Five newcomers inducted into Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame
Cormier, Johnston, McGeary, Thiessen, Tollefson officially enshrined
The Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame held their annual induction celebration on Saturday night, officially enshrining five new members on the Wall of Fame at Mosaic Place.
Wayne Cormier played an integral role in the development of Special Olympics powerlifting in Moose Jaw, creating a team that would dominate meets and win titles every time they stepped on the platform. Over 100 athletes passed through his tutelage, winning provincial, national and even international competitions. Roy Thiessen was heavily involved in coaching from the late50s right into the early 80s, working with volleyball, track, golf, cross-country and softball programs. He was mostly known for his work with curling, with many of his players and teams putting together impressive results at the high school and provincial and even national levels.
Bill Johnston is the legendary builder behind the formation of the Highway Hockey League (mid-60s), Saskatchewan Junior ‘B’ Hockey League (1992) and the man who helped officially form the Western Major Baseball League (2000) in addition to working as a referee both nationally and internationally.
Larry Tollefson was as one of the best players to ever suit up for the legendary Moose Jaw Regals teams of the 1960s. Described as a tough, fiercely competitive athlete who commanded the respect of his teammates and opponents alike, he played 13 years in the Southern Baseball League, leading the Regals to seven league titles while being named the top catcher and a league all-star six times.
The Terry McGeary senior men’s curling team, which included Clare Ramsay, Don Berglund and Hillis Thompson, won the 1980 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championship in dramatic fashion, rolling through the round robin with a 9-2 record, including wins in their final two games, to edge Manitoba for the title.
All five had their portraits and stories installed on the Wall – located on the second floor concourse in Mosaic Place – earlier this year, with Saturday night’s banquet featuring the official induction.
Be sure to keep an eye on MooseJawToday.com and the Moose Jaw Express for full features on the newest members of the Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame over the coming weeks!