Top 5 Vancouver Sports Heroes

Vancouver is a passionate sports town. We love our teams and our individual athletes, but sadly we have only a few cups and titles to boast about. But what we lack in shiny hardware, we make up for in heroes. This city has rallied behind the skilled, hardworking, community-minded stars that have elevated their game and brought us, on many occasions, to the brink of victory. We have raised their numbers to the rafters, commemorated them with awards and watched proudly as their feats inspired a younger generation to strive for greatness (or close to greatness).

This week we have compiled a short list of Vancouver’s Top Sports Heroes, men and women who honoured their sport on and off the pitch/ice/track:

5. Harry Jerome

British Columbia’s ‘Athlete of the Century’, Harry Jerome shared the title of ‘World’s Fastest Human’ for eight years when he tied the world record for the 100m dash in 1960 with a time of 10 seconds. It was an incredible feat in running, but sadly Jerome never translated his talent to Olympic Gold. He severed his quadriceps two years after his 10.0 sec time and went through a painful rehabilitation. Amazingly, two years after that, he was once again ready to compete at the highest level. In 1964 he would win bronze at the Olympics in Tokyo.

Jerome fought to improve the opportunities available to Canada’s black youth. He also fought prejudice at a community level, arguing for the inclusion of black mannequins to the storefronts in Vancouver. In 1982 he passed away of a stroke while travelling on a city bus across the Lions Gate Bridge. Jerome is honoured with an annual track meet and a bronze statue in Stanley Park.

4. Trevor Linden

Drafted 2nd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1988, Trevor Linden went on to define ‘local sports hero’ in VanCity. Third all-time in goals, assists and games played and fourth in points, Linden was the ultimate team player, the guy that showed up to play every night. He was the captain of the Canucks for seven straight seasons from 1990-1997. The Canucks made the playoffs six times during that period and had an unforgettable run for the cup in 1994. Linden will always be remembered for taking the team on his back literally and figuratively during the 94 series against the New York Rangers. Jim Robson’s famous call tells it all:

Linden was the President of the NHLPA for nine years during his playing career. After he retired, he became President of the Vancouver Canucks in 2014. He retired from this position four years later. His legacy is everywhere at Rogers Arena, with mounted jerseys, his own gate and ’16’ hanging above the ice. 

3. Christine Sinclair

On January 29th, Christine Sinclair tied and then passed Abby Wambach’s record of 184 caps when she scored her 184th and 185th goal. Sinclair is now the all-time leading scorer in international goals for men and women. She is the top athlete in the world for a game that almost every nation embraces. And she’s from Burnaby, B.C.

Now in her twentieth year of international play, Sinclair, is the most decorated Canadian soccer player of all-time. She has won Canadian Soccer Player of the Year an astonishing fourteen times and has been nominated, but never won, FIFA Player of the Year seven times. She has also been appointed to the Order of Canada, included on Canada’s Walk of Fame and been pictured on an official Canadian postage stamp.

The only reason there are two (well three) athletes above Sinclair on this list is because their leagues exposed their greatness to a wider audience. Sinclair is in a class of her own – a hero to every local kid who jogs out on the pitch each Saturday.  

2. Lui Passaglia

The BC Lions are Vancouver’s oldest professional sports team. They may not draw the crowds like the Canucks, but they still have a passionate following from here to Fort St. John. The all-time greatest Lion is the man named above, Lui Passaglia.

No he wasn’t a quarterback, or a wide receiver, or even a running back – he was the kicker. A kicker who has the most points of any gridiron football player ever – and yes, that includes the NFL. Passaglia finished his career with the most points ever in the CFL with 3,991, most games played with 408, most seasons played with 25 and most Grey Cup wins with 3.

But even more astonishing then the stats, is that he did it all with the brown and orange of the BC Lions. Passaglia was born in Vancouver, played high school ball at Notre Dame in East Vancouver, went to Simon Fraser University and and then was drafted by the BC Lions to play at home. He is the epitome of a local kid done good.

1. Henrik and Daniel Sedin

The final spot on our list of Vancouver’s Top Five Sports Heroes goes not to one, but two local stars. And unlike the legends listed above, both of these athletes are from a foreign country. Neither of them were born or educated in Canada, but they did grow up in front of our eyes. They were drafted as a pair by the Canucks in 1999, took the ice as line mates for the Canucks in 2000 and were roommates on the road for their entire careers. They broke almost every Canuck record, and, like Linden above, they brought the city within one win of a Stanley Cup Championship. Daniel and Henrik Sedin, we thank you.

Their accolades include most points ever by a Vancouver Canuck (1070 by Henrik), most goals ever by a Canuck (393 by Daniel), most assists ever by a Canuck (830 by Henrik) and most games ever played by a Canuck (1330 by Henrik). Henrik was captain for nine seasons. During those years he won the Hart, Art Ross and King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Daniel also won the Hart and Art Ross in different years and added the Ted Lindsay Award in 2011. They are the most decorated Canucks of all time.

Off the ice, the brothers have been incredible ambassadors for their sport, their team and the NHL. They have given their time to more than 50 different charities in Vancouver, doing personal appearances, fundraising and donating resources. Their largest charitable donation to date was given to the Vancouver Children’s Hospital anonymously. The hospital received a cheque for $1.5 million in 2010. The staff and fundraising team eventually insisted that the Sedins be credited. Their generosity inspired hundreds of people to give $22 or $33 donations in their honour.

The Sedins can still be seen around town, as they have both decided to raise their children in the city they now call home.