The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce Bob Irving as the 13th inductee to the Ring of Honour at IG Field.
The long-time play-by-play voice of the Blue Bombers has been covering the team since joining CJOB in September of 1973 and his call of games beginning in 1974 became synonymous with Blue Bombers football over these many decades. Now 71, Irving made official earlier this month that the 2021 season would be his last at the microphone.
“The Winnipeg Football Club’s Ring of Honour is reserved for this franchise’s icons, both players and coaches. Now we can proudly add Bob as the icon among play-by-play callers,” said Blue Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller. “This organization has been fortunate to have had such a long association with Bob, not just as a broadcaster, but as someone who always been a supporter of Winnipeg, of the Blue Bombers and the Canadian Football League. It only seems fitting that his name should have a place alongside the other legends in this franchise’s long and storied history.”
A member of numerous sporting halls of fame – including the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Media Roll of Honour – Irving also received the Order of Manitoba in 2014, our province’s highest honour. A formal ceremony officially adding Irving to the Ring of Honour will be held prior to the Western Final December 5th at IG Field, with the opening kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m. CST.
The football club has a number of holiday-themed extras for the Western Final in addition to the usual tailgate additions at this time of year of fire pits and warming huts, fans will also be able to enjoy rum and eggnog or caribou while partaking in traditional Voyageur games as led by members of the Festival du Voyageur team. As well, the first 500 fans will be able to enjoy maple syrup taffy in the tailgate area and Santa will be available for photos at Gate 2.
The Bombers will face the winner of this weekend’s Western Semi-final between the host Saskatchewan Roughriders and visiting Calgary Stampeders. The Western Final winner will advance to the 108th Grey Cup, to be held Sunday, December 12th at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. Tickets to the Western Final at IG Field are still available for purchase.
