Canadian actor Alan Thicke is best known for his role as Jason Seaver on the television series Growing Pains, but his name could have also been synonomous with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats - along with an infamous sports celebrity.
"I rounded up this group and it all disappeared in one day," Thicke told The Mike Richards Show on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto on Tuesday. "I was going into the studio one day and everybody was watching the television, riveted to the screen. I looked over and (realized) one of my partners is going down the freeway in a Bronco. It was O.J. Simpson. That was as close as I got to ownership."
Thicke was asked if he was ever close to being a part of an ownership group in the Canadian Football League much like the Toronto Argonauts had in 1991 with their high-priced owners in NHL great Wayne Gretzky, actor John Candy and former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall.
"I did come close enough that I got a call from my favorite team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, saying 'we like what McNall, Candy and Gretzky have done by fronting the Argos and being defecto spokespersons of that team," he said. "Do you think you could put together a little consortium that could become the face of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats?'
Thicke, a native of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, said he told the Tiger-Cats he would think about it and then began rounding up a group of people he felt could help.
Thicke said he got support from actor Martin Short, musician and producer David Foster and Simpson to join the venture. Thicke said he felt Simpson was nearby and had the Buffalo experience, so he knew the Toronto and Hamilton market.
"It all made perfect sense until he (Simpson) got badly out of line that day," said Thicke.
