Doug Prusky becomes coach of Chapleau Intermediate "A" Huskies with Jean Claude Cyr as captain for 1977-78 NIHL season

Doug Prusky, who had starred as a player at all levels in Chapleau hockey became the coach of the Chapleau Intermediate "A" Huskies with the 1977-78 season, the team's third in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League (NIHL) while veteran player, Jean Claude (JC) Cyr became the captain.

Doug was well known to Chapleau hockey fans as an outstanding player with the Junior "B" Huskies and the Intermediate "A" Huskies, until an injury cut short his playing career. He also played on the championship Bantam teams coached by Dave Futhey and David Mizuguchi.

Under the new bench boss, the Huskies established themselves as top contenders winning their two season openers on the road  defeating the Hearst Lumberkings 11-4 and Calvert GMs 6-2.

The Chapleau Sentinel reported that "with a new coach, new captain, several new players and the team stalwarts from the past season",  the wins were "a fine beginning (for Doug) as "the team had never won their first games since entering the league." Graham Bertrand was back as trainer.

The newspaper said that JC Cyr, the new captain played "sparkling hockey in both games and was rewarded for his efforts with five goals."

Glen Cappellani, who had returned home after a stint in the United States Hockey League showed that his semi-pro experience had really helped his game as he came up with "scintillating saves" in both games. Glen would share goaltending duties with David McAdam, who had been the team's stalwart since its beginning.

Steve Prusky, Doug's brother was also home after playing in the USHL and demonstrated the experience he had gained since leaving Chapleau where he had also been a star defenceman. "... (Steve) has the ability to control a hockey game from the blueline...," the Sentinel noted.

Other new faces were Ron Larcher and Gary Legros from the Junior "B" Huskies, Paul Scheer, joining his high scoring brother Bill on the team, and Rick Walker and Danny Homerodean from southern Ontario.

Other players on the roster  included veterans Jamie Doyle, Pat Swanson, Ted Swanson, Dave McMillan, Tom Laframboise, Paul McDonald, Ray Larcher, Richard Lacroix, George Card  and Keith McAdam. Terry Woermke, Danny Vaughan, Moe Poirier and Ted Zajac would also be on the team.

Before the season was too old, John Tavella, of Wawa, joined the team. At the time, John held the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior "A" (Tier One) League record  for most goals and assists in a single season set while playing for the Soo Greyhounds in the 1975-76 season -- 67 goals and 70 assists.

John had also been the 10th round draft choice of the Montreal Canadiens but had decided not to play in their farm system. john Simons of Wawa, who had also played for the Soo Greyhounds joined the team for the 1978-79 season.

In the regular season of 30 games, the Huskies enjoyed tremendous success under Doug's guidance, winning 24, losing four and tying two but for the third year in a row they met their archrivals the Timmins Northstars in the semi-finals, and lost with the Timmins team going on to become league champions.

But the foundation had been laid, and in the 1978-79 season playing in the new Moore Arena, at the Chapleau Recreation Centre, with Doug returning as coach, the Huskies finally defeated the Northstars in the semi-finals, which to the team and Chapleau hockey fans seemed the equivalent of winning the Stanley Cup. They lost in the finals to Kirkland Lake Blue Devils. 

Doug beside bed at the Summerfest races

It would be the final season for the team in the NIHL which continued for several more years until it folded in the 1980s as the "baby boomers" grew older and players were no longer readily available.

After Doug succeeded me as coach, the Sentinel reported that fans and players wondered if I was now more excitable as manager than I had been as coach. As I went through files putting this rough draft of the Intermediate "A" Huskies history focusing on Doug's time as coach, and who was on the team, I really don't know. What I do know though, is that despite ups and downs, it was an awesome experience to have been part of the team and be able to live the great moments we all shared. Thanks guys, and a special thanks to Doug Prusky.

Doug, retired now from the Canadian Pacific Railway, lives in Chapleau with wife Tina (Cappellani) and daughter Mya where he is president of the Chapleau Figure Skating Club.

Happy New Year to all. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Ice Fishing Derby at Chapleau sponsored by Rotary Club set for February 9, 2013 WINNERS

 Corey Young of Wawa won the $10,000 grand prize with a 4.58 pound pike. 

Charles Orton of Chapleau with a 4.33 pound pike was in second while third was won by Craig MacNeil of Sarnia with a 3.49 pound pike. 

 Paul Bernier  (2.99) and Lina Di Pasquak (2.94), both of Chapleau. won fourth and fifth places respectivelytively.

The Pike Ice Fishing Derby, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chapleau was held Saturday February 9, 2013.

First prize is $10,000.

Advertisement courtesy of the Chapleau Express newspaper.

JAMES McNIECE AUSTIN: A TRIBUTE BY BILL McLEOD

JAMES McNIECE AUSTI N

A TRIBUTE  1924 – 2012

By Bill McLeod

Once in a while along life’s journey most of us are fortunate to form friendships with some truly outstanding human beings.  Such was my case with JamesMcNiece “Jim” Austin.

Jim Austin died on November 2, 2012 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer and after having lived a long and generous life.  His memorial service was held at Jim’s church, St. Peter’s United in Sudbury on November 24, 2012 and his ashes were interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto on November 26.

Jim, as everybody knew him, was born in Chapleau, Ontario, the eldest son of Allan McNiece Austin and Alice (Dickinson) Austin.  He is survived by three brothers, John (Marjory), Allan M. “Mac” (Marg) of Toronto and Richard (Liz) of Gananoque.  He was predeceased by his wife Rosamond Ann Mills (1948) and twin daughter Rosamond Ann (1997).  Jim was the beloved father of Elizabeth “Liebes” Austin (Laurence Solsberg) of Vancouver and was dearest “Grump” to the Solsberg sisters – Emily (James Richardson), Mariel (Kelsey Louie) and Kira.  His only great-grand daughter Naomi Sparrow Richardson was born on October 12, 2012.  Also left to mourn and celebrate his life is a large extended family of cousins, nieces and nephews and their offspring.

Jim was educated at the elementary and secondary schools in Chapleau, Trinity College School, Port Hope and the University of Toronto from which he graduated in 1947 with a B.A. in history.  During World War II he served as a Flight Engineer, Bomber Command, Squadron 429 (Bison).  He always enjoyed telling me about his war service - particularly flight training, life in wartime England, combat missions and especially about flying a Lancaster back to Canada from the Azores after the war in Europe was over.

Early in the last century Jim’s grandfather, a Chapleau businessman and merchant, partnered with George B. Nicholson and together they formed the Austin Nicholson Lumber Company.  Mr. Nicholson was the first reeve of Chapleau and he was also elected to the House of Commons on three separate occasions, serving the constituency of Algoma East from 1917 to 1921, 1925 to 1926 and from 1930 to 1935.  Austin Nicholson had mills scattered all along the C.P.R. lines for miles east and west of Chapleau.  The largest operations were at Nicholson and Dalton Mills.  Originally specializing in railway ties, the company branched into lumber and mining timbers and eventually became the largest supplier of ties in the British Empire.

After leaving the R.C.A.F. Jim joined the family firm and was in charge of several of its bush operations.  In 1956 the firm was sold to W.B. Plaunt and Sons of Sudbury.  Jim stayed on with Plaunt for a while before joining Eddy Forest Products in Espanola.  There he served as Assistant Woodyard Superintendent, managed Eddy’s Pineland operation at Nairn Centre and when Eddy Forest Products purchased the McChesney Company in 1976, Jim moved to Timmins as General Manager of Forestry and Mill Operations.  In 1980 he moved back to Nairn Centre and finished his distinguished career as Special Assistant to the Manager of Woods Operations supervising research and development in lumber operations and production and control of waste products.  After his official retirement in 1988, Jim put his lumber industry expertise to good use during a stint in Africa with the Canadian Executive Service Overseas. The lumber industry, particularly sawmills, was deeply embedded in Jim’s DNA.  He loved the business and he was very good at it.

Jim Austin did the research and wrote up the proposal that resulted in Alton Morse being awarded the Order of Canada for his innovative approaches to harvesting white pine timber near Chapleau.

But it was community involvement and volunteering that brought him so much affection and respect.  He was the person who oversaw the smooth transition of theNorthern Ontario Health Sciences School to Cambrian College in 1973.

Jim was a Mason, a member of the Lions Club for 52 years and belonged to the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.  Generally, he avoided the limelight and made his enormous contribution “under the radar” - volunteering for countless church, community and charitable activities.  He chaired the Lions Club committee that was responsible for the Home for the Hard of Hearing that we all see as we drive along Paris Street in Sudbury.

Jim was just as happy sharing his considerable management and organizational skills with Meals on Wheels as he was doing dishes after an Out-of-the Cold supper, selling geraniums and Hard of Hearing Home tickets or shaking a tambourine for the Salvation Army in one of the malls at Christmas time.

But it was at St. Peter’s United Church that Jim really left an indelible mark.  He served on the Sudbury Presbytery, the Mission and Service Council and numerous other church groups and committees.  He was an honorary member of the United Church Women’s group and was affectionately known by young and old as “The Candy Man”.  He never went to church without a pocket full of Werther’s candies for the kids and anyone else with a sweet tooth.

As I was sitting in St. Peter’s on that cold but sunny November morning on Grey Cup weekend a number of thoughts and memories flashed through my mind – two of them quite ironic.  In her eulogy, Jim’s daughter Elizabeth referred to his fondness for Canadian football.  On Grey Cup Day he always cheered for the team from the west.  He used to laughingly tell folks that the general Canadian wisdom held that Winnipeg was the Gateway to the Canadian West.  Jim always insisted that was wrong.  The gateway to the west, according to Jim, was really Chapleau.

The other memory that struck me that morning was that it was on the same weekend in November of 1963 that the world was in shock over the assassination of President Kennedy.  Of all that I have heard and read about that dark time, one quote still sticks out.  Asked about Kennedy’s funeral, Mary McGrory, the crusty old reporter for the Washington Post told an interviewer that John F. Kennedy would have liked his funeral.  Jim Austin would have liked his too.

Like the rest of us, Jim Austin’s life had its ups and downs.  But some of his downs were much deeper than he deserved.  The grace, courage and class with which he coped serves as an example to us all.

The McLeod and Austin families have many connections going all the way back to 1899.  My grandfather was hired to be the fur buyer for the Austin retail operation in Chapleau and my grandmother was the nanny for Jim’s father and his uncle Bill.  My mother (Georgina Emiry) was his first teacher and, in the 1950s, when I was a teenager, Jim curled with us.  My dad was the skip, Ovide Cote the third, Jim played second and I was the lowly lead.  After Sheryl and I moved to Sudbury we often saw Jim and we eventually became neighbors.  I was honored and pleased to be of some assistance in Jim’s later years when he was unable to drive and when he was managing his daily life with difficulty.

In her remarks at the memorial service, Rev. Dawn Vaneyck summed up Jim brilliantly when she said that he was both a gentleman and a gentle man.

R.I.P. Jim