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GAELS FOOTBALL HISTORY:The Vanier Cup is set for Saturday in Quebec City.

November 26, 2009

THE VANIER CUP IS SET FOR SATURDAY IN QUEBEC CITY.

AT THAT TIME, QUEEN'S WILL PLAY THE CALGARY DINOS FOR THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP....

THIS IS THE 5TH TIME THE GAELS WILL COMPETE FOR THE CANADIAN CROWN....

THIS MARKS THIS FALL'S FINAL INSTALLMENT OF POSTO'S POSTCARDS.

AND WITH THAT MIKE POSTOVIT HANDS THE BALL OFF TO LONG-TIME VOICE OF THE GAELS AT RICHARDSON STADIUM DOUG JEFFRIES AND A TRIP DOWN FOOTBALL MEMORY LANE....

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FOOTBALL AT QUEEN'S.

THIS IS THE GAME WE SEE TODAY.

BUT GRIDIRON ACTION AT THE UNIVERSITY HAS A REAL LEGACY TO IT -- IN FACT IT'S ONE OF THE RICHEST AND OLDEST PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TRI-COLOUR SQUAD -- THE YEAR--- 1882....

MERV DAUB/GAELS FOOTBALL HISTORIAN

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OR HOW ABOUT THE 1893 CLUB --YOU ARE LOOKING... AT THE DOMINION CHAMPIONS.

QUEEN'S EVEN CAPTURED THE GREY CUP IN 1922-23-AND 24, LED BY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE INCLUDING THIS GENTLEMAN.

THAT'S FRANK "PEP" LEADLEY.

NOW MUCH OF THAT EARLY FOOTBALL ATMOSPHERE TOOK PLACE HERE--- AT THE ORIGINAL GEORGE RICHARDSON MEMORIAL STADIUM...

NOW IN ITS PLACE---THE PRESENT DAY--TINDALL FIELD....

IN MORE RECENT HISTORY.. QUEENS WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1968...

THAT CLUB WAS COACHED BY THE LEGENDARY FRANK TINDALL.

THEN, THERE WERE VANIER CUP APPEARANCES IN 1978 -- UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DOUG HARGREAVES A VICTORY OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA AT VARSITY STADIUM IN TORONTO...

AND CALGARY BEAT THE GAELS AT THE SAME LOCATION IN 1983.

THEN 9-YEARS LATER--AT THE SKYDOME IN 1992, QUEENS WAS TRULY GOLDEN WITH A CONVINCING WIN OVER ST. MARY'S OF HALIFAX...

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT--- GAELS FOOTBALL IS MORE THEN JUST A GAME....IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT...IT'S 125 YEARS OF MEMORIES--- TRADITION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT....

MIKE POSTOVIT, CKWS NEWSWATCH, KINGSTON

DOUG WILL HAVE MORE ON "THIS YEARS" VANIER CUP GAME, LATER IN SPORTS.

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