Mario Langlois was born at Magog Hospital but lived in Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley before the family moved to Magog when he was six. He and his brothers Robert and Vincent lacked for nothing, although their father Denis was often away from home because he worked in Baie-James. His father taught him that you’re never better off than yourself. Without his mother and Pauline’s passion for the sport, he wouldn’t be the radio host he loves today.
Fishing in the rowboat with your father.
The best moments I spent with my family were rowing boat fishing with my father on Lake Massawippi or Lake Memphremagog, not to mention ice fishing in winter.
You threw ball with your mother.
I’ve always preferred baseball. My mother came to us to throw the ball. When I talk about it today, I get goosebumps.
You dreamed of becoming a sports descriptor, just like René Lecavalier.
When I think about it, I set the bar so high that I could never match his skill level. I used my player cards to describe street hockey games or baseball games.
Her favorite players were Guy Lafleur, Bobby Orr and Vladislav Tretiak.
When I was making a parade, I yelled very loudly, “What a parade of Tretiak!” My friends whimpered my mother to shut up after an interruption, she just smiled at them.
Gaétan Boucher was also a star for you.
I competed in the provincial speed skating championships in Sherbrooke. Unfortunately, I fell with my hockey skates in the semifinals.
You described imaginary baseball games.
My uncle André had invented a baseball board game using a deck of cards. I filled my score card with fictitious names according to the player cards I collected.
You collected baseball player cards.
I threw the player card I was holding against the wall and Mom heard me yell, “Pete Rose just hit a double against the right field fence!”
You also liked politics.
Radio-Canada presented all political conventions at the time. Here I sit in front of our television for a whole weekend following the appointment of Joe Clark as leader of the Conservative Party.
Saturday night ice hockey at your grandparents…
We were young and we watched the Canadiens game with my uncle André. My uncle provided us with a Canadiens and non-Canadiens jersey for my brother and me.
The old “Théroux Stadium” in Magog shaped your life.
I spent my summers there, which seemed like an eternity of bliss because going back to school felt so far away! I played baseball, refereed games, scored, and by the age of 12 was the manager of the championship-winning Atom team.
Cycling through the streets of Magog…
Thanks to my first jobs as a newspaper boy at La Tribune and as a marker, I was able to buy two 10 speed bikes.
Why two?
Because both of my bikes were stolen. So people only saw me when I was 11 years old, with my mother’s bike and my younger brother’s child seat attached to the bike.
Mario Gosselin let you experience your 15 second moment of glory.
The day before, La Tribune journalist Jean-Guy Rancourt had described me as a proud baseball competitor. Mario Gosselin, the Cantonniers star and future Nordiques player who I thought didn’t know me, greeted me on the school bus and stressed that I was a proud participant. A few weeks later I was playing ball hockey with him on the street…because I had a goal net.
You took part in a cultural exchange.
As part of a school program, I spent two weeks with a family in Newmarket, Ontario learning English.
They were active in smaller ice hockey.
I was home goalscorer and announcer at Magog Arena for Minor Hockey and Cantonniers Midget AAA de Magog. During the Atome/Pee-Wee tournament in Magog, I was barely 16 and had to introduce Guy Lafleur to the audience…
Her first meeting with Guy Lafleur was unforgettable.
I had prepared well for my long speech, and every time he came to set foot on the ice, I wasn’t done speaking. The guy told me I had good hands. I was so nervous that I told him I didn’t have the skills and flexibility from him to score goals. He had started laughing.
“Hi Mario, are you dead? »
The first words my mother wrote me in her letter when I was studying communication at Cégep de Jonquière. Then I quickly got her message, because I hitchhiked back and forth from Jonquière to Magog to see her.
They would have liked to meet President Barack Obama.
Yes, not to discuss politics, but what he said in his legendary speech “A New Beginning”.
you have three children
I have spent most of my life in the Magog Arena with my children Karel (33), Raphael (18) and Maëva (16). These are precious moments that I will always cherish. Also, the reality is that my children are the cornerstone of my life.
Tomorrow is a special day for you.
In fact, I want to wish my mom and all other moms a “Happy Mother’s Day.” Also, we only have one mother and I love mine very much.
