Here is the story behind the winning entry for our Ultimate Stamps Dad contest, which was presented by Shakers.
The Fitzsimmons family’s entry was chosen at random and the prize pack includes:
- Four game tickets for the Father’s Day matchup vs. Saskatchewan June 20
- Four Stamps hats and one customized Stamps jersey for Dad
- Barbecue for 30 at Shakers Fun Centre (food, beverages and 30 unlimited day passes included)
- The Ultimate Stamps Dad will also get to perform the ceremonial kickoff prior to the big game
The Fitzsimmons story
I’m Scott Fitzsimmons and my dad is Jack Fitzsimmons.
I know the Father’s day thing is a random draw, but I really wanted to tell you about my dad anyway. He really is the greatest Stampeders fan (only #2 to MAYBE me). My dad has been a Stampeders fan forever, including holding season tickets for most of his 20s. While he grew up in Calgary and I was born there, he married a girl from Saskatchewan and due to financial reasons, we moved to Saskatchewan shortly after I was born to take care of his family. Even though most people that move to Saskatchewan become Rider fans, he didn’t, and he lived there for almost 20 years! The only Rider games we went to were against the Stampeders, and we would be decked in Red and White!
Money was always tight for us, but he always planned to take me to one game a year in either Calgary or Saskatchewan.
In 1994, we moved back to Alberta and lived in Brooks. It didn’t take him long to get season tickets again and he owned them for another 10 years before moving to Medicine Hat, and it was just too much of a drive to come to every game.
He has passed that legacy on to me and even though I have been living in Saskatchewan for most of my life, I am still a massive Stamps fan and I get get so excited every spring for the beginning of Training Camp. Many years I have even traveled from Yorkton (ehich will be a finalist for “Riderville”) to Calgary for Fanfest, where the picture I sent you was taken. Thanks to Bell ExpressVu, I can even watch every news cast on CTV and Global Calgary, and I am VERY well versed on the Stampeders. Not to mention I frequent stampeders.com and I represent the Stamps very well on www.bleacherreport.com.
I married a Rider fan, but made sure it was in our vows that she cheers for the Stampeders on days when the Riders aren’t playing.
The latest thing to show you my dad is the greatest is the fact that my wife is now pregnant with his first grandchild, and the first thing they bought was a little Stampeders “Onezie” for the baby! We found out it was twins, and they went right to the Stamps store and stocked up with much more baby stuff! They are making sure this baby gets every chance possible to make the right decision to be a Stampeders fan!