Campbell worthy of Hall of Fame nod
Posted By SCOTT ROWE
Posted 3 months ago
Last week, the 2009
inductees to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame were given their honours. The list of stars included NHL champion Mark Messier, world champion kayaker Caroline Brunet, basketball coach Ken Shields, female hockey pioneer Angela James, and CFL legends Hugh Campbell and Warren Moon.
Included in that list was one of the most well known and respected names in harness racing, John Campbell.
Campbell grew up in a horse racing family with both his father and grandfather also being harness drivers. His roots started in the small town of Ailsa Craig in western Ontario, but his reputation has grown to encompass the recognition and respect of the world-wide racing community.
Campbell is still competing at the age of 54 at the highest levels of his sport. Harness racing has always had its share of stars that performed much longer than athletes of other professions. Great drivers like Joe O'Brien, Bill Houghton and Stanley Dancer demonstrated that a combination of natural talent and experience can overcome the fast reflexes and enthusiasm of the younger drivers.
Every time Campbell wins another race or finishes in the top-five for a purse cheque, he adds to his record of the most money ever won by a harness driver. As of Nov. 8, he had recorded an incredible $270,276,049 in winnings. His phenomenal longevity and dedication has seen him drive 54,603 races and he is in the exclusive group of drivers who can claim to have won more than 10,000 races with his own 10,222 victories.
Part of the success of Campbell's outstanding career is owed to his decision to leave a successful racing future at Windsor Raceway and head to the bright lights of the newly founded Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey. The Meadowlands is state-owned and operated. With its large population base and ability to give back larger portions of the wagered dollar, the Meadowands soon came to be the premiere track in the country, offering Campbell an opportunity to shine his star amongst the brightest then competing.
John's list of accomplishments not only includes victories in every major race in the sport, but in many cases multiple repeats of those classics. He can boast 42 Breeders Crowns, seven Meadowlands Paces, six Hambletonians, six North American Cups and three Little Brown Jugs.
Recognition of Campbell's special talent didn't just happen recently.
At age 35, he was the youngest driver ever to be inducted into the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame, and three years prior to that, he had already been selected for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was awarded the Meritous Service Medal from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.
Campbell has retained one endearing quality that probably deserves the greatest recognition of all.
Despite success that others only dream of, he has remained a model of modesty, always recognizing the abilities of the horses and trainers that he has worked with. Everyone who has had the honour of knowing him personally, can only comment that his latest recognition could not come to a more deserving person or a nicer guy.
Scott Rowe is the former chairman of the board at Georgian Downs.
