VANCOUVER – The Toronto Argonauts were in town Friday night to play the BC Lions, who ended up losing 40-23.
But the game is also making headlines for a different reason.
News started spreading that former Toronto Argonauts’ player, and now vice-chair, Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons reportedly had one of his Grey Cup rings stolen during the game.
According to reports, Pinball took his ring off and threw it into the crowd at BC Place for some fans to try on and take a picture with it, (something he is known for doing). However, a woman reportedly grabbed the ring and took off with it.
News started spreading on social media about the lost ring.
The 30-year-old Nanaimo woman accused of taking the ring contacted Global News Saturday afternoon and says she is not a thief.
Lindsay says it was all a big misunderstanding. When Clemons threw it into the crowd, she assumed it was like a prize for any audience member who could catch it.
Once she realized the football star was looking for his ring, Lindsay says she returned it to Nanaimo RCMP immediately.
Cst. Gary O’Brien with the Nanaimo RCMP says in a press release that arrangements will be made to have the ring returned to Clemons.
“She feels absolutely terrible about the situation and told the officer she wants Mr. Clemons to know she had no intention of keeping it and just wanted to do the right thing by turning it in,” says O’Brien.
He says Lindsay became confused when Clemons threw his ring into the crowd. The ring bounced off several people before coming to rest in her lap. O’Brien says she was offered $1,000 for it and then $5,000 and one person threatened to physically take it from her.
Lindsay then waited for either a security guard or an official to come by and collect the ring but no one approached her. O’Brien says Lindsay did not know what to do and after being threatened she decided to leave before the end of the game.
She says they went to security before they left and asked to get different seats. After waiting for some time they decided to leave BC Place. Lindsay also says she had a urgent medical issue she had to take care of.
When she saw the reports that it had been stolen, she immediately took it to the RCMP in Nanaimo. “I took it to the RCMP immediately before I was even able to work out my medical problem,” says Lindsay.
“From there I haven’t really heard much of anything except for the amazingly hateful and mean things people have had to say about me on social media, not knowing me or who I am or what my intentions were. There was no ill will, it was not a malicious act.”
Lindsay says she phoned the BC Lions to explain what happened, but has not heard back from the organization.
“When someone tells you you have a special place in hell and calls you a lowlife, it’s upsetting. My mom had to see that. My mom called me in tears about this.”
Global News has reached out to Pinball for comment on what happened.
On Sunday the Argonauts tweeted out a statement from Clemons:
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