Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame banquet brings a night of memories and stories
Special event features three classes of inductees and plenty of tales and reminiscing throughout evening at Moose Jaw Curling Centre
Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express
The Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame couldn’t have asked for a better night of festivities during their three-class induction banquet held on Saturday, October 1stm at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.
The stories, the reminiscing, the laughter and even a IHZ WHDUV LW ZDV DV HQWHUWDLQLQJ DQ HYHQLQJ DV \RX¶OO ¿QG DV WKH 0-'6+) RI¿FLDOO\ EURXJKW WKHLU DQG
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With a total of 13 inductees across the three classes, there were no shortage of sports luminaries in the building, with plenty of family and friends and past inductees also taking in the event.
All told, MJDSHF president Larry Graham felt things couldn’t have turned out any better.
“It’s fantastic, just fantastic,” Graham said shortly DIWHU WKH IHVWLYLWLHV ZUDSSHG XS ³:H KDG MXVW DERXW people here and we had a few breaks in the program so people could visit and see old friends, like someone who hasn’t seen somebody since they played on the Canucks ZLWK WKHP \HDUV DJR DQG WKDW KDSSHQV DOO WKH WLPH It’s just a nice night.”
That the ceremony featured three classes was the product of the pandemic -- while the inductees were announced, the banquets themselves couldn’t be held in a VDIH HQYLURQPHQW 7KDW OHG WR GHOD\V LQ DQG DQG ZKHQ WKLQJV ¿QDOO\ RSHQHG XS HDUOLHU WKLV \HDU LW ZDV time to go.
“We really wanted to hold an event where people could come and they’d feel comfortable getting on an airplane and getting here,” Graham explained. “This time, it worked out really well for us. There were all sorts of people who could get their families here, some who came from pretty far away to get to our event tonight and we really appreciate it.
“It was a little bit more challenging organization-wise with 13 inductees, but it turned out fantastic. People had fun; we had some great stories and had a lot of great folks.”
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Busse, hockey and baseball builder John Hunter, baseball builder Charlie Meacher, wrestling builder Dave Pyle, basketball athlete Marg (Curry) Sivhon and hockey athlete Ed Staniowski.
&RPSULVLQJ WKH FODVV DUH ZUHVWOLQJ DWKOHWH builder Frank Abdou, golf athlete Lorie Boyle, football DWKOHWH /HYL 6WHLQKDXHU DQG WKH $PEHU +ROODQG FXUOing team.
7KH FODVV LV PDGH XS RI EDVHEDOO DWKOHWH DQG KLJK VFKRRO FRDFK 1HG $QGUHRQL WUDFN DQG ¿HOG DQG EREsleigh athlete John Graham and baseball and volleyball builder Rocky Nickel.
All are enshrined on the Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame wall, which can be found on the secRQG ÀRRU PH]]DQLQH LQ WKH 0RRVH -DZ (YHQWV &HQWUH
As one can imagine, with so many athletes and builders from over the years in one building, there were plenty of connections to be found between everyone -- from Boyle and Staniowski being neighbours back in the day, to the myriad connections to John Hunter from many in the building to the various inductees who had built their strength in Dave Pyle’s gym.
“It happens even more so with each of the induction classes, you talk to people and there are so many connections,” Graham said. “So many people know John Hunter from over the years in different capacities, for example. Rocky Nickel, I bet there isn’t a volleyball player or baseball player that stepped in that room that didn’t have Rocky umpire or referee one of their games. It’s really, really nice for those folks to come and see each other and have the time to visit.”
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“I’m not sure how many people there will be, but I hope everyone looks in their programs and sees how the process starts,” Graham said. “We’ll put out our call for inductions in January and get some folks to help us with VHOHFWLRQ DQG KDYH DQRWKHU FODVV IRU ´