Carnie's Comments

 

It's Throwback Thursday as we celebrate 100 years on the air at 800 CHAB.

It was spring, 1991, Canadian heavyweight boxing champ Conroy Nelson had settled in Moose Jaw where he trained and defeated Ken Lakusta to take the title at the old Civic Centre in December of 1990.

Next up for Conroy?  A fight against Smokin' Bert Cooper, a world-class boxer.

When Cooper and his entourage arrived in town CHAB took the lead to make sure they were treated right.  We invited them to "Live at the Royal", a Thursday night radio show we did at the old Royal Hotel on River Street.

They were fashionably late and arrived to thunderous applause from a packed house.

Cooper wasn't much of a conversationalist.  He did his talking with his fists.  But I'll never forget, when I started the radio show, I politely asked him what I should call him?  Bert?  Mr. Cooper?

With his sunglasses on and big, bright smile, he leaned into the microphone and simply said, "Smokin'!"