Well known local sports writer Mike Dodd will be inducted into the Midland Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 24.
John Gordon, who nominated Dodd for the shrine’s builder category, called Dodd “a media champion for local sports" who is deserving of a spot in the hall of fame.
Dodd spent more than four decades writing about and photographing local news and sports — first at The Wednesday Nighter, then at the Orillia Packet & Times and, finally, with Orillia Today and the Midland Mirror.
Dodd passed away in 2021 at the age of 62, after battling health issues for much of his life.
“For Mike, despite rubbing elbows with superstars, the local sports scene was home. And the people who played those sports and supported them were equally important if not more so,” noted Gordon.
In one of Dodd’s last published columns prior to his retirement in 2016, he thanked readers for sharing their journeys.
“The best (moments) were the personal stories and adventures all of you shared with me,” he wrote. “The fact you put your trust in me to tell your stories is something I never lost sight of. I always loved telling people about people.”
Dodd was also a longtime supporter of local charitable causes, noted Gordon.
“I know this first-hand because, as a co-founder with Drs. Rainer and Barb Loiskandl of a golf tournament in support of autistic children and their families in North Simcoe, we could always count on Mike to promote the annual event,” Gordon wrote.
“As another example, in his will, he bequeathed monies to establish what now is known as the Mike Dodd Minor Hockey Foundation which helps underprivileged kids in Orillia cover their fees,” Gordon said.
“Just about every charitable tournament in the region got a mention in Mike’s column …I suspect his own lifelong health struggles made him even more supportive of these events,” Gordon added.
Dodd did not have an easy life. His mother died when he was 21 months old.
“He had major afflictions from his youth,” one co-worker explained following Dodd’s death. “He was hydrocephalic and had serious kidney issues, problems that would have turned most people negative.”
However, for Dodd, “it made him more empathetic to the challenges of others,” said Gordon.
After his passing, his longtime friend, Deborah Wagner, summed up what many were feeling.
“His compassion, sense of humour and sincerity will be what I remember most. He could strike emotion, empathy and compassion in every article he wrote. He will continue to touch our hearts with his written word for years to come.”
Chester Graham, the former chairman of the Midland Sports Hall of Fame and longtime Midland Secondary School basketball and golf coach, wrote a letter in support of Dodd’s induction.
“In my view, Mike Dodd was the last of the local true sportswriters covering Simcoe County sports,” Graham wrote.
“Mike took great pride in his craft and if it wasn’t for him very few citizens would be aware of the sports scene in Midland,” Graham explained. “He truly loved his job and put his heart and soul into his writing.”
Former Midland CAO Fred Flood, also a Midland Indians baseball team coach and member, said Dodd “truly merits” membership in the hall of fame.
“It was definitely more than a reporting job for Mike,” Flood wrote, adding Dodd had a “passion” for sports.
“His interest was genuine and despite his physical difficulties, Mike appeared in person simply because he loved to provide first-hand coverage,” explained Flood.
Former St. Theresa’s Catholic Secondary School basketball coach and Barrie and District basketball official Bob Blasko agreed.
“Coaching and officiating in Orillia always meant an encounter with Mike Dodd,” said Blasko. “He was a constant presence in the gyms covering high school basketball. Always pleasant, always supportive, always professional.”
He said Dodd’s “support and promotion of high school sports is missed by all.”
Dodd, Gordon concluded, was “a media champion for local sports and the people who played and supported them. He is missed more than he ever knew.”
