Established 1964 2015-2016 annual program SUPPORTING WHAT MATTERS TO YOU The Chronicle Herald is proud to be a part of your community, delivering local coverage, employing local people and offering local support. We are proud to support the 2015 Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Induction Awards Ceremonies. CONTENTS 2015 Premier’s Message / Chairman’s Message ............................................................................................................................ 2 The Story of the Hall of Fame ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Our Mission / Our Vision ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Past Chairs of Hall of Fame ................................................................................................................................................... 5 CEO Message and Staff Profile ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Education Program Update .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Great Moments in Nova Scotia Sport History .................................................................................................................... 9 Raymond ‘Sugar Ray’ Downey (by Joel Jacobson) ................................................................................................................ 10 Chris Flynn (by Bill Robinson and Katie Wooler) .................................................................................................................. 16 Andrew Haley (by Katie Wooler) ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Hall of Fame Selection Process ............................................................................................................................................. 28 Friends of the Hall .................................................................................................................................................................. 29 David Kikuchi (by Katie Wooler) ............................................................................................................................................. 32 1995 Dalhousie University Soccer Team (by Katie Wooler) ................................................................................................ 40 Jim Bottomley (by Joel Jacobson) ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Lowell Cormier (by Joel Jacobson) .......................................................................................................................................... 52 Editor: Katie Wooler Contributors: Joel Jacobson, Katie Wooler, Bill Robinson Cover Design: The Chronicle Herald Magazine Photography: Hall of Fame archives, The Chronicle Herald, Inductee personal collections, others as credited Layout and Design: Paula Yochoff, Sport Nova Scotia Sponsorship and Advertising: Karolyn Sevcik Printing: Bounty Print PREMIER’S MESSAGE n behalf of all Nova Scotians, I’m pleased to congratulate outstanding athletes, teams, and individuals who are being inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame this year. O Sport embodies many of the qualities and skills we value in our society: leadership, camaraderie, teamwork, commitment, and discipline. From elite athletes to friends kicking around a soccer ball, and from coaches and educators to officials and sponsors, sport creates opportunities for Nova Scotians to build skills, attitudes and habits that help them give back to our communities in many ways throughout their lives. Members of the Sport Hall of Fame serve as role models for young Nova Scotians, inspiring them to get involved in sport and other physical activities. Your example can instill in them a lifelong joy and value of physical activity, thus contributing to a healthy population. Congratulations to this year’s inductees, and thank you to the families and communities who support them. I’m proud of you, and wish you all the best with your future endeavours. Sincerely, Honourable Stephen McNeil, M.L.A. Premier CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE n behalf of the Board of Directors of the Sport Hall of Fame, I wish to congratulate this year’s inductees to the Hall. The Hall of Fame honours excellence in athletes, teams and builders who have made outstanding contributions to Nova Scotia’s sport, culture Oand heritage. The Hall of Fame serves as a permanent tribute to the accomplishments of these special men and women, and we are honoured to welcome this year’s seven new inductees. Our vision at the Hall is “to be the best provincial sport hall of fame in the country” and this will continue to be enhanced in the coming year. Our free-admission Hall of Fame is open for all Scotiabank Centre events and greets more than 75,000 visitors annually. During the past year, we have renewed our lease at the Scotiabank Centre for another ten years. Our Hall of Fame hosted the national conference for the Canadian Association for Sport Heritage in June of this year, and we were also very proud to support a special ambassador to our Education Program, Ellie Black, in her five-medal performance at the Pan American Games held in Toronto this past summer. Our team is led by Bill Robinson, who is in his fourth decade of leadership at the Hall. He is supported by dedicated and long-serving staff members. I wish to congratulate our professional staff, our Board of Directors and a dedicated group of volunteers for another successful year. Sincerely, Rob Randall Chair of the Board 2 THE STORY OF THE HALL OF FAME The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame came into existence through the work of 1950s Halifax mayor John E. “Gee” Ahern, along with Earl Morton, Harry Butler and Alex Nickerson (all four of whom are now inducted in the Hall of Fame as builders of sport). The Hall was initiated in response to Kingston, Ontario’s claim to be the origin of hockey, as Ahern believed that James G.A. Creighton of Halifax had taken the original rules for ice hockey, called the Halifax rules, to McGill University in Montreal. Ahern felt that there should be recognition. After an in-depth look at all aspects of sport in Nova Scotia, the four men decided to broaden the original concept and develop the Hall of Fame to honour all sports. A Board of Directors was appointed in 1958, and the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame was officially opened on November 3rd, 1964 at the Industrial Building at the Halifax Forum complex. This date in 1964 marked the beginning of an organization that has striven to honour, promote, and preserve Nova Scotia’s rich sport heritage for more than 50 years. Despite changes in governance, location, and even name, the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame has remained dedicated to celebrating the best-of-the-best in homegrown sport talent for over half a century. With a roster of inductees nominated by their peers and fans, and chosen through a fair and transparent selection process, the Hall of Fame brings the stories of its members to the public through its collection, museum facility, and year-round programming. Now, in 2015, the Hall of Fame is proud to offer more displays than ever before, a beautiful facility free of charge to the public, and an education program that inspires the next generation of “Future Hall of Famers.” VISIT US IN THE SCOTIABANK CENTRE FREE ADMISSION See the Sidney Crosby exhibit and try the Tim Hortons multi-sport simulator! Open year-round, Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm & before all Scotiabank Centre events 3 OUR MISSION To honour, promote and preserve the sport history of Nova Scotia. OUR VISION To be the best provincial Sport Hall of Fame in Canada. ADMINISTRATION he Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame is administered by a Board of Directors which consists of six regional representatives, a chairman, past chairman, directors-at-large, and a treasurer. The Board meets regularly to Tensure sound management policy and direction in the program operations of the Hall. OBJECTIVES o permanently record information and achievements of historical significance to sport in Nova Scotia; To research, catalogue, file and make available to the general public, including without limitation, students, Twriters, schools and universities, information and achievements of historical significance to sport in Nova Scotia; To publish books, periodicals, pamphlets and other literature recording information on the achievement of sports individuals, teams, and organizations of historical significance to sport in Nova Scotia, for distribution to members of the public; To conduct programs of education for organizations in the community, including without limitation, schools, universities and special care homes, for the purpose of educating the public with information and achievements of historical significance to sport in Nova Scotia; To maintain an archives of sport in Nova Scotia and exhibit to the public, literature, artifacts, photographs and other media information of historical significance to sport in Nova Scotia; To recognize, honour and pay tribute to individuals, teams or organizations who have achieved extraordinary distinction