While researching a feature on the Raptors’ 30th anniversary season, I stumbled across this little gem from legendary pc28¹ÙÍøStar columnist Jim Proudfoot on Damon Stoudamire.
Published on the front page of the sports section on Oct. 6, 1995, under the headline “Stoudamire stands tall as Raptors’ little big man,” Proudfoot wrote about the future prospects of Toronto’s first-round pick, the five-foot-10 point guard who hadn’t played an NBA game yet.
These were his prophetic words to start off his column on the opening day of the franchise’s first training camp:
By big league standards, Damon Stoudamire is a miniature basketball player, a shrimp among giants, but he is just what the Raptors need — to a far greater extent than even they could have understood when they drafted him No. 1.
He’s the kind of energetic, courageous little athlete Torontonians have always doted on.
They love to watch people beat the odds through dedication and defiance.
They’ll idolize Stoudamire.
Think of Dave Keon or Doug Gilmour cutting enemy centres down to size. Think of Pinball Clemons darting through opposition defences. Think of Kurt Browning shrugging off defeat, Elvis Stojko surmounting injury. Think of teenager Marilyn Bell, swimming the lake when no man could.
First day of the Star’s coverage of the Raptors first-training camp on Oct. 6, 1995.Â
pc28¹ÙÍøStar libraryThat was quite a take from Chester, as friends and colleagues called Proudfoot, given how unpopular Stoudamire’s selection was the night of the NBA draft a few months earlier.
Many may have since forgotten that the pick was widely booed by fans at the SkyDome. Just like in 2021, fans here wanted the Raptors to select a college basketball star who had impressed at March Madness.
Three years ago, that was Jalen Suggs — instead of eventual rookie of the year Scottie Barnes. It was a highly unpopular move at the time. While Suggs has done well with Orlando, I think it’s safe to say Raptors fans would rather have Barnes now.
In 1995, they wanted Ed O’Bannon, selected ninth overall by the New Jersey Nets and who went on to play 128 games over three NBA seasons.
Proudfoot proved to be quite prescient. pc28¹ÙÍøfans would indeed idolize the man nicknamed Mighty Mouse who eventually won the NBA rookie of the year and was the team’s first franchise player. There’s a reason why Proudfoot is considered one of the giants in Canadian sports journalism.
Proudfoot died six years later in 2001, after spending his entire 49-year journalism career at the Star. He’s a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. He also received the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The first time that Jim Proudfoot recognized donors to the Sportsmen’s Corner was on Nov. 17, 1971.Â
pc28¹ÙÍøStar libraryThe sports department’s annual drive for the pc28¹ÙÍøStar’s Santa Claus Fund is named after him. Originally called the Sportsmen’s Corner, a drive that dates back to 1946, Proudfoot would recognize generous readers who donated by bold-facing their names at the end of his columns.
The Star’s Santa Fund, which has been around since 1906, raises money for 50,000 gift boxes for financially vulnerable children in the GTA. This year’s goal is to raise $1.5 million for 50,000 boxes that will go to financially vulnerable kids, ages one to 12, across Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto, Ajax, Pickering, Oshawa and Whitby.
Last year, Proudfoot Corner raised $51,664 for the Santa fund thanks to your generosity.
Our crack library staff found that Proudfoot began recognizing readers back on Nov. 17, 1971. Dave Perkins, another legend of this department, took over this wonderful tradition when Proudfoot retired and now it’s a department-wide effort. I’m proud to have worked with Proudfoot in the first three years of my career, and honoured to take part in this drive.
Every Saturday over the next few months, as part of Proudfoot Corner, we’ll take you behind the scenes on some of the stories we’ve done.
On the Corner: Long-time supporter Elisabeth Stewart kicks off the campaign with $105 in memory of Sally Dalrymple. For the second straight year, Carolyn Schwarz is part of the first list of donors, submitting $50 in memory of Brian Shepherd. Patricia Scull is back with a donation of $100. Nadia Vicente, another returning donor, dedicates her $105 gift to the memory of Michael Kleine-Hermelink. Another $105 comes from Derek Browne. Many thanks to everyone for your generosity!
