Longtime CFL sportswriter Randy Turner will be posthumously inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Roll of Honour, which is presented by the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
The native of Boissevain, Man. spent over 30 years with the Winnipeg Free Press, primarily as a member of the sports department. He spent almost 15 years covering the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in some capacity, most often as a columnist where he plied his unique combination of insight and humour.
Turner covered several Grey Cups during his long career along with five Olympics and multiple Stanley Cups and World Junior Championships. He was nominated for seven National Newspaper Awards, winning two. He died of gallbladder cancer on March 13, 2019 at the age of 57.
This year’s other inductees include hockey player Jennifer Botterill, Special Olympian Brita Hall, hockey player Ted Irvine, physiotherapist Russ Horbal, sports administrator Dr. Sandra Kirby, and the three-time men’s national volleyball champion University of Manitoba Bisons (1999-2003).
The induction ceremony will take place at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre in Winnipeg on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. local time.
“I want to congratulate the inductees for all they have accomplished in sport,” said Hall of Fame co-chair Jeff Palamar in a statement. “This is an outstanding class of honourees and we look forward to their induction on November 7, 2024.”
“The induction ceremony will be a time to revel in the storied journeys of five remarkable individuals and an outstanding team whose contributions have shaped the sport world,” said Sport Manitoba president and CEO Janet McMahon. “A warm congratulations to the class of 2024! We eagerly anticipate celebrating your exceptional achievements and honouring your dedication to sport. Your legacies inspire all of us!”
Editor’s note: a previous version of this article stated that Turner was being inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Instead, he is being inducted into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Roll of Honour, which is presented by the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
