team epitomizes (for me) what it means to be a Flames fan. The effort and attitude is contagious. I am excited for the future and am so proud of what they've achieved this year. I cannot imagine supporting any other club.
(Oh, and Dad now has a #7 Brodie jersey, partly in reverence to his preference for defencemen, and partly as an homage to his hero, Horton.)
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