Oldtimers shine on ice in Falls

84 teams competing in 35 and older tourney

This weekend, the shinny spotlight in Niagara Falls is on the “elder skatesmen,” who once again are hitting the ice to prove that “after 35, hockey is fun.”

In all, 84 teams from as far west as Michigan and as far north as Fenelon Falls, Ont., are competing in the 43rd Auld Reid Oldtimers Hockey Tournament.

Action in 21 divisions, each with four teams, got underway Thursday night, and the tournament wraps Sunday with division championships at Gale Centre. Teams are guaranteed a minimum of three games, with the top following pool play advancing to the final.

In addition to the four ice surfaces at Gale Centre, games in the popular tournament that has a waiting list for entries are also scheduled for Chippawa Arena.

What started as a six-team competition 46 years ago has grown into a tournament that brings upward of 2,700 visitors to Niagara Falls during a slow time of the year.

“We are happy to help turn some of this slow time into good times for many,” tournament co-chairs Al Dobbin and Winston Auld said in a news release.

They estimate that, thanks to the tournament, more than 1,200 hotel and motel rooms will be booked this weekend.

Those numbers, organizers said, speak volumes about how popular oldtimers hockey has become.

“Oldtimers are now playing in every town and in leagues in every town.”

First played as the Al Reid Memorial Oldtimers Hockey Tournament in January 1978, the event’s roots date back to the early ’70s when Reid led the way in bringing oldtimers hockey to Niagara Falls.

Reid brought together volunteers from the Skylon and Old Guns Oldtimers to host the earlier tournaments.

Today, the tournament is hosted by the Mick & Angelo Prehistorics, formerly Skylon, and the Grand Central Old Guns, originally Niagara Promotions.

Each year, proceeds from the tournament are donated to charities in Niagara Region. Sixteen charities benefited from donations totalling $12,900 last year, including $1,500 to Heart Niagara and the Walker Cancer Centre and $1,000 each to the Boys & Girls Club of Niagara, Community Outreach, Greater Niagara General Hospital, Project Share, Salvation Army food drive and Salvation Army toy drive.

A schedule and results for the four-day tournament are available online at alreidhockey.com. Bernd.Franke@niagaradailies.com 905-225-1624 | @TribSportsDesk