Bud Swanson played in and broadcast Chapleau road hockey games at the same time but no organ on Aberdeen Street to pump up the crowd in the 50s

BUDDY SWANSON

NOTE: Keith 'Buddy" Swanson died on May 7,2011 in Chapleau. May he rest in peace.

Although Harry "Butch" Pellow won't know it until he reads this column, the idea came for it as I was reading his recollections of a "unique life experience" in the "special small town" over about 20 years when he was growing up in Chapleau. Butch was writing in Chapleau Trails, edited and published by his older brother Dr. William R. "Bill" Pellow.

Butch tells us that hockey was a "big part" of snow season lives in Chapleau in the 1940s and 50s whether it was on the back river pond, the river behind Chapleau Public School, or on George "Ice" Sanders "wonderfully manicured" rink in the public school yard. He adds that it was a weekend event in the old wooden rink on Lorne Street or the new Chapleau Memorial Community Arena that opened on the same site in 1951. (Ironically perhaps, Butch was the architect who designed the Chapleau Recreation Centre, which includes the Mrs. A,W, Moore opened in 1978.)

He mentions that our heroes of those days were Don Card and Garth "Tee" Chambers, adding there was a period of time "when without our sticks as support we would never have made it through the morning." Butch was playing Bantam hockey in 1954 and the photo of him with coach Tee Chambers and fellow player Aldee Martel brings back so many fond memories, among them a road trip to Sudbury in our own special "private" car on the CPR to play in the Sudbury Arena. My cousin Michael McMullen reminded me that we sang, "Heart of My Heart" over and over again during the trip.

But it was his comments on road hockey that really brought back memories. Butch remembered nightly games of road hockey on Aberdeen Street with Bill Mcleod, Ken Schroeder, Jim Evans, Buddy Swanson, Charlie White, Timmy Goodwin, me and "frequently some rabble rousers from lower town, across the track or the point."

"... Let's find an empty Carnation can, a roller, or a dropping from Boucher's or Crerighton's horse and let's do it quickly before it gets dark and Milton calls Ken for dinner, Zita calls Jim in to study or Borden calls Billy because it's too dark to play. It was never too dark to play." You can read more of Butch's story in Chapleau Trails.

I decided to send out an email to see if others from those days had similar memories to share.


Bill McLeod, who has a new book coming out this year about Chapleau shared an excerpt from it: "... some very good memories and some great people come to mind. Harry Pellow, Jim Evans, Bill Cachagee, Michael Morris, Charlie White, Joe Steen, Ken Schroeder, Dawn Goldstein, myself and Bud Swanson were the regulars. As I remember, we were often joined by Jack Morris, Ron Morita, Gilles Morin and Mansel Riley.

Bill also recalled that Bud Swanson was the only person he knew who could play and broadcast the action at the same time.

"He (Bud) invented imaginary scenarios where the Toronto Maple Leafs would be playing one of the other teams in the Original Six. We would be the stars. To name a few, Max Bentley, Teeder Kennedy, Rocket Richard, Elmer Lach, Gordie Howe and Terry Sawchuk were all represented in Bud's breathless descriptions. Most of the time the Maple Leafs would win." The title of Bill's latest book is CHAPLEAU": A Retrospective on Life in a Small Isolated Northern Community".

And Bud Swanson was in touch to share some of his memories.

"Yes I recall a lot of road hockey in my young years. The "pond" off the back river was a favourite place on the weekends because there was no artificial ice back then and the old arena wasn't open much on Sundays. We often needed to shovel off a second rink when the "big boys" from Lowertown would arrive. In the spring there were short-lived natural frozen ponds from the melting snow in the Railway yards.

"I played a lot of road hockey with my friend Gilles Morin and our puck was an empty Carnation milk can. I also have fond memories of the "Evans shed Gardens" where Jimmy Evans played goal and I was the shooter and called the play a la Foster Hewitt. I did the same with Billy McLeod. The rink in the priest's yard was aways popular and I have two hockey scars as momentos of that both from the stick of "Babe" Chambers. This is one old Canadian tradition that is still alive as its popularity may have waned a bit but is still played a lot."

Bill Pellow provided the following from his brief career as a hockey player. "We had a choice in the 40s My allowance was 10 cents a week. I had choice to go to the Regent Theatre or go to the rink and play hockey on Saturday mornings. Pop Depew was the coach. I tried hockey for a few Saturdays, with Eaton's catalogues for shin pads and my skates laced up as tight as any adult around the rink would or could perform the task for me. I remember my last game, The puck was in front of me and on wobbly skates I went for it. Reggie Sonego was on the opposite team and boarded me like I was struck by lightning, my head ached, the stars came out, my body hurt and his comment, if you have the puck you will get hit. I quit.

"That didn't stop us from using horse droppings for a puck on the roads and no short supply of artificial pucks for road hockey at its best. No boarding there. Sometimes the puck just disintegrated."

From Charlie Purich who was called the "catalyst" of the hockey team in the Sixties by his classmates at Chapleau High School came this contribution: "I can recall Billy Fox and I playing on Lisgar street where we used to live. Endless hours. We would get those large rubber washers from Fink's Pop. They were about the size of a puck but with a hole in the middle. They were softer than a puck. and we could "lift" them as we used to call raising the puck "lifting." We had to move for cars and ice hauling sleighs.

"Other players would be the Pilon clan, the Chrusoskie girls and others. We probably missed our historical opportunity to have lower town play us or even the kids from the other side of the bridge. However, with our developed skills we would have cleaned up on any opposition. Can still see that rubber washer flying through the air toward the goal (which was made of two large pieces of snow about 5 feet apart.) If my memory serves me, I think I ended up with over 400 goals and Billy Fox was right behind with 399. A duo to be feared on the road!!! Them skills you don't get just anywhere!"

Charlie tells me that he still plays hockey three times a week and uses the breakaway pass that Bud Swanson taught him. But sorry Charlie, your guys would never have beaten the Aberdeen street stars.

Ken Schroeder sums it all up for us:

"WOW !!!!!GREAT.......So many fond memories....Pond, back river, weeds etc...... Street, yes, not many cars on Aberdeen St., 4 stones for posts and you are all set. Back yard, yes, sometimes with skates, but not necessary. No lifting, unless Albert and Eddie had pads. No lines, just calls by Buddy, and finally "He Shoots He Scores".

"WOW there were some dandy RINKS, all very similar to "Maple Leaf Gardens", but no organ to pump up the crowd.
Remember Evans', McLeods', Bouillions', Braumbergers ', Goldsteins' and ours. Yes, this was lower town.......Those were the days, no TVs, etc......"

My road hockey career actually resumed after I left Chapleau and had finished university. When I was a reporter at the Kingston Whig-Standard I was recruited to play on a newspaper team. It continued when I was at the Chatham Daily News. I ended my career on Beech Street with David McAdam and his buddies in front of the McAdam home after I returned to Chapleau and was teaching at Chapleau High School. I owe my road hockey career to all those many games on Aberdeen Street and outdoor rinks with my friends from those days that Ken Schroeder describes as "WOW!! GREAT!!!" They sure were. Thanks guys.

MAIL

Eugene Bouillon sent along the following about my column on Rev. John Sanders: "Michael, wow, what a great history, great Canadiana. We have such great people in our History, I can't imagine, the strengh of these men, to travel those distances, the way they did. From the cold of the Winters and the heat and flies of the Summer. We should be proud, of our Heritage. Especially in these days, during the Olympics, where Canadians have found a voice to shout out, how proud they are to be Canadians." And Raoul Lemieux just back from a Mexican vacation commented about the same story, "Great history.

Missionary John Sanders travelled by canoe, dog team, snowshoes in 19th century Northern Ontario

Rev John and Mrs Sanders circa 1898

In 1845, John Sanders, one of a family of 20 children, was born to Ojibway parents at Flying Post, at the time a native settlement on Groundhog Lake, about sixty miles north of Biscotasing.

About 1860, Rev. John Horden, a missionary of the Church of England (Anglican) journeyed by canoe from Moose Factory to Missanabie, a distance of more than 500 miles. (As an aside I always wanted to make this trip to Moose Factory by canoe, and on two occasions I started out on it, once from Chapleau and the other time from Missanabie. Both ventures failed but we went) part way which was really an awesome experience.)

Returning to old Brunswick Post which was about 10 miles south of the present Peterbell, and about 60 miles north of Chapleau, Rev. Horden struck overland to Flying Post. There he met John Sanders who was to become one of the first native persons (he may have been the first) ordained as a priest in the Church of England in Canada.

With the consent of his father, Rev. Horden took the young man with him to Moose Factory where he was to live with his grandmother commonly known as 'Old Maggie Sanders'. John Sanders entered the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, working as a carpenter, and attending the mission school at Moose Factory.

By 1872, John Horden who by then had become the first bishop of Moosonee decided that John Sanders, who was now married, should have training for the ministry.

Follow me on the trip they made to get John Sanders to college in Winnipeg. They set out from Moose Factory by canoe, crossing portages and eventually arrived at Michipicoten Harbour near the present community of Wawa. Then they got on a sailing vessel on Lake Superior to Fort William and then overland to St. John's College in Winnipeg. Apparently a great storm occurred while they were on Lake Superior, bringing fears that the vessel would sink.

Following his studies, John Sanders was ordained deacon in 1876 and priest in the Church of England in 1879 in Moose Factory.

As a missionary, he travelled from his base at Mattagami to Flying Post to Missanabie to Michipicoten. He also travelled by way of Loon (Borden) Lake, the Loon Lake portage, and to the present site of Chapleau.

John Sanders was carrying out missionary work for his church before the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed, and he would have travelled by canoe, on foot and dog team and snoe shoes in the winter months across a vast stretch of Northern Ontario. Quite honestly as I adapt the story of John Sanders from my 1984 book 'Sons of Thunder ... Apostles of Love', the history of St. John's Anglican Church, I am amazed at the travels of people like John Sanders. For sure we shall never see their like again.

Rev. Sanders conducted one of the first Christian services at Chapleau on the banks of the river. After Chapleau was established many early residents recalled the open air services he held at the Indian reserve and at the first St. John's Church. In 1982, Rev. William Ivey, then the rector of St. John's organized the re-enactment of the service conducted by Rev. Sanders one hundred years earlier. Canon Redfern Louttit, who had attended the residential school and graduated from Chapleau High School returned to portray Rev. Sanders. Canon Louttit had been ordained at St. John's in 1940 after graduating from Wycliffe College, and had worked as a missionary in the Diocese of Moosonee. The service held on the banks of the river behind the church was conducted in Cree, Ojibway and English.

After the CPR was completed Rev. Sanders moved his headquarters from Mattagami to Biscotasing. Although my research indicates that Rev. Sanders established one of the first churches in the diocese south of James Bay at the Mulligan Bay Hudson Bay Company Post, there has been considerable discussion on this point as to where it was actually located. Anyone with information please let me know. He was responsible for the building of the Anglican church at Missanabie.

On February 26, 1902, John Sanders died at Biscotasing. Funeral services for him were conducted at Missanabie by Rev. A.O. Cheney, rector of St. John's, Chapleau. He was 57 when he died and is buried in Missanabie. Rev. Sanders had many relatives in Chapleau.

Without doubt, his arduous missionary labours and his travels by canoe, dog team and snowshoes had taken their toll. John Sanders was certainly one of the apostles of love that I wrote about some 26 years ago in my history of St. Johns.

MAIL

I received the following from Tom Corston, now an Anglican priest and archdeacon, and of course, a very well known Chapleau boy after my column on telephone operators. Tom wrote: Hi Michael...Great story about the operators. I always laugh at the memory of the operators that worked the telephones in Chapleau. When people would call looking for my father, they would say to the operator, "I don't know his real name, I only know him as 'Chicken'." To which the operator would often respond, "Oh, that's 'Henry', his number is..." A time gone forever. Thanks for the great memories Mike, I enjoy them all."

And from Larry 'Ton' Comte, an old friend from Chapleau High School and member of another pioneer Chapleau family. Ton wrote about first diesel: "My dad "Raoul" or known as "Lulu" was the engineer on the first diesel in Chapleau. My dad was a graduate from Los Angeles as a Diesel Engineer. It was always interesting to hear the train crew mention that is was great to be on the diesel with dad, if it caused problems, he could fix it on the run."

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau High School toboggan slide of 50s part of 'quality of community' Ian Macdonald recalls

With winter here  it seemed like an opportune time to recall the memorable Chapleau toboggan slide project undertaken in 1956. I remembered that Ian Macdonald had been involved in the project and indeed had written about it so this column is based on his article at http://chapleau.com/.

Ian wrote that Chapleau High School students built the toboggan slide on the rock behind the old golf club building which was across from the town beach and Chapleau Public School. For those of you who don't recall the old golf club building was about in the same place as the "new" one. It had been built in about 1927 and was replaced in about 1977.

"It was similar to a sluice that they use in logging. The toboggans went like hell." Ian noted. They sure did! What fun!

The school bought the lumber to make a slide. The crew assembled whatappears to be twelve foot sections of the "sluice section of the slide" . Another group would trundle up the hill with a completed section. Obviously it was all put together at the top, Ian wrote.

In the photo with this column you'll notice the jackets with the big "C" on them with Chapleau High spelled out on the back.

"My recollection was that we got a special deal with these jackets if we only used two colours (blue and white in this case). We (student council) then voted to change the High School colours to blue and white from the previous red, green and white to justify the jacket purchase. I think they changed back to red, green and white the following year," Ian wrote.

Ian added: "It was typical of how young people in those days seemed to be able to get together as a team and make things happen. Other projects included making hockey rinks, a dance floor behind the Anglican Church etc. You don't see as much of this type of thing anymore. This was, of course, a year or so before you had television in Chapleau and similar other distractions for people. I expect it is this 'quality of community' that people remember about the town and why they enjoy being reminded of it."

Some may recall the toboggan slide on Slaughterhouse Hill from the 1930s.

Thanks for your help Ian, and let me just add a few words about him. Ian began working for the Canadian Pacific Railway as a fireman in 1956 when he was in Grade 11 at CHS and he was one of the last to be trained on steam power. However, he later attended the University of Manitoba, graduating in 1969 as an architect.

After working abroad Ian joined the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba in 1978, and was promoted to full professor in 1993 and then served as head of the graduate department of architecture at the university starting in 1999. Ian is officially "retired" now but having worked with him on a chapter for Bill McLeod's new book, he seems to be very busy.

One of his projects is an architecture program for Athabasca University.

See also http://chapleau.com/