Sports hall welcomes class of 2023

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This article was published 02/11/2023 (740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Terry Braunstein’s 1965 rink shared the pebbled ice for just one year. Now, one of the great rinks in Manitoba’s storied curling history is enshrined together forever.

Braunstein, his lead Ray Turnbull, second Ron Braunstein, third Don Duguid and alternate Gord McTavish were among the class of legends taking centre stage at the 2023 Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday.

Braunstein’s team joined athletes Milt Stegall, Chris Glowach and Kelly Stefanyshyn and builders Brent Bottomley and Alex Gardiner in the new class of inductees at the Victoria Inn Convention Centre.

There were three posthumous inductees on this night: Turnbull (represented by his widow Janie), McTavish (represented by his daughter Sandra) and Bottomley (represented by his widow Kym).

The Braunstein rink of ‘65 was short-lived, much shorter than any of them would’ve liked, but it was a dominant one during its time together. The group, first without Duguid, rose to prominence early in their tenure together, winning the 1958 men’s provincial championship, before any of them had turned 20.

“It was phenomenal,” said Braunstein, 85. “Just with a kid team and not expecting anything to happen. It was the most remarkable thing that’s ever happened in the game. We’re still the youngest team that has ever been in the Brier.”

It was in 1965, after adding Duguid, that the team really hit the button. Braunstein seemed to win any bonspiel he entered that year, eventually winning another provincial championship and this time carrying it over to a national title at the Brier.

“That was our best team by far, we really played well together the whole year. Usually, you have letdowns and stuff like that but the only trouble was we only played with that team for one year,” said Braunstein. “We were all good players, that’s the start. When we got Donny to play with us, that really made the team because he was brilliant. As soon as we started, we played well, and then the four of us got along really well.

“That was really critical. Somehow, the four personalities seemed to align perfectly and we had an incredible year. I would’ve loved to play more years.”

Stegall spent 14 years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, during which he amassed nine all-star nominations, a Most Outstanding Player Award and finished as the CFL’s all-time receiving yards and receiving touchdowns leader.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Stegall, who now shines as a commentator on TSN. “This right here— don’t get me wrong, every time I’m inducted into a hall of fame it’s special but this one right here is really special because it’s coming from the community and the people that have done so much for me and have allowed me to be the individual that I am today.”

Bottomley was a giant in Manitoba’s cross-country skiing community because of the opportunity he created for others. He spent 14 years as the chair of the Cross Country Skiing Association of Manitoba and founded the Red River Nordic Ski Club and Prairie Storm, Canada’s first all-women’s ski team.

Bottomley died in 2018 while competing in a mountain bike race in Wisconsin.

Gardiner is one of the most influential track and field coaches to grace the province. He coached with Athletics Canada for more than 10 years, preparing athletes for the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Gardiner, who was diagnosed with a form of dementia in 2020, was joined by his wife Sandra at the induction ceremony.

Glowach was enshrined for his contributions as a long-distance runner and road racer. In 1997, he became the first Manitoban to win gold in the provincial marathon and then went on to win it again in 1998. Glowach also won four golds in the Edmonton Marathon and has run clinics for the Manitoba Marathon and Run for the Cure.

Stefanyshyn is one of the most dominant swimmers Manitoba has ever produced. She was the star of 1999 Pan American Games, held in Winnipeg, hitting the podium three times overall and striking gold in the 100-metre backstroke.

“It was awesome the moment I touched the wall. I mean, I was barely 17. My grandma was cutting out every newspaper clipping and showing it to me,” recalled Stefanyshyn, who now lives in Montana with her husband Kyle and their twin five-year-old sons, Devin and Ryker.

“I did a really good job of focusing on my race and trying not to feel the pressure… until the day. I remember just walking up to my final and my dad had always said, ‘I single-handedly sold half the tickets to the finals,’ And when I got there I was like, ‘He wasn’t kidding.’ There were so many friends and family… it made me really nervous at that point.”

Stefanyshyn qualified for the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in Sydney. She was joined by her parents Allison and Richard Stefanyshyn at Thursday’s ceremony, which she continuously reiterated was the most important part of her evening.

“I’m really happy that my parents are here, that they get to see this and that they get to experience the final chapter,” she said.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam