'Leapin' Lou from the Soo' received special recognition over the weekend at Algoma University College's convocation this year.
Dr. Lou Lukenda, who earned the nickname during his serious basketball and football days, was presented by Academic Dean Arthur Perlini with an honourary membership in the AUC Senate.
Photo gallery Perlini talked during the ceremony about Lukenda's many sports accomplishments, as well as great number of other accolades Dr. Lou has collected in the years since.
But Perlini missed at least one big one.
When SooToday.com caught up with Lukenda between photos on the front steps of his alma mater after the ceremony, he told us a story about a very cool trophy he accepted on behalf of his basketball team.
And the nifty fellow who gave it to him.
"It was very early when the [Memorial] Gardens were first built," said Lukenda.
"Basketball became very popular in the mid 1950s [about that time]," he said. "Sault Ste. Marie had one of the best senior men's teams in Canada."
"It just so happened that the Eastern Canada finals were in Sault Ste. Marie and the only facility large enough to hold the crowd that was expected at that time was the Memorial Gardens."
Lukenda said that it was in the summer of either 1955 or 1956 and that they had taken the ice off the concrete pad.
"They painted lines on the concrete and we played the Eastern Canada Finals there." said Lukenda.
"The prime-minister-to-be, Mike Pearson, was the external affairs minister (and represented Algoma East) and he presented the trophy to the Soo team."
After a little prodding from SooToday.com, Leapin' Lou fessed up to being team captain and the one who received the coveted cup.
"I was the centre and I was the captain of the team," said Bashful Lou.
To see who else was at yesterday's convocation, there click on the photo gallery at the bottom of this article.
More coverage of Algoma University College Convocation 2006: