Sports figures gone but not forgotten

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/01/2017 (3513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The first Memories of Sport column of the new year is the time to remember the athletes, coaches, builders, officials and volunteers from the Manitoba sports community we lost in 2016.

Several had success in more than one sport. Andy Bathgate was named as a forward when the province’s all-time all-star hockey team was selected in 2000. After his NHL career, he ran a golf facility in Mississauga, Ont.

Vic Peters won the Canadian men’s curling championship and played for Steinbach A&W Stealers in the Canadian men’s fast pitch softball championship.
Bob Kabel played pro hockey for 15 seasons. A catcher, he was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame with its first group in 1997.

Bruce Hudson is in both the baseball and curling shrines. He played for the Rosedales and St. Boniface Native Sons teams and was inducted for his catching ability. He also skipped his team to two provincial men’s curling championships and served as president of the Manitoba Curling Association.
Bill Johnson played junior baseball for the Rosedales and hockey for the 1964 Canadian senior men’s champion Winnipeg Maroons. George Konik’s hockey career earned him induction into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. The Flin Flon product was also an outstanding catcher who led the Polar Baseball League in hitting one season with a .537 average. Jan Kreutzer will be remembered for his ability in both basketball and volleyball. Violet (Pollock) Tittler played the CUAC Blues that are in the softball HOF. She moved to B.C. and became one of the top hurdlers in Western Canada.

Former Winnipeg deputy mayor Dave Brown, Irv Jackson, Ross King and Ray Ash played for amateur football teams that have been inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Ash also played for two Bomber Grey Cup champion teams. Joe Zaleski was a Blue Bomber quarterback and coach. The Bombers lost two Armstrongs in 2016. A star end in the 1950s, Neill died in Trophy Cup, Texas. Antonio, a linebacker who played in 2000-01, was killed in Houston. Bill Csatari was a volunteer minor football coach for 35 years.    

Dorothy McKenzie skipped her teams to a provincial and three senior women’s curling championships. Gary Smith curled on senior and masters provincial championship teams and served as MCA president. Verna Petrick won a senior ladies title and headed the ladies association. All three have been inducted into the curling HOF.

Gordon Law was our province’s top male lawn bowler for many years. Blaine Hyslop competed in Bowls Canada championships, while 10-pin bowler Sherry Hobson represented Canada internationally and was once named Canadian senior bowler of the year. Bob Fisher-Smith was a world-class sprinter. Vern Watson pitched his way into the Manitoba Softball HOF with the Portage Mercurys. Gywn Jones played for Brandon Seven-Up and Dorothy (Whitfield) Topley for the Morden Whiz-Bangs teams in the HOF. Charlie Hart was a top pitcher in the former Winnipeg Men’s Industrial Fastball League.   

More than 40 members of the hockey community are listed in The Final Face-Off column on the website www.mbhockeyhalloffame.ca. Goalies on that list include Jack Gibson of the 1946 Memorial Cup champion Winnipeg Monarchs and Ken Broderick, who played for Canada’s National Team based in Winnipeg. HOF member Pete Kapusta played for the Winnipeg Warriors of the WHL and later coached in the MJHL.

A different Peter Kapusta played for the Fisher Branch Falcons team that was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball HOF in 2007. John Kuryk was also with the Falcons. Bill Burns played for the Brandon Cloverleafs who were inducted in 1997. Daune Yerex was inducted as a player/builder. Walt (No Neck) Williams played for the Winnipeg Goldeyes in 1964. He later played in the major leagues, primarily with the Chicago White Sox.

Pat Bochen served as president of the Manta Swim Club and as a Swim Manitoba official. Len Kozak was an organizer of the annual St. Nicholas Ukrainian Sportsman’s dinner. Soccer lost club builders Joe Bellino, Harry Cohen and Ernest Kuch. Joan Gaudreau was a well-respected power skating instructor. David Oye attained his sixth degree black belt from Judo Canada and coached at the U of M.

Also deserving of mention are Al Fenske (basketball), Glenn Lewer (bow hunting), Evelyn Doolan (figure skating), Don Harrison and Dave McLeod (golf), James Cartlidge, Phil Kives and June Sifton (horse racing), Lorne Christianson and Eldon Ross (lacrosse), Jim Raw (pool), Dorothy Pellerin (sailing), Doug Keith and Lou Kliman (skiing), Kate Hudson (tae kwon do), Connie (Ioanidis) Moore and Dave Patten (tennis), Joanne Schiewe (triathlon) and Joseph Bengal (weight lifting).

Andy Arnot, who died in Des Moines, Iowa, was the sports director for CKND-TV. Don Marks, who also worked at ’ND, was the author of a book on aboriginal hockey players titled They Called Me Chief.

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