A special Knight at the Braves home opener
Local football hero, Lee Knight will receive a rare honour of having his number, 23, retired from the Burlington Braves roster at the Braves season opener. He joins Peter Dalla Riva, #75, in this recognition.
Knight is a hometown Burlington boy who played two and a half years for the Braves football club. He was called up directly from the Braves to the Hamilton Ti Cats practice squad where he had a ten year career, 1987-1997.
He played slot back but with his athletic ability, determination he was successful wherever the coaches needed him. He scored a touch down as a running back in the 1991 Labour Day classic or kicking a field goal 1987 when his special teams kicker was injured. Knight has indicated he considers his career highlight to be the 1989 Grey Cup even with a tough loss 43-40 to Saskatchewan.
Knight was honoured as a Walk of Fame member for the Ti Cats in 1996. You can see his plaque on the north wall of Ivor Wynne Stadium featuring his career statistics.
“Lee has never left the game or the community,” says Braves president Larry Irish. “He has given back personally and professionally and is a standard for our current players.”
Knight coaches the fall Burlington Stampeders in addition to serving the community as a Peel Region police officer.
For his contributions to the football community in Burlington and his achievement as a professional football player, Knight will have his number retired from the Braves roster at the home opener vs local rival Hamilton Hurricanes at Nelson Stadium, Friday August 26. Game time is 7pm, admission is $10 per person, $20 per family, seniors $5, children 12 and under are free.
The Burlington Braves are one of eight junior (aged 19-22) teams in the Ontario Football Conference (OFC), formed in the 1950s. OFC is part of the Canadian Junior Football League along with the British Columbia Football Conference and the Prairie Football Conference who compete for the national title.
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