Loveable Tiger-Cats’ mascot shares his story at Routes Youth Centre fundraising dinner

By Debra Downey, Senior Editor

Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Dan Black wears his on his calf, sometimes on his head, often shading his eyes, and unless it’s a long overdue laundry day, the colour of his clothes generally speak for themselves.

Black is a big…really big…fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, so much so that it’s extremely rare he isn’t sporting black and gold.

He was married on the turf at Ivor Wynne in May 2010 in front of 140 close friends and family. Invitations to the event looked like Tiger-Cat tickets, and the exuberant bride and groom entered the field though the tunnel, heralded by cheerleaders. The wedding reception was — where else? — Faloney’s of Ancaster, named after legendary Tiger-Cats quarterback Bernie Faloney.

Black has missed only one home game in nine years — his sister had the audacity to tie the knot on Game Day.

One day Black hopes to hoist the Canadian Football League’s holy grail, the Grey Cup. Ideally, he would also lead a boisterous rally cry that starts with “Oskee-Wee-Wee” and ends with “Eat ’em Raw.”

Black, a 36-year-old Mount Hope resident, has donned the costume of loveable Tiger-Cats’ mascot Pigskin Pete since 2008.

It was a dream come true for a “poor, poor, poor” little boy who grew up in Hamilton’s north end devising ways to get into Ivor Wynne stadium.

“I’ve been a fan since he was knee high to a grasshopper,” said Black. “I sold hotdogs at the stadium and missed my Grade 8 graduation so I could be at the game.”

Black is on a first-name basis with many of the Tiger-Cat legends he has always admired — Grover Covington, David Sauve, Ron Lancaster and Bob O’Billovich — “who has forgotten more about football than we’ll ever know.”

“Sometimes I have to pinch myself, to be on the field, sit with them, mingle, talk and hang out with legends,” said Black.

“I love the Tiger-Cats and the chance to be on the field without being kicked off, chased off or arrested.”

Black’s personal life is also about to take an exciting upswing. Second wife Lindsay is expecting the couple’s first child in May.

The last few years have been kind to Black, but it wasn’t always that way.

As he was growing up in Hamilton’s tough north end, Black suffered horrible sexual and physical abuse. He was put into foster care at the age of 11 and spent the majority of his youth in a string of homes.

Black thought he had emerged unscathed from the trials of his early years. He graduated from Ancaster High School and attended George Brown and Mohawk College. He worked with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society to create a program called Youth in Care and visited new foster parents to present the child’s perspective on fostering. He married and fathered two girls. Life appeared to be going well.

But although he put on a happy face and pretended all was well in his world, Black was deeply troubled. He was dealing with a form of post-traumatic stress and had trust issues.

“I was not the most ideal person to be in a relationship with, and I made a lot of mistakes,” said Black. “I guess nobody can go through what I went through without there being issues.”

After 20 years, Black realized he was not healed from the abuse in his childhood. He “corrected” himself, sought help and went away for six months for treatment.

He’s better now, truly happy.

Black will share his story of overcoming adversity as the guest speaker at the annual Routes Youth Centre fundraising dinner and silent auction. Routes is a drop-in and counselling program that provides intervention, education and prevention for marginalized and youth-at-risk in the community.

The topic of Black’s presentation is Be Yourself.

“Don’t be ashamed of who you are, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to ask for help,” said Black of the message he hopes to convey to young people and supporters in attendance.

Black, who has visited Routes and was on hand for last year’s gala, said he wishes he had access to a centre like Routes when he was young.

“It gives kids a place to go and to bounce things off other people who are a good influence. It’s important to create a dialogue and talk,” said Black.

Tickets to the fundraising dinner and silent auction, Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m., Dundas Lions Memorial Community Centre, are $50. For more information, call Art at 905-627-4334.

…and just in case you’re wondering, the Black family’s new addition will be a darling baby girl. Her name is “still in negotiation.”

A boy would have been easy, at least for the proud papa — Marwan — named after hard-nosed Tiger-Cats centre Marwan Hage, who is also well-known for his humanitarian work.