Remembering the long-lost Hockey Spectator

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/11/2020 (2070 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Before the World Hockey Association hit the ice in October 1972 with two divisions of six teams, a new hockey newspaper appeared on newsstands that summer.

Tim Beever, a hockey collector in Indianapolis, Ind., provided us with a copy of the first issue of The Hockey Spectator. The front page headline read “Hull Joins WHA, Jets” and the paper was filled with stories and photos of Bobby Hull. Another headline read “Hatskin Building Jet Powerhouse.”
Alton White was featured in an article as the first black player in the WHA after he agreed to join the New York Raiders from the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League. He also was a guest in NBC’s Today Show. White lasted 13 games in New York City before moving to Los Angeles to play 57 more for the Sharks in the inaugural season.

White was known as Junior when he played his minor hockey at Earl Grey Community Club and two seasons with the Winnipeg Rangers of the MJHL. Ken Block from Steinbach, Sherridon’s Gene Peacosh, Craig Reichmuth from Russell and Bob Winograd from River Heights also were Raiders that season.

Not long after the advent of the WHA, a Canadian version of The Hockey Spectator, based in Winnipeg and titled The Hockey Spectator (Canada) was introduced. The plan was to publish weekly during the season and monthly the rest of the year. The publisher was L.R. (Bud) Sherman, who at the time was the MLA for Fort Garry. With the growth of professional hockey as well as at the junior and college level, the belief was that there would be a demand for expanded coverage. The first Canadian issue, priced at 35 cents, was published on Nov. 10, 1972 with the story of the Jets’ first-game victory in New York written by Vic Grant, who at the time was a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Tribune.

A feature article headed “Flin Flon’s Vince Lombardi That’s Pat Ginnell” showed that junior hockey would receive extensive coverage. The two-page spread was accompanied by four large photos. In one, the caption quotes Ginnell:

“There are moments a coach like best. This is me celebrating in the dressing room after a big win a couple of seasons back, with three of my biggest Bombers, Wayne Hawrysh, Ray Martynuik and Reggie Leach.”  

The victory likely came over the junior Jets.

The author of the article was Fred Collins, who, by issue No. 5, was listed as an editorial assistant along with Ted Holland. By issue 12, in January 1973, the pair had been promoted to associate editors. Many years later, Holland was labelled Toast when he co-wrote the Toast and Coffee sports column, first in the Winnipeg Sun and then the Canstar weeklies.

In his hockey archives, Holland discovered a large collection of The Hockey Spectator (Canada). The provincial legislative library in the archives building did not have this title in its collection of Manitoba publications, so Holland donated his copies and they are now available to researchers.

Thirty-five issues of the American newspaper were published in the first season. It lasted into season two of the WHA with the last issue published on Dec. 28, 1973. As for the Canadian version, Sherman and Collins are no longer with us and Holland isn’t sure when The Hockey Spectator (Canada) ceased to publish. The last issue in his collection was dated April 28, 1973. Grant had a story on Freeman Asmundson, who he rated as having been the Jets’ best defenceman since Christmas.

Another story datelined St. Paul had Minnesota Fighting Saints coach and former Brandon Wheat King Glen Sonmor describing forward Ted Hampson as working as hard as any player he has ever seen. Hampson and his Saints teammates George Konik and Mel Pearson led their hometown Flin Flon Bombers to the Canadian junior championship in 1957.
 
Memories of Sport appears every second week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. Kent Morgan can be contacted at 204-489-6641 or email: sportsmemories@canstarnews.com