1. 263 - 25 October 2005 Concept of the Hero / Star Can an N of 1 have impact ? What is a leader in sport ? Examples: Beers, Cyr, Hanlan, Rubenstein, possibly B-A Scott Readings chapters 6 & 7

2. The Hero in History At issue: ~greatness ~causation Hook: event-making vs eventful “There’s a fine line betw being a hero and being a delinquent character” Hero archetype & mythology in our culture

3. Myth Fulghum: “Myth is more potent than history” Myth as purely fictitious story, or… The system of basic metaphors, images, stories that informs the perceptions, memories & aspirations of a people Romantic myth, American dream, baseball myth, lacrosse myth

4. The Mythology of the Hero _________________________________ Mythical Hero (dep,initiate,ret) Fairy tale hero Athlete hero Everyperson as hero Anti-hero

5. ________________________________ >< The Hero Continuum

6. Hero Characteristics Achieves great acclaim in sport Generates national/societal pride Has been central figure in sport Has caused great events to occur Context of Hero’s Times Cultural Factors

7. George W Beers

10. Louis Cyr 1863-1912

11. Legends, myths, heroes

12. Cyr’s birth home

13. Legends Tales of giants and local strongmen Modeste Mailhout – “the Canadian giant” Angus McCaskill – “the Cape Breton giant’ Big Anthony Allen – Dunlop, Ontario Gamson – 7”4” – 322 lbs – barkeep in the UK

17. Birth of a Legend Neo-Cyprien Cyr (Saint Cyprien de Napierville, Quebec) grandfather – village strongman The first story – the teenager The story grows – so does he The first challenge – strongman David Michaud – boulder lifting The Montreal policeman The tavern

19. His Physical Stats Height: 5’9” Weight: 316 lbs Biceps: 24” Neck: 22” Forearms: 19” Chest: 60” Waist: 45” Thighs: 33” Calves: 28”

20. Louis Cyr’s Tavern - Montreal Home base – funding for tours, demonstrations Montreal Gazette, 1885 “I hereby challenge any man in the world, bar none, to a heavy weight lifting contest, without harness, for any sum from one hundred dollars to five hundred dollars a side.” ~ Yours truly, Louis Cyr

21. Tours – Canada, the US, the UK 1889 – invited to give a demonstration for the Prince of Wales in London Crowd of 5,000 raised a 250 kilo weight with one finger A back lift of 4,100 lbs The horse demo US and UK tours in the 1890s Barnum and Bailey Circus

23. *A flair for the dramatic *Excitement and tension *Audience participation (18 fat men on a piano)

25. The Physical Feats Iron cross with 96lb right hand and 88lbs left hand 35 consecutive right arm presses with 162.8 lbs 552 lbs one finger lift 189 lbs with both arms straight in front of his body 986 lbs with one hand restrained 4 horses for 55 seconds

41. Ned Hanlan – The Boy in Blue 1855 – 1908 Canada’s first indiv world champ Grew up on Toronto Island Rowed forth and back to mainland to school & rum runs for Papa’s hotel

44. Hanlan Tremendous import of gambling to rowing’s popularity Hanlan’s lower class backgr unique Consummate professional in era of devout amateurism ideals by mc

47. Rare image and early tobacco card (Allen & Ginter's) illustrating world champion sculler, Toronto's Ned Hanlan, circa 1880 [C.J.Humber Collection]

48. ~from 1980 17-cent stamp; artistic rendering

49. ?? Who in “The Boy in Blue” (1986)

52. Hanlan’s famous races 2 nd Courtney event to be near Chatauqua NY in ‘79 Huge promo again Nite b4, Courteny’s boat sawed in ½ “Great American Eagle screeches Fraud” & “gr sports crime ever committed” For 3 rd race near Wash DC, both Houses of Congress adjourned, over 100,000

53. Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith The Hanlan-Plaisted rowing race, Toronto Bay, Ontario, 1878 Watercolour R9266-44

55. Hanlan saga and greatness Held world title till thrashed by Aussie William Beach in 84 2 tours to Australia, one over 6 months long during which he fixed races, refused to race, did exhibitions always for $$$ Coached at U of T & Columbia; alderman after turn of century

59. 1880 Lithograph

62. Louis Rubenstein 1861 - 1931

63. Louis Facts 1861-1931 Montreal Bachelor 1869 public of Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates 70s and 80s hey-day of skating & Montreal Winter carnivals [ sk mania ] His business…

66. Louis and Sarah Rubenstein, 1927

67. Rubenstein – Quiet Hero ? Sports of precision, patience, practise Wrote book, Lessons in Skating in ’00 Tireless administrator even of MAAA; Pres of CWA; Pres of Cdn Bowling Assoc Also imp in forming Int’l Sk Union of America and RLSS