Chapleau stands with Humboldt Broncos during hockey tragedy in Saskatchewan

More than 40 years ago now I took a course in 20th Century European history from Dr Jacques Goutor, and the first thing I learned from him was that hockey kept Canada together.  Well, he didn't actually come out and say that exactly, but on the first day of class he told us about his arrival in Canada from France.

Dr Goutor told us that upon arriving in Toronto, he went out and bought the newspapers and the headlines were LEAFS WIN STANLEY CUP! It was 1967, our Centennial year as a nation, and the Toronto Maple Leafs had defeated their arch rivals the Montreal Canadiens in six games. It was to be the last time the Leafs would win Lord Stanley's mug. 

If newspaper headlines were about hockey, Dr Goutor decided that Canada would be a great place to live having been raised in France during World War II. He stayed and had a distinguished career at the University of Western Ontario. He died a few years ago.

Ever since,  I have watched the headlines of Canadian  newspapers, and headline writers are ecstatic on those days they can proclaim victory for their local hockey team when it wins a title, and are beside themselves with joy when Canada wins internationally. But they know their audience. Hockey has kept it it all together in this vast and magnificent land where we will travel great distances for a hockey game, and complain about that other great Canadian unifier, the weather.

Fast forward to April 6, 2018, and the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, are travelling by bus for a playoff game --- something that at this time of year, was occurring across Canada. It is playoff time.

I turned to Pam O'Hearn Morin of Chapleau, the mother of two boys who play hockey for help. 

Pam posted on Facebook that on "Friday night I went to bed and had never heard about the Humboldt Broncos. Fast forward to Saturday morning with the tragic news; it is the kind of news that shakes you to the core and for so many reasons. As a parent, THAT IS your worst nightmare. But as a parent of two beautiful boys who not only play hockey (and other sports), the travelling is part of that....to and from games....near and far...great weather and crazy weather. But we do it for our children and for the love of the game. "

Pam of course was referring to the tragic bus accident that, at time of writing, had claimed the lives of 16 people associated with the Humboldt Broncos.

Courtesy Pam O'Hearn Morin

She added: "Hockey will never be the same. Every time I watch my kids play or enter an arena, I will always hold a place in my heart for the victims, their families, the survivors, their friends and everyone in that community that has no doubt been affected by this.  What now? Prayers will continue and any gesture that symbolizes unity and strength we will do."

After watching the vigil in Humboldt, Pam added  "But we have also witnessed the outpouring of support from all over. I always hug my boys and tell them I love them..lately....I am doing more of that. "

While I have believed that hockey was a great unifier, and I too have watched the outpouring of support in communities large and small, and indeed from around the world, never in my life, have I seen such an effort to bring us all together and it is working. Like Pam, many had never heard of Humboldt, Saskatchewan. I had because I worked as a daily newspaper reporter at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix.

I also contacted my friend Gord Woods, whose son Dakotah is currently playing Junior hockey with the Dryden Ice Dogs, and since he was 13, has been travelling on buses to follow his dream. The hockey community in Canada is small in a way, despite distances, and Dakotah knew some players on the Humboldt Broncos.

Courtesy Gord Woods

Gordie added that after receiving the news of the tragedy, he hugged Cedar and Hunter, his children at home, and "phoned Dakotah with a hug". I am sure that was happening all across the country.

I also turned to Charlie Purich, a former Chapleau hockey star who has played hockey most of his life and in the 1960s was referred to as "the catalyst' of the Chapleau High School hockey team.

Charlie Purich circa 1964

Charlie said: "A split second sooner or later, it might not have happened.I think back over the three years I played for Laurentian with all the bus trips down south and back from Sudbury.

"All the car trips to Wawa, Blind River, Sudbury, Timmins, Espanola.All the train trips to Sudbury, Schreiber, Terrace Bay. All to play hockey and be part of a team and to show pride for my town.

"On every team we had such a collective group of supportive players, coaches and trainers.We had fans that joined us both at home and away games.Priceless.

"Nothing can describe that feeling.This terrible happening has touched all of us."

Thank you Charlie. Like Charlie I travelled from Chapleau thousands of miles on hockey trips over the years, and fortunately there were no mishaps. 

Back  to Pam who organized a group photo in Chapleau on Jersey Day for the Broncos with activities across the country

Pam explained: "What started as an idea this morning because I am simply a mom of two boys who play the game. My heart hurts for everyone affected and yet this picture reminds me that there IS strength in numbers and I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many kind people! The photo to which she is referring is the one above of Chapleau folks.

"Thank you all for coming out and thank you to all those who shared the post and were there in spirit. Taken on the Chapleau River, the place where it isn’t uncommon for many to begin playing hockey. It is a simple gesture to show that we-CHAPLEAU (not all present of course but due to the short notice I am still proud) stand with all of you who are affected by this tragedy. In the darkness, there is a light...a light that has been glimmering...glimmering with Hope shown through unity, Prayers, Strength and Love.

"Thank you Kari Luhtasaari for taking the time to capture this picture and thank you to Wade Cachagee for the awesome sign and Joel Langelier for his drone photo."

Yes Pam, many of us throughout the history of Chapleau began playing hockey on the "Front River" where you had the photo taken, and on the pond on the "Back River" too.

Way back Dr. Goutor used hockey as a metaphor for safe place to live after the horrors of World War II. In 2018, the outpouring of support for all those affected by this tragedy demonstrates once again that Canadians from all walks of life, and communities large and small, can focus on actions which bring us all together. For sure my friends, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

My most sincere thanks to Pam O'Hearn Morin, Charlie Purich, Gord Woods, Pat Purich Russell for their assistance with this column. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Hockey Roundup by Buddy Swanson became must read for complete coverage of Chapleau local teams and league in the 1960s even in Saskatchewan

Buddy Swanson

When I was working  at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix in the 1960s, my mother, Muriel E. (Hunt) Morris, would send me The Chapleau Sentinel each week, and my favourite read during the winter months was Hockey Roundup by Buddy Swanson.

To say the least, I was delighted last week to receive Buddy's column for February 5, 1966 from John Theriault with a note suggesting that maybe I could use it. Forty six years ago this month, P.V. Wade, the legendary managing editor of the Star-Phoenix, had called me into his "room", never called it his office, and advised that I was moving to North Battleford to open a news  bureau for the newspaper there. Away I went not having a clue where North Battleford was, but I sure was not one to argue with Mr. Wade. I just got on the bus and went, and life there is a story, maybe more than one, for another day. I did return to Saskatoon later as night city editor and Mom kept sending me the Sentinel without fail.

However, reading Buddy's column brought back so many memories of hockey in Chapleau as I was growing up there. I was never a very good hockey player, so retired at the Bantam level and became a referee. It kept me involved in the game, and upon reflection, I likely officiated more than 500 games from minor  to town league to Intermediate in the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena between 1954 and 1964, when I became a newspaper reporter. When I was at university, I would come home as the "neutral" referee and work the winter carnival games. And to this day, I am so thankful to Garth 'Tee' Chambers, L.D. 'Don' Card and Olive Card for keeping me in the game. 

Buddy's Hockey Roundup provided complete coverage of hockey in Chapleau which made it a must read each week. As an aside, Buddy was probably the only person who could broadcast like Foster Hewitt, and play road hockey at the same time which he did for games played on Aberdeen Street and environs for years.

In the Hockey Roundup I received, Buddy tells us that two Chapleau hockey teams had come up with impressive wins in recent out of town games. The Senior Bantams, coached by David Mizuguchi had downed South Porcupine Bantams 6-3 and the next day the Chapleau Huskies walloped Barries Car sales of Timmins 14-2.

Buddy noted that "Coach Dave Mizuguchi's boys were well deserving of their win and I might add that the conduct of the team off the ice also drew appreciative comment from those who came in contact with them."

See names below. Click to enlarge

Referring to the game: "... goaltenders Dave McAdam and Bert Warren along with star forward Marc Boisvert played key roles in the victory. Both goalies came up with a number of fine saves as they shared the netminding duties and Bosivert's four goals made him the individual scoring ace of the game." Johnny Theriault and Richard Lacroix scored Chapleau's other two goals.

Buddy wrote that the Huskies "finally found their scoring eye" in their 14-2 romp over the Timmins team. Goal scorers were Jim Keenan with a hat trick, with Raymond Larcher, Art Madore and Richard Morin each scoring twice and George Swanson, Ron Morris, Johnny Laframboise, Andre Rioux and Corky Bucci chipping in with singles.

Of particular note was that Raymond Larcher and Corky Bucci of the Chapleau Midget team were playing.  Hockey Roundup was written the year before the Chapleau Junior "B" Huskies entered the International Junior "B" League and won it all. In 1965-66 Buddy and his friend Lorne Riley were managing and coaching the Midgets respectively.

They assumed the same role with the Junior Huskies in 1966-67 but during the season Buddy took over as coach when Lorne became ill. 

In the very competitive town league the Legion Flyers were in first place with 18 points, followed by Model Drug Aces with 15 and Chapleau High School TEEM with 13.

Joey Bignucolo of the Aces was way ahead of the competition in the town league scoring race with 29 goals and 19 assists. He was followed by Tom Lessard (Aces), George Swanson (CHS), Ray Larcher (Flyers), Art Madore (Flyers), Jean Claude Cyr (Aces) and Richard Morin (CHS). Town league goaltenders were Albert Bignucolo, Ed Bignucolo and Jamie Broomhead.

In other news, the Legion Ladies were running a bake sale to raise funds for the Bantams to attend the Northern Ontario Playground Hockey Association tournament in Noranda, Bruce Carmichael's comeback from retirement was halted as he was transferred by the CPR and thanks was extended to Gilles Boisvert, Matt Castonguay and Pat Fournier for sponsoring the Bantam trip to Timmins and for the new uniforms they purchased for the team.

A Senior Bantam All Star team travelled to a tournament in Lasarre where it won the Division 'B' Championship.

On the same page as Buddy's Hockey Roundup was an advertisement for an upcoming Intermediate game between the Huskies and South Porcupine. Admission was Adults 75 cents, Students 50 cents and Children 25 cents. 

Keith J. 'Buddy' Swanson died on May 6, 2011. Thanks to John Theriault for providing Hockey Roundup with memories of those days when Buddy contributed so much to Chapleau hockey. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Bantams 1965-66: Chapleau Bantams win 1965-66 Division 'B' title at Lasarre Tournament. Front from left: R. Lacroix, M. Collin, D. Prusky, D. McAdam, T. Laframboise, P. Swanson, G. Prusky. Back from left, P Grey (trainer), R. Evans, W. Sonego, J. Morin, E. Chambers, A. Pellow, Dave Mizuguchi (coach), M. Blais.(David Mizuguchi collection)

The names I've been called include "Chief", "MJ", "SOB", "Sir", "Bud" and......

At Cocoa Beach FL, photo by Michael Pelzer

As I was reading a message from one of my former students from Chapleau High School on Facebook, it struck me that I have sure been called an awful lot of names over the past 50 years or so.

Growing up I was simply Michael or Mike, my mother being the one person who always called me Michael. 

As CHS student

When I became a newspaper reporter in 1964, bylines were so important and Michael was used in them except at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix where the legendary managing editor P.V. Wade made me Mike Morris, but he usually called me by my last name, as in "Morris, get in here now!"

After I started teaching at Chapleau High School, I became "Mr Morris" and had great difficulty adapting to it. I still recall telling Robert Fife one day that my name was Michael not Mr but not much I could do about it. The principal of the day J.B. Walsh would come into the staff room and sternly say, "Mr. Morris, my office now!" Just a shade of difference between Mr Wade and Mr Walsh.

As young reporter

Shortly after I started teaching, the 1970-71 Chapleau Midgets hockey team fired their coach (yes, they fired him) and hired me. At a practice Keith McAdam one night, said, "Hey, MJ...!" and before he got any further in no uncertain terms I told the team I was "Mr Morris" to them. I had really adapted quickly to being a Mr. Teaching high school will do that to you.

I stormed out of the dressing room having made my point, lit a cigarette, and listened through the door to the players talk it over. They really did not think Mr sounded right, but what to call me so that I wouldn't lose it again.

Lionel Corston, my next door neighbour and First Nations person spoke up and said, "Let's call him Chief. He's the chief and we are the Indians." Immediately they all agreed. (I use the word Indians totally in the context of the dressing room conversation.)

The dressing room door opened and led by team captain Jamie Doyle, who had hired me, they marched past, each one saying, "Hi Chief" with the mischievous smiles that only kids can display when they have won a round. What could I do? The name stuck, at first just used by hockey players, then much more widely, and when someone wanted to really make a point it became "The Chief said..."

Of course for the most part I was Mr Morris at school.

Like all teachers I also became "Sir" as in "Sir said.." and later I had an increasing number call me "MJ" and still do.

1978 at opening of Chapleau Civic Centre

While living in Chapleau I became the reeve (mayor) of Chapleau, and I was called Reeve Morris, Mr Reeve and at times "Your Worship" --- an honorific I actually hated and still do when I hear it in reference to the head of a municipality.

But not all names I have had were terms of endearment. Here is one example as told to me by Gilbert Landry, who was the head custodian at CHS for many years and my good friend.

One night Gilbert was at a social gathering when the conversation turned to the Canadian economy which was in a downturn in the early Seventies. Gilbert reported that one person commented: "I know what's wrong with the economy. It's all the fault of that son of a bitch Morris and Trudeau." Pierre Trudeau was prime minister of Canada at the time.

I know that in my time I've been called an SOB and worse whether it has been because of my involvement in hockey or politics or whatever. But that's OK.

At College of the Rockies it was mostly Michael. On Facebook, it seems that I'm getting Michael, Mike, MJ, and Chief most of the time. The odd Sir or Mr Morris.

In my office at College of the Rockies

How did I deal with it when people asked me what I preferred to be called over the years. I have simply replied that whatever makes them comfortable. Obviously Chief brings back some of the fondest memories while coaching those Midgets who were so much a part of my life 40 plus years ago, and for Lionel Corston who died far too young.

In the past ten years I have a new one. My best friend calls me "Bud" as in "what's up today Bud?" when he contacts me on messenger or phone.



Please comment or email me at mj.morris@live.ca.