New to the hall

Athletes, builders and teams honoured during special ceremony

WESTVILLE, N.S. — Their hair – for those who still have it – is a little greyer and maybe a few of them are a tad thicker around the middle.

But about 10 members of the Stellarton Royals 1987 provincial junior C championship hockey team proudly took their place in the Pictou County Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 19, along with four other teams, six individual athletes and five builders.

Three of the players from the ’87 Royals (Barry Jordan, Todd Talbot and Allen Gratto) all travelled from out-of-province to attend the induction ceremony.

“It was good to see them all,” said Guthro, who captained that team 32 years ago. “I’d say five of those guys I hadn’t seen since I played junior C.

“When we were (elected to the hall of fame), I was blown away. I knew we had a good team back then and went through a lot of adversity, but I never would have thought we’d have made the hall of fame.”

Fergie MacKay, who emceed the event in Westville, said the atmosphere was a pleasant one.

“This was the largest (hall of fame) class they’ve ever had. I think the people there were very appreciative – both the (inductees) who were there and the people who were there for deceased inductees.”

The sports hall is marking its 30th anniversary. Board member Jim Nicholson noted the large number of inductees was due to this being the first induction ceremony in several years.

“This was kind of a catch-up year, that was why there was so many.”

CLASS OF 2019:

Athletes

■ Joe Baker (auto racing)

■ George “Stonewall” Jackson (multi-sport, posthumous):

■ Joe O’Brien (harness racing, posthumous):

■ Jon Sim (hockey)

■ Vicki Cheryl (MacBeth) Turnbull (softball)

■ Colin White (hockey)

Builders

■ Alvin Sinclair (hockey coach)

■ Eben MacIsaac (softball, posthumous)

■ Lloyd “Suds” Sutherland (posthumous, multiple sports)

■ Roger Swarbrick (rugby)

■ Barry Wisener (hockey)

Teams

■ 1987 Stellarton Royals, Junior C provincial champions

■ Trenton Munro Juniors (softball)

■ Haylett Clark-skipped rink (curling)

■ Women Alike Abreast-ARiver Dragon Boat Team

■ 1932 New Glasgow Panthers (also known as The Six Survivors)

KEVIN ADSHADE/THE NEWS Shown are some of the players on the 1987 provincial junior C champion Stellarton Royals, who were inducted into the Pictou County Sports Heritage Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. In front row are Jeff Richardson, Todd Talbot, Ian MacIntosh and Paul Scott while in back row are John Guthro Jr., Gregg Watters, Barry Jordan, Allen Gratto, Lee MacLean and Barney Fraser.