Remembering those we lost, part 2

In this second January column, Memories of Sport continues to remember sports personalities who died during 2022.

Those with a connection to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame were recognized in the first column, and now one more team member must be added. Ab Glowicki, who died in B.C. on Dec. 20 at age 90, played for the 1950 and 1951 Canadian junior champion Winnipeg Stellars basketball teams that were inducted into the HOF in 1995.

Both an accomplished paralympic athlete and builder in the world of wheelchair sports, Joe Smithson was inducted into the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball HOF. Basketball also lost U of M Bisons player Zak Hirshman and Bison coaches Darwin Semotiuk and Hank Tatarchuk, whose career across the country earned him induction into the Canadian Basketball HOF. Brent Graham was a successful coach at River East Collegiate as well as a referee. Steinbach’s David Reimer refereed for more than 40 years. Another basketball Bison, Bob Larose played eight seasons in the CFL with the Blue Bombers,

Manitoba Baseball HOF inductee Tom Town was a nine-time all-star first baseman in the Manitoba Senior League with Brandon Cloverleafs. Ron Buchanan, Larry Hart, Frank Urso, Gord Maunder, Garry Van Buskirk, Barry Rowley and Dennis Madrigga played for teams in the baseball shrine.

Honoured individually by baseball, Ed Leier and Terry Moore also played professional hockey. Leier’s baseball career included playing for Elmwood Giants in the pro ManDak League in 1950. After his junior hockey days in Winnipeg, Leier played pro for seven seasons and reached the NHL with Chicago in 1949-50. A lefthander, Moore pitched in the St. Louis Cardinals system and later won five senior baseball titles with Transcona Atomics. He played junior hockey for the Winnipeg Monarchs and for the Long Island Ducks in the Eastern League.

Memories of Sport only has space to mention a few of the many hockey people who passed. Dave Richardson, who died on Dec. 27, and Steve Wituik had long pro careers that saw them reach the NHL. Ken Stephanson played for Canada’s national team and in the WHA with the Jets. Sergei Bautin, who died Dec. 31, played defense for the NHL Jets. George Ulyatt and Brian Franklin both served as president of Hockey Manitoba. A list of more than 50 hockey folks can be found in The Final Face-Off column at mbhockeyhalloffame.ca.

Glenda Buhr skipped her Elmwood team to the provincial women’s curling championship in 1970 and she curled third on the senior winners in 1986. Like so many female curlers, she took up lawn bowling and played on the Manitoba fours team that won the Canadian championship in 1996. Elaine James curled for championship teams in women’s, senior and masters. Eileen Pennycook skipped her team to two senior women’s championships.

Bill Hodgson won both a provincial senior and masters title, Norm Hemstad a senior’s crown, and Gord Smalley and Bud Snarr masters. Judy Brown served as president of the Manitoba Ladies Curling Association in 1990-91 and she, Buhr, Joyce Wyrchowny and Ralph Bullock are curling association honorary life members. Harold Purpur won the Manitoba Firefighters Championship three times.

Softball lost former Winnipeg Colonel Ken Magura, Darryl Henry of Portage, St. Vital Tigerettes catcher Kathy Lindsay, Dave Stewart of the Smitty’s organization, original Touring All-Star Ken Cassin, and slo-pitch’s Jim (Spyder) Whapham and Adam Mordarski, also a sports collectibles expert.

A prize-winning trap shooter internationally, Harry Humby served as president of the provincial association. Terry Angus, Laverne Manness, Tom Mitchell, Howard Skrypnyk, and Mo Tipples were multi-sport contributors. John King, boxing; Walter Jozwiak, cycling; Steve Pellerin, sailing; Dale Schmeichel, swimming; Walter Korkosh, 10-pin bowling; Mary Stawychny and Randy Town, volleyball; and Ed Selewich, wrestling, were athletes of note.

The builders of sport to be remembered include Beatrice McIntosh, badminton; June Wilson, baton; Wally Stefanchuk, diving & gymnastics; Shirley Jones, figure skating; Bob Peden, five pin bowling; Mark Jordan, Don Knudsen, Mitch Regiec, golf; Laurie Hamelin and Harvey Warner, horse racing; Brian Jones, judo; Gilles Roy, rugby; John Graham, sailing; John Quiring and Ivy Hicks, speed skating; Glen Ziprick, tennis; John Iwanski, track and field; Mark Fenny, volleyball; Donna Dickson and Nanny Robertson, water polo; Chrys Pappas, Special Olympics.

Former Free Press sports editor Buzz Currie, broadcaster Jim Keilback, and Jewish Post and News sports columnist Harvey Rosen were media members we lost.