Printed Jan 02, 2024 • Final up to date Jan 02, 2024 • 4 minute learn
Members of the Port Elgin Legion Juvenile ‘C’ hockey groups that gained provincial championships in 1969 and ‘70 and were All-Ontario in 1968, were honoured at The Plex in Port Elgin Dec. 29 when a banner recognizing their accomplishments was unveiled by the champion teams’ sponsor, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 340, represented by President Dan Kelly (left) and Norma Dungeon. Photo by Gord Lamont
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Modest, but deservedly proud, surviving members of the Port Elgin Juvenile ‘C’ groups that gained back-to-back provincial championships in 1969 and 1970, and have been all-Ontario finalists in 1968, have been honoured previous to a Saugeen Shores Winterhawks recreation Dec. 29 at The Plex in Port Elgin, a part of Minor Hockey Night time celebrations. (Creemore Coyotes blanked the Hawks 3-0.)
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As the previous WOHA champions lined up on the bench, a banner recognizing their accomplishments was unveiled by Royal Canadian Legion, Department 340 president Dan Kelly and Norma Dungeon. The Legion sponsored the 1968-70 championship groups – this season, a Saugeen Shores Storm boys’ Peewee group is sporting Legion jerseys.
The 1968 Juvenile group was an All-Ontario finalists, a feat much more spectacular as 9 of the gamers have been nonetheless Midget-aged.
The 1969 group – earlier than claiming the All-Ontario championship title – set an OMHA file with an undefeated play-off run.
The 1970 group misplaced one playoff recreation earlier than claiming the championship.
It was simply the third time in Juvenile ‘C’ historical past {that a} group gained back-to-back championships.
The Port Elgin 1957 Midgets gained the All-Ontario championship.
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Data present there have been roughly 35 Ontario Juvenile groups within the hunt in 1968-70. On the time Port Elgin’s inhabitants was 2,500, and over half of them turned up for one of many championship video games.
Together with bragging rights, the champions obtained congratulation letters from then-Premier John Robarts and reward within the native press from Hank Smith, a Saugeen Shores Corridor of Fame member and sports activities reporter for the Port Elgin Instances who wrote: “Thank you for the honours you have won with hard playing and true sportsmanship…”
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Because the veteran Juvenile group members mingled within the lobby of The Plex, Wayne McGrath, who performed ahead and defence on the 1968 and ‘69 teams, credited small-town familiarity and good coaching for their wins.
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“We all knew each other – we all knew what to expect on the ice and there were good players,” McGrath said, recalling a night in Norwood that he’ll always remember.
“We beat them twice here and then we had to go to Norwood – that was not a nice place to play. We had a police escort to get out of the place – that was the fans,” McGrath laughed.
The Juvenile ‘C’ banner will probably be hung at The Plex – one thing McGrath would love carried out with a number of different banners gained by groups, together with the Nineties and 2000s.
“Banners won by Sunoco teams from the past – the 1965, 1967 and 1974 – they were Ontario champions, and the banners are not up,” he stated, including he’d like to see Saugeen Shores Storm government get entangled in a banner refresh program – he believes there are additionally banners that must be hung for a Midget group from Port Elgin that additionally gained back-to-back Ontario championships.
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Juvenile ‘C’ assistant captain, former mayor Ken Dunlop, stated they have been all mates and teammates and that led to their success.
“The guys knew each other, they played road hockey together and things just worked out as we slowly got better and became the top team, which is mostly because we grew up together,” Dunlop stated.
“In a small community you really didn’t have a choice who played on the team because you needed everybody, so you helped out the guys that weren’t maybe playing as good as the others – you helped them to get better and I think that was a good part of why we were successful,” Dunlop stated.
Requested what he remembers most concerning the championship years, Dunlop stated: “The fun of winning.”
Jim Bell, captain of the champion 1969 and 1970 Juvenile championship groups marvels on the prime quality of hockey that they performed.
“Back then, having a team in the provincial championships was a big thing,” Bell stated, recalling a crowd of over 1,500 individuals jammed five- deep on the previous enviornment to observe one of many championship video games.
“We played together all our lives – we were friends and when we went to the rink there was no one else to play with so we played each other,” Bell stated, including that familiarity developed a “really good team.”
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The Plex was jammed to standing-room-only for the banner ceremony that was a part of the Minor Hockey Night time celebrations Dec. 29.
The gang clapped and cheered as names of the Juvenile champions have been learn aloud they usually stood as much as be acknowledged, together with: Captain Jim Bell, Ron Bell, Ron Lamont, Wayne McGrath, Barry Walker, assistant captain Ken Dunlop, Bob George, Rick Schell, Dwight Smith, Murry Maas, Ass. captain Jim McKinnon, Ricks Ens, Don Clouthier, Terry Clouthier, Ed Matlock, Dean Symons and Ross Myers.
In Reminiscence of: Assistant captain Don McDermid, Jim Carr, Jack Howe, Terry Dadswell, Bon McKinnon, coach Murray “Sinc” Sinclair and supervisor Bob Bell.
Saugeen Shores Minor Hockey Storm groups had been invited to indicate their enthusiasm with posters, costumes and group spirit and the successful group – the Saugeen Shores Storm U11 ‘D’ group sponsored by Maples Dental Clinic – gained a apply with the Winterhawks.
At intermission, some Winterhawks gamers joined Storm U7 gamers for a scrimmage.
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With recordsdata from Wayne McGrath
Surviving members of the Port Elgin Juvenile ‘C’ groups that gained back-to-back provincial championships in 1969 and 1970, and have been All-Ontario finalists in 1968, have been honoured previous to a Saugeen Shores Winterhawks recreation Dec. 29 at The Plex in Port Elgin, a part of Minor Hockey Night time celebrations.- Gord Lamont
Jim Bell, captain of the champion Port Elgin Juveniles dropped the puck for Creemore Coyotes captain Kevin Boyd and Saugeen Shores Winterhawks captain Trevor Smith Dec. 29 at The Plex. A banner unveiled earlier than the sport honours the Bell and members of the 1969 and 1970 provincial championship Juvenile ‘C’ groups and the 1968 All-Ontario group.
Members of the Saugeen Shores Storm U7 group scrimmaged with some Saugeen Shores Winterhawks gamers at The Plex throughout Minor Hockey Night time on the Winterhawks’ recreation Dec. 29 at The Plex. – Frances Learment/Postmedia
The noisy enthusiasm, indicators and banners made by members of the Saugeen Shores Storm U11 ‘D’ group, sponsored by Maples Dental Clinic, earned the group a apply with the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks, a prize awarded at Minor Hockey Night time through the Dec. 29 Winterhawks’ recreation.
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