'Senseless acts' of hockey violence an issue in 1976 during controversial Northland Intermediate Hockey League playoff series between Chapleau Huskies and Timmins North Stars

Whenever the violence in hockey issue reaches a fever pitch as it has again recently with comments from Mario Lemieux, a star of the game and now owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, I go back to February 22, 1976, a Sunday afternoon at the McIntyre Arena in Timmins, where the Chapleau Intermediate 'A" Huskies were playing the Timmins North Stars in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League semi-finals.

The Huskies were in their first NIHL season, had squeaked into the fourth and last playoff position but were ahead of the North Stars, the first place finishers three games to one.

For those readers who will not remember those days, I was the coach and manager of the Huskies as well as serving as reeve of Chapleau.

At the opening faceoff I noticed that the North Stars were starting the game with five defencemen on the ice which for a moment seemed strange to me, I started with the line of Pat Swanson, David McMillan and Jamie Doyle who were leading the series in accumulated points. At the first stoppage of play I changed lines putting out George Swanson, Jean Claude Cyr and Raymond Larcher.

Then it began. George headed into the North Stars defensive zone where he received injuries that resulted in him leaving the game and being taken to hospital for treatment of a broken shoulder.

Within five minutes Dave McMillan took a high stick to the face, fell to the ice, was bleeding and was taken to the dressing room. No penalty was called and he did not return to play in that game.

It didn't take me long to figure out that the North Stars game plan was to intimidate us, although in a report on the game in the Timmins Daily Press, it was described as "aggressive tactics."

In the third period, Doug Prusky suffered a broken ankle after being attacked by a Timmins player who received a minor penalty for interference. Doug was taken to hospital. Richard Lacroix suffered a leg injury in the third period and insults were hurled at other players.

The Huskies lost the game 9-6 which resulted in a Daily Press headline "Stars Hammer Chapleau..." the understatement of all times.

I went to St. Mary's Hospital after the game and saw Doug and George.

I talked with Bill Moffat, the manager of the North Stars and advised him that I would consider the possibility of having criminal charges laid. Needless to say I was furious, but also deeply concerned about my players so I decided to stay in Timmins overnight and assess the options.

In due course I sent a night letter to the Attorney General of Ontario, Roy McMurtry, seeking advice on the possibility of undertaking criminal proceedings against a player or players of the Timmins North Stars as a result of the alleged incidents in the game.

I also advised James Aspin, secretary manager of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and Donald Dewsbury, president of the NIHL, and returned to Chapleau, where the municipal council would address the matter before a sixth game was played at the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena.

After much debate, in which I did not participate, council agreed that the game could be played, but with a large police presence. That happened, and more than 1,400 fans packed the arena for the game.

Despite a truly valiant effort by the Huskies, we lost the series, and to this day, I have the utmost respect and admiration for each of those players who did their best to win it.

When we returned to Timmins for game seven, large banners greeted us, mostly focused on me.

Why did I take such action?

Here is what I said 36 years ago on February 26, 1976: "I believe I had no alternative. While I recognize that hockey is a physical contact sport, the point is reached when senseless acts of violence can no longer be tolerated without taking action.

"There are those who will dismiss the incidents as an aggressive brand of hockey, but when two players are hospitalized with serious injuries, and others forced to leave a game, and verbal abuse occurs, then I would submit that a most serious situation has developed."

William McMurtry, the brother of the attorney general, had written a report on violence in hockey in 1974. I have looked again at the major recommendations and don't think much has changed.

Three members of the North Stars were subsequently charged with assault but were found not guilty.

Notwithstanding the situation that developed at the end of the first year in the NIHL, the team held its first awards banquet with Doug Prusky as master of ceremonies, and honoured several players.

Goaltender David McAdam was named Most Valuable Player having played in all the 32 regular season games and the playoffs. In making the presentation, Keith "Buddy" Swanson said "every hockey team has a backbone and on this team it is David McAdam." He won the Wesmak Lumber Trophy.

Jamie Doyle, who was in his first year at Wilfrid Laurier University, and travelled home to play was named Most Valuable Player in the Playoffs. Jamie had 14 goals and 12 assists, including a league record six goals in a single game. Jim Young, the Timmins goaltender told me later, that "Jamie turned on the red light behind me so many times that I hada  sunburn on my neck."

Richard Lacroix, the team captain and leading scorer was named Rookie of the Year -- all players were eligible and rookies. Richard was another player who never missed a game all year. Ross Barlow and Steve Ward had donated a trophy. Richard also won the Leading Scorer award with 33 goals and 18 assists, the fourth highest in the league.

Ted Swanson, another player who also never missed a game was presented the Sportsman Hotel Trophy as Best Defenceman by Jack Houle.

Good luck to Mario Lemieux.
"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," as Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Kar wrote in 1849. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Willie Memegos rose from labourer to Chapleau public works superintendent as well as being winner of winter carnival backpack contests and tour guide for Bill Davis

Bill Davis (hands in pocket), Michael, William Memegos (white hat) and reporters

When William "Willie" Memegos and his brothers started as employees of the Township of Chapleau about 1949, they were working as labourers on the installation of the new sewage system. The pay was twenty-five cents an hour and in those days there were no coffee breaks.

Years later, after Willie became the public works superintendent, he would share stories of those days with me always paying tribute to J.M. "Jack" Shoup, a member of council and public works committee chair, who would bring the work crews jugs of water on a hot summer day.

Willie's brothers Baptiste and Adam also worked for the municipality for years, and in the view of many, Baptiste was the best grader operator there ever was. I can still hear the sound of the grader moving snow, clearing the roads in the middle of the night during the winter months. He could also perform his magic with a backhoe.

 Someone once told me that Baptiste was able to "manoeuvre this machinery with the precision of a diamond cutter" and it sure was true

When the Memegos family first arrived in the Chapleau area early in the 20th Century, they lived along the Nebskwashi River, an area where I loved to walk, and I have always felt privileged that Willie had once told me, "You can walk on my land any time."

I used to spend countless hours walking in the bush which some may call the forest, or the woods, but to me it will always simply be the bush. I had started going there  as a young boy, with my grandfather, George Hunt when he would take me along blueberry picking. It continued as an adult. The Memegos family always watched out for my grandfather who was still picking blueberries into his seventies.

For my walks I would leave from our home on Grey Street, go over the "Indian Bridge" across the "back river" (Nebskwashi River) and head off to Pellow's Field  or Corston's Farm, or just walk in the bush.

Rene Serre, Willie Memegos

Shortly after I became reeve of Chapleau, we needed a new township public works superintendent and were not satisfied with the applications we had received. Councillors Ernie Gilbert and Dr. G.E. Young suggested to me that we ask Willie if he would like the job.

Ernie was the legendary public works committee chair of his day on council, who would never hesitate to arouse me on a cold winter's night to accompany him to a home where the water had frozen, and the public works crew was on hand at maybe 50 below F. Willie was always on the scene.

Willie had not applied but when we asked if he would like it with the option that he could return to the position he had as foreman at any time, he accepted the position. And Willie never returned to his old job!

Willie would come to chat with me almost every day that I was at the Town Hall/Civic Centre, and gave me the benefit of his wisdom and guidance on all manner and sorts of things. He was a man of few words but he was always right on.

He would also lobby in his own way for projects like doing sidewalks and having a township crew undertake the installation of water and sewer, and a new road to the new Chapleau General Hospital.

Willie convinced me and council agreed to let the township public works department assume responsibility. The plan had been to contract it out.

One day Willie came into my office and said I had to stop construction according to the engineer's drawings because they were wrong. A change must be made. This led to a flurry of phone calls between us and the engineer's office, and it turned out that Willie was right and the engineer wrong! When I asked him how he knew, he replied simply, "I have a good eye."

Willie and his brothers worked on the original installation of the sewer system in Chapleau  and over the years had become experts from practical experience.

When Ontario Premier Bill Davis visited Chapleau in 1975, Willie conducted the tour which included the premier, members of council and hospital board as well as many members of the provincial news media. The media was really along because Mr. Davis had announced a provincial election that day in Timmins, and then flew to Chapleau for a visit. We did get some coverage in the Toronto newspapers as a result.

Willie and his family members also loved sports and for years totally dominated canoe races and other water sports. Willie also would win the backpacking contests at the winter carnival where participants started with a large canvas pack and walked a set distance where more weight was added. He long outwalked all other participants with weights the most could never lift let alone endure.

They also enjoyed broomball and hockey and one time played on a team called Robin's Hoods. Willie was also an outstanding fastball pitcher.

Although I had walked on the Memegos family land, I had never asked permission to do so. So one day when Willie and I were out on a tour of the municipality I asked him and he gave permission.

On  walks when I would reach the crook in the road entering the Memegos family land I would  think of Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' and reflect on  the poet's words that "two roads diverged in a single wood" and think that so often we take  the road less travelled by, and that makes all the difference in our lives.

The contribution of Willie Memegos and his brothers to Chapleau,  made all the difference in the lives of citizens in all kinds of weather. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau hockey moments from the McEwen Cup to Junior 'B" title plus "Heart of My Heart" by The Four Aces

"Heart of my Heart, when friends were dearer then, too bad we had to part.." lines from one of the top songs of 1953 by The Four Aces may well be the theme song for Chapleau hockey teams throughout the community's history. The Bantam hockey team of the day sure sang it over and over again on a road trip to Sudbury in their own passenger car.

Shown here in the Sudbury Arena are coach Garth 'Tee' Chambers, arguably one the best players in Chapleau's history with Harry 'Butch' Pellow and Aldee Martel.

The following is a glimpse of hockey in Chapleau from 1910 to 1967. Chapleau had a hockey team in 1893, likely earlier, but we know that the team made a trip on the Canadian Pacific Railway to play Sudbury that year. I hope you will look at family connections in hockey over the years and depending on your age be able to  relate to some of the teams, players and your relatives.

In 1966-67 hockey season their first year of competition, the Junior 'B' Huskies won the International Junior 'B' League and Northern Ontario Hockey Association championships coached by Lorne Riley and Keith 'Buddy' Swanson.  Back from l: Andre Rioux, Lorne Riley, Merrick Goldstein, John Babin, Ray Larcher, Mickey Jurynec, Greg Vaughan, Robert Morin, Reg Bouillon, Gerry Boucher, Jamie Broomhead; Front: Corky Bucci, Jean- Claude Cyr, George Swanson, Richard Morin, John Loyst, John Laframboise, Ted Swanson, Bud Swanson and missing Bruce Pellow, Bruce Fortin. Thanks Buddy!!!

High school hockey was very popular in Chapleau and teams played in the town league and against outside competition. Here is the 1965 team. Back from left: Peter Grey, John Babin, Jim Lapp, Richard Morin, Bruce Pellow, Jim St. Amand, David Stevens, Mike Tangie, J. Parker (coach), Brian Corston, Darryl Downey, Keith Corston, Merrick Goldstein (and thanks to Merrick for his phone call providing names and all on facebook who also contributed). Kneeling: Larry Joyce, Albert Bignucolo, David Futhey, Reg Bouillon, Gerry Boucher, Ted Swanson. Note that several played for the Jr. 'B' Huskies the next year. Ten years later Jim St. Amand was a member of the Int. 'A' Huskies and Ted Swanson never missed a game in that team's four year history in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League. Mike Tangie went on to coach in Chapleau.

The CHS team of 1956 is below.A highlight of the year for the Chapleau High School team of 1956 was a trip to Terrace Bay. Back row from left: David McMillan, Doug Sleivert, Stan Barty,Thane Crozier, Clarence Fiaschetti (teacher and coach), George Lemon (principal) Second row: Doug Espaniel, Roger Mizuguchi, Bill Cachagee . Front are Jim Hong, Bert Lemon, Harry Pellow, Ken Schroeder, Robbie Pellow (Mascot) Marc Boulard, Harry Hong, Jim Machan, Ron Morris. Note that Clarence was playing on the 1949 Junior team, and was also first CHS student to return as teacher.

Here are the 1953-54 Chapleau Bantam champions who won the Algoma Dairy Trophy.. Back row from left: Basil Collings (coach), Michael McMullen, Mrs. Broomhead, David McMillan, Richard Pilon, Tim Goodwin. Front are Charlie White, Ken Schroeder and Harry 'Boo' Hong.

 Ian Macdonald has provided photo of the losing Bantam team -- 5-4 in a thrilling overtime with Mike McMullen finally notching the winner. Back row from left Tee Chambers, Jim Machan, Jim Evans, Jack Poynter, Ian Macdonald, Bill McFarlane Front: Wayne Faught, Bill McLeod, Roger Mizuguchi, Aldee Martel

The 1949 Trappers were an Intermediate team sponsored by Mrs. A.W. Moore with many players who had returned home after serving in Canada's armed forces in World War II.

Also, in !949, Chapleau iced a Junior team. I recall going to watch the Juniors play and they were good. Chapleau had an awesome town league at that time. Back row are from left Orville Robinson, Doug Swanson, Lorne Riley, Greg Lucas, Tee Chambers, Fred Goheen, Keith Strapp, Toddy Collinson, Ernest 'Sonny' Bignucolo, D.O. Payette (manager), Pat Serre, Ross Hamlin, George Payette. Front from left, Yen Hong, Bob Evans, Reggie Sonego, Ross Thornton (coach), Tom Jardine, Angelo Mione, Johnny Morin, Mike Mione, Clarence Fiaschetti.

Below, coached by John McClellan, who for 30 years defined Chapleau High School as teacher and principal are the  Juvenile Flyers from the 1930s. This was my father's generation of hockey players in Chapleau, born between 1913 and 1916. My father, Jim Morris is second from left.

In 1919, Bob Turner, a legendary goaltender over the years was playing for a Chapleau team. In back are Clothier (could be different spelling and first name not given), Fred Kelland, Alex McAulay, Frank Boucher, Buster McAdam, Bob Turner, Amon Saylors, Ken Sheppard.  These were the days of seven man hockey and no subs.

Here is a local team from 1910, and if you look closely you can see each photo is numbered: 1, Robert McEwen; 2, Richard Brownlee; 3, Gordon Sheppard; 4, Adelard Lafrance; 5, George Collinson; 6, Tommy Thompson; 7, Tom Godfrey; 8, Ovide Payette; 9. Wilfred Wolfe and 10, Ernest Cressey.

Robert McEwen donated the McEwen Cup, emblematic of hockey supremacy in Chapleau. Here is the first winning team in 1911. Photos are numbered: 1, Peter Moran; 2, Gordon Sheppard; 3, Simon Kruger; 4, Harry Morris (my grandfather); 5, Omer Lahay; 6, Oscar Tremblay; 7, Ken McFadden ;8, Charles Mulligan (my great uncle); 9, Herb Merrick and 10, Robert McEwen.

My thanks to www.chapleau.com and Hugh Kuttner for the wonderful collection of Chapleau photos.

I welcome comments, stories and photos from all on Chapleau hockey. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Now for your added pleasure enjoy Heart of My Heart by The Four Aces, dedicated to all who were in any way involved in hockey in Chapleau, especially the Bantams on the Sudbury trips in the Fifties..