MANITOBA HOCKEY FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Volume 2, 2006 Cribbs New President Depres enters Sports Hall of Fame Gary Cribbs is the new president of the Manitoba Hockey Foundation Inc. He was George Depres is now a member of elected Oct. 10 at the annual meeting held the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. The at the Canad Inns Polo Park. Cribbs played Foundation past-president was in- ducted as a builder in the all round and coached minor hockey in Winnipeg th before serving two terms as president of the category on Nov. 4 at the hall’s 27 St. James Canadians of the MJHL. He also annual induction dinner held at the was MJHL commissioner from 1988 Canad Inns Polo Park. His contribu- through 1991. Cribbs takes over from tions to hockey included serving as a George Depres, who served as president board member and president of the for 10 years. Manitoba Amateur Hockey Associa- tion. Depres also was a part owner of Jerry Kruk moves into the vice-president’s the St. Boniface Saints of the MJHL chair and will be in charge of finance. He and a member of the organizing com- also will head the committee responsible for mittee that brought the World Junior the 2007 Hockey Hall of Fame induction George Depres Championship to Manitoba. dinner, which will be held at the Canad Inns Polo Park on Oct. 6. From 1979 to 1994, he held the position of general manager of A round table discussion on “Where We Winnipeg Enterprises. In his acceptance speech, Depres de- Have Been and Where We May Be Going” lighted the crowd with his comments about dealing with such di- was held at the December 5 board meeting. verse personalities as Michael Gobuty and John Ferguson of the Sam Fabro, the first chair of the Winnipeg Jets and Earl Lunsford and Paul Robson of the Blue Foundation, provided an overview on the Bombers. early mandate and programs of the organi- zation. Board members then had the Boxer Pete Kawulia, who was born in Gardenton and lives in sub- opportunity to comment on present activi- urban Chicago, also was inducted. After his professional boxing ties and suggest how they might be career ended, the featherweight played pro hockey for the Chi- changed or improved and offer ideas for cago Reed’s Hornets of the IHL. “I tried to stay away from fighting new initiatives. Discussion also took place in hockey,” he said. “But sometimes it follows you around.” on how the Foundation can celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2007. The other athlete inductees were golfer Ted Homenuik, paddler Don Starkell, swimmer Joanne (Mucz) Vergara, Blue Bomber Rick Brownlee reported that the Hall of Chris Walby and basketball/volleyball star Rick Watts. Along with Fame walls in the MTS Centre now have Depres, Kathy (Ursell) Stoesz from artistic gymnastics and ath- game sweaters from the HOF collection letic therapist Chuck Badcock were inducted as builders. Badcock hanging above the plaques. The game joined the Jets staff when the team entered the NHL in 1979 and sweaters of Babe Pratt – Maple Leafs, Andy spent the next decade in pro hockey. Bathgate – Rangers, Bobby Clarke – Flyers, Kevin McCarthy – Canucks, Mike Keane – Canadiens, Butch Goring – LA Kings and Bill Masterton – North Stars were placed above the players plaques. Sweat- ers of Manitoba champion teams and the Winnipeg Jets also are in place. Frank McKinnon advised that new material has been added to the Hall of Fame web- site, which can be accessed at www.mbhockeyhalloffame.ca. He also said that members will receive the 2007 mem- bership roster by mail early in the new year. Annual memberships are due for renewal by April 1, 2007. Sam is the Man of Action By Ed Sweeney For over forty years R.A. (Sam) Fabro Manitoba Hockey Foundation Inc. has been involved in the Manitoba sports 23 Carlyle Bay Winnipeg, MB scene serving on a legion of committees R3K 0H2 as either president or chairman. He has www.mbhockeyhalloffame.ca proven over the years that strong leader- ship and dedication are keys to success. Mission Statement The Manitoba Hockey Foundation is an The year of 1967 was especially busy incorporated, non-profit organization and hectic for Sam Fabro. He served as dedicated to Manitoba’s hockey heri- a board member and chairman of the tage, past, present and future, Manitoba Enterprise Corporation as well as the chairman of baseball for the Pan Board of Directors Am Games. He was a founding member President: Gary Cribbs of the Manitoba Hockey Players Foundation and served as Vice-President: Jerry Kruk its first Chairman. Fabro was honoured in 1974 for all of his Secretary: Pat McKinnon hard work with the Order of Canada and was awarded the Past-President: George Depres Order of the Buffalo in 1986. Fabro was instrumental in the formation of the Manitoba Directors Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 and served as its first chair- Alan Baty, Ralph Borger, Rick Brownlee, Bob Chrystal, Bryan Derrett, Al Dyker, man. He served on the board of the Manitoba Sports Hall of R.A. (Sam) Fabro, Jeff Hnatiuk, Fame and Museum for several years and was the president Ted Holland, Laurie Langrell, in 1999-2000. Fabro was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Frank McKinnon, Kent Morgan, Len Morrow Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Walter Mueller, Don Raleigh, in 1990. The Fort Whyte Centre and the Misericordia Hospi- Ed Sweeney, G.R. (Jeep) Woolley tal are just two of the many organizations that have benefited from the talent and dedication of this outstanding member of Associate Directors our community. Larry Evans -- Neepawa Wayne Hawrysh --The Pas While growing up in Winnipeg’s Wolseley area, Fabro was Gerry Liske --Beausejour very active in sports and was a better than average hockey Keith McCallum -- Brandon player when he played for the Elmwood Maple Leafs in the Grant Moffatt -- Carroll Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 1938-39. Sam played his Morris Mott -- Brandon final junior season with Winnipeg Rangers who went on to Rick Olsen -- Selkirk capture the Memorial Cup as Canadian champions in 1941. Red Sangster -- Thompson In 1942 he had a brief stint with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team before joining the Canadian Army. Sam still This newsletter is published by the found time to play hockey during World War II in Winnipeg Manitoba Hockey Foundation Inc. with the Army team in the Service League. After the war ended, he played senior hockey in Winnipeg and was a key Editors: Ted (Dutch) Holland figure as his teams reached the Western Canada Allan Cup T. Kent Morgan finals three times (1946-48). Fabro was offered a contract to play pro-hockey but decided to enter the business world in- Contributors: Ed Sweeney, Gladwyn Scott, stead. He began as an office-boy with W.G. McMahon Com- Sam Fabro pany and retired as chairman of the board. Sam Fabro is one of the hardest working individuals that this Photos: Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Society for International Hockey Research, writer has ever known and it’s been a distinct pleasure and Art Bilodeau, Ted Holland, Jim Yaworski honour to have been associated with him on a few hockey committees these past twenty years. The 85-year-old elder Printed by: Docuprint Fort Garry statesman still remains an active member of vari- ous hockey committees, namely the Manitoba Hockey Foun- Submissions should be sent via e-mail to dation and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. He also [email protected], by fax to (204)-489- continues to serve on the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame 6641 or mailed to the above address. veterans selection committee. Office Telephone: (204)-837-4159 2 Name-Dropping by Toast and Coffee Editors Ted and Kent were labelled Toast and Coffee when they wrote a sports column under that title for the Winnipeg Sun from 1997 to 2001. They now write the twice-monthly The Sporting Life column for The Prime Times newspaper. While digging through his archives, Sam Fabro found a few interesting items related to the early days of the Foundation. A ticket for the 1st annual hockey dinner held at the International Inn on Jan. 18, 1969 cost $6.00. Minutes of the Foundation meeting held in the Arena boardroom on Apr. 28 with Sammy in the chair showed Noel Filbey, Ed Mazur, Joe Mathewson, Bill Mosienko, Percy Downton, Tod Thurston, Al Vickery and secretary-treasurer Jimmy Dunn were in attendance. Agenda items included the hockey golf tournament, the oldtimers team, stag plans and the trust fund. Alex Kurceba was to receive a letter thanking his firm for a donation of three dozen hockey sticks for the oldtimers game on Jan. 17. A clipping of a Winnipeg Tribune story by Fred Collins described the game won by the East 7-6 over the West. Kenny Mosdell had a hat trick for the winners while Max Bentley and Dunc Fisher scored twice in defeat. Two-thirds of the famous Canadiens Punch Line, Rocket Richard and Elmer Lach, combined with Connie Broden in a head-to-head battle with the Black Hawks Pony Line of Mosienko and the Bentley brothers. Gerry McNeil manned the nets for the East while George Allard and Julian Klymkiw shared the West job…When former Winnipegger Bob Joyce put a Bobby Orr game-used sweater up for grabs in an October Internet auction, it sold for $83,544.90. A family friend gave Joyce the 1968-69 Boston Bruins white road sweater after he broke his leg playing baseball in Winnipeg as a teenager.