Remembering those we lost in 2024 – Part 2

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/01/2025 (544 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In this second column of 2025, Memories of Sport continues to remember members of the Manitoba sports community who died in 2024. In the Jan. 8 column, 14 people who were individual inductees into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame or were members of inducted teams were recognized, along an additional seven with connections to the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Al Macatavish is one builder who appears to have the credentials for induction into the provincial Sports HOF. His accomplishments include heading two of the largest provincial sports organizations, Golf Manitoba and the Manitoba Curling Association. He also served as president of the Royal Canadian Golf Association and chair of the 1991 World Curling Championship in Winnipeg.

In addition to Macatavish, Howard Fairbairn, Lorne Gregorash, Ron Lloyd, Rose Neufeld, Jim Younger and Winnipeg Sun sports reporter Ted Wyman were honorary life members of the curling association. Chris Sobkowicz curled lead for the Canadian team that won the 2009 World Wheelchair Curling Championship and skipped the Manitoba champions in 2011. Ken Hilton and Neil Okumura were provincial masters champions.

Don McNeill won a car in the 1965 Charleswood Little Car Bonspiel and on the links, he won the 1986 Manitoba senior amateur championship. The 1998 senior champion, Jim Scollan,served as president of Golf Manitoba, and was inducted into the Golf Manitoba HOF in 2024. Longtime St. Charles pro Jim Collins was inducted into the provincial golf shrine as an athlete/builder. Past provincial ladies’ association president Lorraine MacLeod was inducted as a builder.

Once one of the top sprinters in the world, Jack Parrington, who later taught in the Assiniboine South School Division, tied the world 100-metre record at 10.2 seconds in 1956. He competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and was a founder of the Winnipeg Optimist Track Club. Another candidate for the Sports HOF to consider?

Tony Kehrer played for four teams inducted into the Sports HOF, the 1955 and 1956 Canadian junior champion Winnipeg Rods and the 1958 and 1959 Grey Cup winning Blue Bombers. Tom Metcalfe was a member of both Rods teams. Kelly Malveaux played for the Bombers from 2006 to 2008 and Craig Roh in 2018 and 2019. Morris native Bruce Covernton played junior for the St. Vital Mustangs and seven seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. Mike Shylo was a running back for the Canadian University champion Manitoba Bisons in 1969 and 1970. Dick LaPage, who was a high school All-American quarterback at International Falls. Minn., became a leader in provincial physical education after he moved to Manitoba in the early 1960s.

Laurie Leveille of the CPAC Falconettes was named the most valuable player in the 1974 Canadian senior A women’s softball championship. The former principal of Mulvey School played a major role in the development of the Softball Manitoba coaching program. Murray Riddell played third base for the 1973 Western Major Fastball League champion Winnipeg Colonels. Steve Bergson of Portage la Prairie was inducted into the provincial softball hall.

Alex Alexiuk, Walter Mueller, Peter Thomson and Bob Wasslen were Manitoba Baseball HOF individual inductees while Roland Bruyere, Art Essery, Stan Reid and Ed Woods played for inducted teams. Chad Posthumus was the captain of the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Clyde Perry was inducted into the Basketball Manitoba HOF as a builder. Murray Hamm coached Brandon Lord Selkirk Regional High School basketball teams that won four provincial varsity championships between 1977 and 1981.

Horst Bluschke played for the Manitoba Selects team that won the Canadian Soccer Association national title in 1970. The team was inducted into the Sports HOF in 2013.

Other athletes who passed included golfer Bob Dunbar, marathoner Len Rolfson, track’s Stan Korowski, tennis doubles partners Dr. Terry Langan and Dr. Klaus Wrogemann, Randy Crerar from water polo, and wrestler Mike Phillips.

Ringette lost HOF members Iris Callis and Darlene Muron, who died on New Year’s Eve, along with Winnipeg Association past president Carole Balharry. A top player in both box and field lacrosse, Gord Pottinger was inducted into the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Shelley Brown was a ground-breaking female trainer at Assiniboia Downs, Joe Diner served as the racing secretary at the Downs, and Jim Farrell was the track announcer for several seasons. He was also a past president of the Manitoba Harness Horsemen Association.

Builders who made a mark were David Bowles (multiple sports), Roy Ward (cross-country skiing), Elsie Shaw (figure skating), Al Hutchinson (golf), Diane Johnstone (gymnastics), George McNicholl (softball), Janice Howe (Special Olympics), Howie Blatt (squash), and Doran Reid (University of Winnipeg athletics). Maurice Hudson, Ed Lagiewka, Art Pohl Sr. and George Wachs were soccer builders. Officials of note were Ross Beaton (basketball), Joan Morton (figure skating), Pompeo Cesne (soccer), and Geno Hnatuk (softball).

The sports media world lost Steady Eddie Dearden of the Winnipeg Tribune, who was inducted into the provincial basketball, golf and hockey halls of fame. Along with Ted Wyman, Brian Smiley covered sports for the Sun. He also coached hockey in the MMJHL and umpired slo-pitch. Dean Jago was a sports broadcaster in Brandon.