'Dancing Gabe' bobblehead to honour Winnipeg sports superfan
Collectible bobbleheads to be given to Goldeyes fan at July 13 game
The Winnipeg Goldeyes will honour "Dancing Gabe," one of the city's best known sports fans, with his own bobblehead in July.
The baseball club said the Dancing Gabe bobblehead giveaway will take place July 13 at Shaw Park, just before the team takes on the Sioux City Explorers.
The first 1,000 fans attending the game will receive one of the Dancing Gabe collectible bobbleheads, which will be given away as part of the Goldeyes' annual Hometown Heroes night.
Born Gabriel Langois in 1963, Dancing Gabe is known for cheering and grooving in the stands at Winnipeg professional sports games for more than 30 years.
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He can be seen dancing at just about every Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Jets and Winnipeg Goldeyes home game.
The Goldeyes say Langlois attended Shaw Park's groundbreaking ceremony in 1998.
"We are extremely grateful for Gabe's contributions to the City of Winnipeg, and even prouder to call him a member of the Goldeyes' family," team owner Sam Katz said in a news post published on the Goldeyes' website on Tuesday.
"Gabe is a true inspiration to everyone he encounters, and honouring him in this way is the least we could do in return for his unconditional loyalty to our local teams."
Langlois, who has autism, has used his name recognition over the years to help a number of charities that support Manitobans with disabilities.
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman presented Langlois with the city's Organizational Community Service Award in October 2015, while a local author has penned a biography on Dancing Gabe's life.