Steve Milton: 1972 Ticat champions join McManus at wall of honour dinner

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats' Wall of Honour gets a brand new member next week when quarterback Danny McManus, the franchise's all-time passing leader, joins the previous 24 impactful Ticat players and builders to have their names permanently affixed to the commemorative head wall' on the west side of Tim Hortons Field.

McManus's outstanding career will be celebrated at halftime of the Ticats' home game against Saskatchewan Friday, Oct. 7. He'll also be feted the previous evening at the traditional wall of fame dinner, which will be held at Carmen's Banquet Centre, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

McManus will be joined at next Thursday's dinner by many of the teammates he shared the field with during his Hamilton tenure, which lasted from 1998 to 2005.

Darren Flutie, McManus's most-frequently targeted receiver in Hamilton and a fellow member of the 1999 team, which was the last Ticat Grey Cup winner, told The Spectator this week that he will make his first return to the city since he retired after the 2002 season and will help celebrate McManus's selection to the wall.

Flutie was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2007, McManus in 2011.

At the Wall of Honour dinner, the Tiger-Cats Alumni Association is also paying tribute to the 1972 Ticats, the last Hamilton team to win a Grey Cup game played in Hamilton. Alumni representatives say that several members of the '72 squad have already committed to attend: Bobby Krouse, Garney Henley, Chuck Ealey, Tony Gabriel, Gary Inskeep, Jim Papai, Bob Richardson, Ian Sunter, John Williams and Gerry Sternberg.

Among the criteria for the Wall of Honour are statistical achievement, demonstrated leadership, recognition by national media and community involvement. Inductees are chosen by a selection committee comprising representatives from the alumni association, the Tiger-Cats franchise, the media and the local community.

Tickets for the always-popular dinner cost $125 per person and are available at: https://wall-of-honour.square.site/.

Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: smilton@thespec.com