John Bonk remembers...The image captures a moment that has become part of Winnipeg Blue Bomber folklore. And the man at the very centre of it can remember every detail as if the photograph was just shot minutes ago, not way back on Nov. 18, 1984 -- the day the franchise celebrated the end of a 22-year Grey Cup famine. "I know the picture you're talking about," begins John Bonk Tuesday from his office in Burlington, Ont. "I've got the Grey Cup trophy in one hand and I've got the No. 1 finger up. It's an awesome picture. Doug MacIver is in it with me and Vernon Pahl. And the commissioner at the time, Doug Mitchell, is there, too. You know what? I don't even have a copy of that picture. I'd love to get a copy to frame it."What's so special about that photo to me is I know players like Bill Frank who played 15 years and never won a Grey Cup or even played in one. And so the chance to play in a Grey Cup and that whole experience... believe me, it stays with you for life."Bonk -- along with icons like Doug Flutie and Pinball Clemons and builder Tom Shepherd -- will be reliving a lot of memories like that over the next few months as part of the 2008 class to be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. That quartet will be formally introduced at a press conference at the shrine in Hamilton today.And for Bonk, the induction caps a journey that began with him playing with his hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats before evolving into a rock along the Bomber offensive line and finally having his career cut short in its prime by a neck injury. It is a tale that begins in Hamilton and will be celebrated in Hamilton in September during Hall of Fame weekend.Born in Stoney Creek in 1950, Bonk's first job in football would come a dozen years later -- as a hotdog vendor at Civic Stadium (as Ivor Wynne was known then)."I used to daydream a lot and it started when I was around 12 and, unfortunately, it happened a lot during my first job when I was selling hotdogs at Civic Stadium," Bonk recalled. "I was one of those kids who was either giving too many hotdogs, not enough hotdogs, too much change, not enough change to people... I was watching my favourite team playing and wondering what it would be like to one day wear the black and gold and play in front of these people at this stadium. That's when the dream began."But Bonk's days in Ticat colours would be short-lived. And, ironically, it was his showing in a game in Winnipeg against the Bombers that ultimately led to him being shipped west. The Bombers were using defensive back Pete Ribbins as their long-snapper on an emergency basis back in 1973 and after he was run over a few times by Ticat defenders, he fired a snap over the punter's head that Hamilton recovered and from which they ultimately kicked the game-winning field goal.The Ticats' long-snapper that day? A kid in his second year out of the Burlington Braves junior team -- Bonk."It's funny, the night we won in Winnipeg I remember going out for dinner with a bunch of guys and we were sitting in a restaurant on Portage Avenue and it looked like everybody had rolled up the carpet in the city," said Bonk. "I remember saying, 'Wow... this town is really quiet and dead. Can you imagine if we played here?'"It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. My experience in Winnipeg, my 18 years there -- we still have friends there -- was fabulous. I miss it so much, I really do. Ontario is nice, but Manitoba -- and especially Winnipeg -- will always have a special place in our hearts." This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it A true Blue all-star and championBorn: Aug. 27, 1950, Stoney Creek, Ont.College/junior: Burlington Braves.His career: 1972-73, Hamilton Tiger-Cats; 1973-85, Winnipeg Blue Bombers.The highlights: CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, 1984; four-time CFL all-star (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985); Grey Cup champion, 1984.Winnipeg Free Press, April 2, 2008