Remembering those we lost in 2018…

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/12/2018 (2716 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Let us remember the members of the Manitoba sports community we lost in 2018. 

In today’s column, we’ll honour those who are members of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, either as individuals or team members.

Individual Hall of Fame members who died in 2018 included Sam Fabro (a 1988 inductee), who contributed to many sports; Ab McDonald, a four-time Stanley Cup winner and the Winnipeg Jets’ first captain (1996); Olympic and world championship rower Derek Riley (2009); and Gord Rowland (1997), who played 12 seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Al Miller, a 1995 builder inductee who was the province’s first director of fitness and amateur sport, died in November at age 93.

As for team members in the sports hall, Cornel Piper and Norm Rauhaus were Rowland’s teammates on four Grey Cup championships, while Roger Hamelin played for the 1961 and 1962 championship teams. Rod (The Arrow) Hunter curled third for Don Duguid’s world championship teams in 1970 and 1971.

George Oelkers played for Paulins, winners of the 1954 Dominion senior men’s basketball championship. Norm Adelberg bowled for the 1967 Canadian mixed five-pin champions. 

Tom Marshall served as captain and Ron Castelane was his teammate on the 1964 Canadian senior champion Winnipeg Maroons. Castelane also golfed on three provincial senior teams.

Brandon’s Chuck Meighen captained the University of Manitoba Bisons, the 1965 Canadian collegiate hockey champions. Joe Smederovac was the assistant equipment manager for the 1974 Canadian Centennial Cup junior champion Selkirk Steelers. 

Ted Francis, Pete Kuryk, Mickey MacDonald, Al Keenan, George Wilson and Ross MacIver were members of amateur football teams inducted into the sports hall of fame. Keenan once held the Manitoba high school record for points in a basketball game with 82. Wilson, who coached or managed the St. Vital Bulldogs to four national championships, was inducted into the Football Manitoba shrine as a builder. MacIver, who headed the committee that brought two USA senior slo-pitch world championships to Winnipeg, was inducted into the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame.

Ted Waytowich was the second baseman and Ron Taylor Sr. the president of Molson Canadians, the 1967 Canadian senior men’s softball championship team that also finished second in the 1968 world championship. Joyce Tully, who starred at first base for the 1965 CUAC Blues that won the first Canadian women’s title, was inducted into both the sports and softball halls for her accomplishments. Diane (Ingram) Hungerford was inducted into the softball shrine with the 1957-1962 CUAC Blues. She curled on the Thistle Business Girls’ bronze-winning team in the 1990 Canadian senior women’s championship and for the silver medalists at the 2000 Canadian masters women’s championship.

Bob Lesko curled second on the 2002 provincial masters champions skipped by Orest Meleschuk. With the Big O on the disabled list, Ken Grove skipped the team from Lac du Bonnet to the national title. Lin Grieve threw third rocks for the Wildwood team that won the provincial masters in 1985. Terry Wookey curled for the 1990 Golden Girls provincial champions. Bernice Lowe was inducted into the provincial Curling Hall of Fame in 2000. She was a founder of the Thistle Business Girls club and served as president of the Manitoba Ladies Curling Association in 1987-88. The honorary life members of the curling hall who passed were Gord Boitson of the West Kildonan Curling Club, Ted Daubert from Flin Flon, Bev MacKenzie of Dauphin, Jud Scales from Swan River and Jim Want of Petersfield.

Laurie Artiss served as a sports director in Dauphin and Virden and as sports editor of the Brandon Sun. His lengthy resume includes induction into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and he was the lapel pin supplier to major events such as the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Our next column will honour more athletes and builders inducted into their specific sport shrines as individuals or team members, as well as  individuals who contributed to sport in our province who will not be forgotten.

— 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