Patrick Dom attended the induction gala of the Panthéon des sports du Québec, Monday evening in Montreal, to receive a tribute to the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. But the general director of the event, which is celebrating its 64th anniversary, had another idea in mind: he wanted to meet his idol.
Arriving early at the Anjou Metropolitan Golf Club, Dom did not hesitate when the journalist, host and commentator Jean-Paul Chartrand Sr arrived to meet him.
“It’s a monument of sport. When I watch Mr. Chartrand on television, he has been there forever. He expresses himself very well, he is as straight as a chain even though he has [92 ans]. His comments are always timely, precise and clear. It’s impeccable. He’s a bit like the René Lecavalier of boxing,” mentioned Dom, who recalled that 1,365 players took part in the Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament before making the jump to the NHL, the last one in the running being Connor Bedard.
As for Mr. Chartrand, the boxing describer, who began his fruitful career in 1964 at the Journal de Montréal, he was inducted as a builder.
“I will never retire,” he said with pride.
Jasey-Jay Anderson (snowboarding), Marie-Claude Asselin (freestyle ski jumping), Meaghan Benfeito (diving), Vincent Damphousse (hockey), Roseline Filion (diving), Charles Hamelin (short track speed skating) and Monique Lefebvre (adapted sports builder) were also admitted to the Quebec Hall of Fame.