Proudfoot Corner launches just a month after Chester’s words came back to life in the Star’s pages

Around this time last month the Star was halfway through its Summit Series at 50 rewind and on the verge of republishing the final four games of Canada’s epic series with the Soviet Union.

It had been half a century since the iconic eight-game hockey series took place, a battle that was supposed to see Canada establish itself as the dominant hockey force with its roster of NHL riches going up against a Soviet squad of “amateurs” that had produced nine straight world titles and three straight Olympic golds.

It proved to be closer than most thought, and in the process it built legends, changed how Canadians viewed hockey and united this country to the point of that “Where were you?” moment when Paul Henderson scored the series-clinching goal.

The Star was there, and many followed the drama through our sports pages, reading the great work of hockey writing giant Frank Orr and sports journalism legends Milt Dunnell and Jim Proudfoot, who was in Moscow for the second half of the series, chronicling every twist and turn as it played itself out.

As we sought to provide unique coverage of the Summit Series anniversary, the challenge became how can we best recap the series of events, keep it interesting while also advancing the story? Was there anything we could share that might not have been reported in the decades that followed?

Longtime Star columnist Dave Feschuk took readers along for the ride, doing an excellent job of shedding light on the unprecedented angst starting goalie Ken Dryden felt in the lead-up to Game 8, as documented in Dryden’s recently released book; on Bobby Clarke’s infamous slash on Soviet star Valeri Kharlamov and his rocky relationship with Henderson; on how if Canada’s doctors had their way Henderson, who scored the winning goal in the final three contests, would have sat out a few days — and a few of those games — after he suffered a concussion in Game 5; and on the travelling fans who signed up to party like a ‘Grey Cupski’ in Moscow, only to be subjected to spy tactics while playing a pivotal part in Canada’s final three wins.

But the pièce de résistance in my mind was packaging all of Feschuk’s works with the game stories as they were written 50 years ago, including the final recaps from Proudfoot.

His name these days may be more synonymous with Proudfoot Corner, part of the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund, than his writings, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, the annual holiday tradition founded by former publisher Joseph Atkinson in 1906 was near and dear to Proudfoot’s heart.

But being reminded of the type of writer he was over his nearly five-decade career at the Star was a treat no other publication could provide. Proudfoot covered major sporting events of all kinds, from Stanley Cups to Grey Cups, Super Bowls, World Series, Olympics, world figure skating championships and the Kentucky Derby.

Still, it was that Summit Series that stood out to him.

“The Paul Henderson goal is the greatest single event in the history of Canadian sports,” Proudfoot told the Globe and Mail in May 1998. “It lives on as a great milestone in the lives of almost every Canadian.”

Proudfoot, known to his colleagues as “Chester,” worked at the Star for 49 years including as a columnist and sports editor and wrote until he suffered a stroke in 2000. His annual tradition of Sportsmen’s Corner columns often convinced readers and members of the Toronto sports community to open their wallets for disadvantaged children, who would receive gift boxes for Christmas because every child deserved something under the tree. In return, donors would get their names in boldface at the bottom of his pieces.

Following Proudfoot’s death in 2001, former columnist Dave Perkins continued the tradition — and renamed it Proudfoot Corner in his honour — and it has continued to this day with the help of sports department staffers.

The Star relies on thousands of donors to help meet its fundraising goal for the Santa Claus Fund — which this year is $1.5 million and runs until Dec. 31. The gift boxes are for children 12 and under and contain age-specific, gender-neutral items including a hoodie, hat, mitts, socks, book, small toy, cookies, toothbrush and toothpaste.

The fund is once again joining forces with papers in Mississauga (the Mississauga News Santa Claus Fund), Brampton (the Brampton Guardian Santa Claus Fund), and Ajax-Pickering (The Ajax-Pickering News Advertiser Santa Claus Fund) and volunteers will distribute 50,000 of the packages across Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Ajax and Pickering by Christmas.

If you enjoyed reading our Summit Series coverage, consider making a donation in Proudfoot’s name. And if you didn’t get a chance to experience Proudfoot’s works in our pages, remember, it’s all available online. And while you’re there, make a donation. After all, it’s about the children.

As is our tradition, donors to Proudfoot Corner will see their names listed in boldface in the sports section of the Star. And this year, we will share the story behind some of the stories you read from the Star’s sports journalists this year.

To donate by cheque, make payable and mail to:

Proudfoot Corner

One Yonge St.

Toronto, M5E 1E6

Online: visit: thestar.com/santaclausfund and email charityinfo@thestar.ca mentioning Proudfoot.

By phone, call 416-869-4847 and mention Proudfoot.

The Star does not authorize anyone to solicit on its behalf.

Tax receipts will be issued.