We’re telling the stories of fans who dare to be different
Most sports fans, we can agree, cheer for the so-called traditional teams — the Leafs, Canadiens and Red Wings, Steelers, Cowboys and Packers, and Lakers, Celtics and, certainly, the Raptors. In baseball, the Blue Jays are big in Canada, but so are the Yankees and Red Sox.
But there are fans out there — granted, not many — who support teams that are perhaps not so popular.
We’re telling their story, about how and why they started cheering for — and remain fans of — the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks (before they became good), Oakland A’s, Los Angeles Kings (see Seattle Seahawks) and Washington Capitals.
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Facey had already been cheering on the Kings for more than a dozen years — during the team’s garish purple and gold years — in his case because of his admiration for another offensively gifted player.
“Being a little guy, I took a shine to one of the best players to ever step on the ice. Marcel Dionne became an instant favourite of mine, and when he was traded from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1975, I decided then and there that I would cheer for the Kings,” said Facey.
Facey, a retired physical education teacher who worked at Virginia Park Elementary and Mary Queen of Peace schools, grew up as the youngest in a sports-minded family. His brother Nigel, a Herder-winner with the Capitals and Shamrocks, is a member of the provincial sports all of Fame. So is another brother, Chris, who won a Canadian championship in soccer with Memorial University and also captained that school’s hockey team. Yet another brother, Nick, played with the Brickbats junior hockey champions.
“I developed a love of sport from an early age. Like most kids of our generation, hockey was for me the number one sport to play and watch,” said Facey, who was an admirer of goaltender Jacques Plante in the 1960s.
But Dionne is his all-time favourite, even if his enthusiasm for the diminutive centre often had to be sated more by what he heard and read as opposed to what he saw.
“While it is true that I didn’t get to see him play on TV very often, that did not stop me from following my favourite player’s every game in the papers or when highlights were shown during the news or discussed on Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada game,” said Facey.
The Kings’ Triple Crown line, with Dionne between wingers Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor, is considered one of the best of all time, but even then, Los Angeles only got to the division final once during Dionne’s decade with team.
But Facey stuck by the Kings “through all of the tough lean times when, for many years in the 70’s and 80’s, they played impressively in the regular season only to get eliminated early in the playoffs.”
In 1986, Dionne was traded to the New York Rangers, but Facey’s loyalty remained with L.A. and he was rewarded by the acquisition of the Great One a couple of years later.
“I bet I was one of very small group of Canadians who was excited by the Gretzky trade, and I watched with great satisfaction when (the Kings) made it all the way to the finals in 1993,” he said.
Still, Facey would have to wait two decades longer for the Kings’ first Stanley Cup win.
“I finally got back at all my buddies who gave me grief over all of those losing years,” said Facey about the Kings’ 2013 Cup win.
Not that it seemed to bring many more Newfoundland fans onto the L.A. bandwagon Facey has ben riding for more than 40 years.
“If the lean pickings of Kings clothing and other memorabilia in local sports stores is any indication, I am guessing that there aren’t many Kings fans around here.” Said Facey. “I personally don’t know any.”
We’re telling the stories of fans who dare to be different
Most sports fans, we can agree, cheer for the so-called traditional teams — the Leafs, Canadiens and Red Wings, Steelers, Cowboys and Packers, and Lakers, Celtics and, certainly, the Raptors. In baseball, the Blue Jays are big in Canada, but so are the Yankees and Red Sox.
But there are fans out there — granted, not many — who support teams that are perhaps not so popular.
We’re telling their story, about how and why they started cheering for — and remain fans of — the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks (before they became good), Oakland A’s, Los Angeles Kings (see Seattle Seahawks) and Washington Capitals.
Related
O'Keefe is always singing the Blues' praises
Capitals' NL connections hooked Dowden
Leon Cantwell's Chiefs obsession
From flea market to football obsession
Facey had already been cheering on the Kings for more than a dozen years — during the team’s garish purple and gold years — in his case because of his admiration for another offensively gifted player.
“Being a little guy, I took a shine to one of the best players to ever step on the ice. Marcel Dionne became an instant favourite of mine, and when he was traded from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1975, I decided then and there that I would cheer for the Kings,” said Facey.
Facey, a retired physical education teacher who worked at Virginia Park Elementary and Mary Queen of Peace schools, grew up as the youngest in a sports-minded family. His brother Nigel, a Herder-winner with the Capitals and Shamrocks, is a member of the provincial sports all of Fame. So is another brother, Chris, who won a Canadian championship in soccer with Memorial University and also captained that school’s hockey team. Yet another brother, Nick, played with the Brickbats junior hockey champions.
“I developed a love of sport from an early age. Like most kids of our generation, hockey was for me the number one sport to play and watch,” said Facey, who was an admirer of goaltender Jacques Plante in the 1960s.
But Dionne is his all-time favourite, even if his enthusiasm for the diminutive centre often had to be sated more by what he heard and read as opposed to what he saw.
“While it is true that I didn’t get to see him play on TV very often, that did not stop me from following my favourite player’s every game in the papers or when highlights were shown during the news or discussed on Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada game,” said Facey.
The Kings’ Triple Crown line, with Dionne between wingers Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor, is considered one of the best of all time, but even then, Los Angeles only got to the division final once during Dionne’s decade with team.
But Facey stuck by the Kings “through all of the tough lean times when, for many years in the 70’s and 80’s, they played impressively in the regular season only to get eliminated early in the playoffs.”
In 1986, Dionne was traded to the New York Rangers, but Facey’s loyalty remained with L.A. and he was rewarded by the acquisition of the Great One a couple of years later.
“I bet I was one of very small group of Canadians who was excited by the Gretzky trade, and I watched with great satisfaction when (the Kings) made it all the way to the finals in 1993,” he said.
Still, Facey would have to wait two decades longer for the Kings’ first Stanley Cup win.
“I finally got back at all my buddies who gave me grief over all of those losing years,” said Facey about the Kings’ 2013 Cup win.
Not that it seemed to bring many more Newfoundland fans onto the L.A. bandwagon Facey has ben riding for more than 40 years.
“If the lean pickings of Kings clothing and other memorabilia in local sports stores is any indication, I am guessing that there aren’t many Kings fans around here.” Said Facey. “I personally don’t know any.”
