A 'Standing 'O' (chaleurese ovation) for Tim Bozon part of a class act for Kootenay Ice player

As Tim Bozon walked along a carpet to centre ice for a ceremonial puck drop, within a day of having been released from hospital, the Kootenay Ice hockey player was welcomed back with a long sustained standing ovation from the more than 4000 people in Western Financial Place in Cranbrook.

 

Jaedon Descheneau, his friend and teammate posted on Twitter: "Unforgettable night watching Timmy walk onto the ice. Brought a tear to my eye knowing how far he came since that night. Love ya."

 

And Landon Cross, another team-mate also commented on Twitter: "Great moment ... in Kootenay with TimB94 standing at centre ice to a standing 'O. He certainly deserved it."

 

Tim sure did deserve the "standing 'O". On March 1 following a Western Hockey League game against the Saskatoon Blades in Saskatoon, Tim was admitted to Royal University Hospital and diagnosed with Neisseria meningitis, and shortly thereafter was placed in a medically induced coma.

 

His condition was listed as critical. However, nearing the end of March, doctors had slowly taken him out of the coma, and amazingly, some may say miraculously, Tim was on the road to recovery and on March 28 there he was back in Cranbrook for the ceremonial faceoff.

 

It took place at the sixth game of the WHL quarter-final playoff series between the Ice and the Calgary Hitmen with his team leading the series 3-2.

 

To see Tim at centre ice truly brought "a tear" to the eye of many more than his friend Jaedon. It was one of those occasions when time seems to stop for a moment, and for much more than a moment, when the full house crowd cheered and applauded this young man, just turned 20, whose first stop after being released from hospital was to return to his team.

 

Tim Bozon, in himself is a class act, but so were the hockey fans who showed their respect for him.

 

For a person like me who has spent more than half the winters of my life in hockey rinks as a player (very poor one), referee, coach, manager, sports writer, and play by play announcer and colour commentator, this scene was among the most emotional of them all. 

 

But the class act continued. All the players of the Calgary Hitmen came onto the ice before the game got underway and shook Tim's hand and gave him a hug in another emotional moment.

 

At a press conference in Saskatoon before heading to Cranbrook, CTV News reported that Tim said,“I’m so grateful for knowing such great people,” Bozon said of all the support he received while in hospital. “It’s going to be exciting to leave the hospital and get back to Cranbrook and see my teammates. I think they miss me and I miss them.”

 

It was obvious his teammates missed him, and for good measure they won the series that night defeating the Hitmen 5-3.

 

At the end of the game, the Ice players gathered and held their sticks in the air as a salute to their teammate who had  watched the game from a luxury suite.

 

Tim, a Montreal Canadiens draft pick, will continue his recuperation in France where his father Phillipe Bozon, a former National Hockey League player, and his mother live.

 

Now though, a major item remains to be resolved. News reports in media across Canada have raised the issue of Tim's medical and related expenses that may not be covered by insurance. The total is apparently more than $100,000.

 

For those who wish to contribute to the Tim Bozon Trust Fund, you may do so at any branch of the Bank of Montreal in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, according to a WHL news release. If that does not work for you, contact the Western Hockey League or Kootenay Ice Hockey Club in Cranbrook.

 

Some Cranbrook businesses are holding fund raisers to help. 

 

After the game, Tim posted on Twitter: "Unforgettable night at the Ice game tonite. Thank you so much everyone for great support. Was good to see everyone. Great win."

 

For me, the best story I saw about Tim's ordeal was by TVA in French, and I leave you with one sentence  from it: "À peine sorti de l’hôpital, Bozon a été présenté à la foule et a reçu une chaleureuse ovation pour la mise en jeu protocolaire."

 

Let's continue the "chaleurese ovation"  for this young man whose first priority was to return to his team and say "au revoir" before heading off for rehabilitation, by making sure all bills are paid so there is no additional stress on Tim and his family.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

 

A slightly different version appears on the Cranbrook Guardian http://livablecranbrook.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapleau Ministry Manglers Win MNR Hockey Tournament Title in 1975 with Key Goal by Robin White

names below

The Chapleau Ministry Manglers made a clean sweep of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Hockey Tournament held at the Carmichael Arena in Sudbury in 1975.

In 2014, at the Ministry hockey tournament in Peterborough, the Chapleau Ministry was still competing, and the official program carried a photo and story about that 1975 team.

Since I started writing Chapleau Moments, and my blog, I am first to admit that I have not written much about the MNR or its predecessor the Department of Lands and Forests, and its immense contribution to the community, but thanks to Ken LeClaire and Tim Cecile, I will be able to share some of their moments now.

For starters, Ken advises that the Chapleau team did not win the 2014 championship but put up a great effort. However, he did provide me with some details on the 1975 tournament in which he participated as a player. In fact, he sent along the news story, written by Bill "Esher" Ritchie, the coach.

Teams from Owen Sound, Barrie, Parry Sound, Maple, Minden, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Chapleau participated in 1975.

Playing defence for the Manglers were Martin Healey, Ken LeClaire, Graham Bertrand and Randy Corston with Glen Cappellani in goal. Rounding out the team were Tom Richardson, Darryl Ritchie, Al Harris, Robin White, John McKee, Gary Black and Joey Turner.


In their first game they defeated Owen Sound 5-2,  with Gary Black scoring two goals, and then they downed Maple 3-1.

Meeting the Sault Ste. Marie team which was heavily favoured and included Greg Vaughan and Tom Linklater, formerly of Chapleau, they won 5-2.

This set the stage for the final against Minden, and as the the third period drew to a close they were deadlocked in a 1-1 tie.

Ken shared an anecdote on what happened next. "Robin White turned to coach Ritchie and said, 'Put me on coach.' Esher did. Robin got the puck behind our net, skated the length of the ice through five defenders and scored.

"Robin came back to the bench, and said 'Now hold it'".

Ken added that it was not typical of Robin, who they called by his nickname 'Boogie' who was quiet and unassuming but it proved to be the winning goal and the Manglers won the championship with a 2-1 victory.

Another story Ken told about the series centred around Glen Cappellani who really was not and MNR employee.

Ken wrote:"When we were receiving our awards (Zippo Pen knives) for winning from Dr. Keith Renoylds the Deputy Minister, he was asking everyone what they did for MNR. 

"Our goalie had cancelled at the last minute and we brought Glen Cappellani, a non MNR Chapleauite who played goal at a fairly high level. 

"I told him to tell the Dep that he was a Jack Pine cone picker.  When the Dep got to him and asked,  Glen replied that he was a “ tree cone....... “ and forgot the rest.  He turned to me and asked what he did and I had to fill it in for him.  The Dep just laughed as he ( the Dep ) had had beverages with us the previous night in our hotel rooms."

Thanks Ken, and stay tuned for more about the MNR as I sort out all the material from Ken and Tim Cecile. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

THE TEAM

The 1975 Chapleau MNR Manglers championship team. Back Tom Richardson, Larry Mahon (trainer and beverage scout), Ray Bonnenberg, Robin (Boggie) White, Darryl Ritchie, Esher Ritchie (coach extraordinaire), John McKee, Martin Healey, Ken LeClaire Front are Gary Black, Graham Bertrand, Randy Corston, Glen Cappellani, Joe Turner, Al Harris. Courtesy Ken LeClaire

 

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'Pert and purty' Jean Fowler wins 1959 Chapleau Winter Carnival Queen Contest while Jim Haddow named King

"Pert and purty" is how one onlooker described Jean Fowler to Mid North News upon learning that she had won the 1959 Chapleau Winter Canrnival Queen Contest.

Jean joined James Haddow, better known to everyone as Jim, who was chosen as Carnival King, the assistant superintendent of the CPR who had become a very popular citizen in the community since arriving in 1954.

He was a member of the Chapleau Rotary Club, an enthusiastic bowler (remember the lanes in the YMCA), a golf club member and was present chair of the board of management of the Lady Minto Hospital.

Jim Dillon was serving another year as chair of the carnival committee with Henry Therriault as vice chair. The overall sponsor was the Chapleau Chamber of Commerce. Secretary was Mrs. Kathleen 'Kay' Broomhead and treasurer Martin McLay.

The 'Stars of Tomorrow', with teams from Chapleau Minor Hockey participating in games was as always a popular attraction. The Chapleau Midgets played the Sudbury Sea Cadets while Chapleau High School played Schreiber. As  so often happens, nobody seemed to record the scores but I did manage to come across a photo of Harry Hong, Roger Mizuguchi and Harry Pellow who were on the CHS team in 1958-59.

Organizing hockey were Don Card, Garth 'Tee' Chambers, Charles Cobb and Henry Therriault  Other minor hockey coaches included Jerry Burns, Charlie White, Esher Ritchie, Roy May, Bill Bryson, Allan Tangie and Eldon Eveline.

The major hockey of the weekend was the tournament for the Ernest 'Sonny' Bignucolo Memorial Trophy which Mid North News reported was won "handily" by the Sudbury Co-ops for the second year in a row. Other teams were the Chapleau Huskies, University of Sudbury and Schreiber Intermediates.

In the first game Chapleau Huskies lost to Schreiber and then University of Sudbury lost to Sudbury Co-ops setting up a Schreiber-Sudbury final.

J..M. 'Jack' Shoup recently retired as principal and teacher at Chapleau Public School was  in charge of children's skating races. Mr. Shoup also looked after races in the summer.

In broomball action the Kormak Lumberkings, retained their title as "world champion broomballers" defeating the Chapleau All Stars 6-2.

 As I thumbed through the program for the 1959 winter carnival sent to me recently by Mark Dillon, Jim's son, out of the mothballs of memory came so many thoughts about those simply awesome carnival weekends in the 1950s. Winters were bitterly cold but life went on regardless and carnivals made them seem much shorter.

In fact, because there was natural ice in the arena, we really did not want a thaw. I recall one year there was one, and I can still visualize Tee Chambers and members of the Huskies shoveling the slush off the ice so they could play another period.

Boo, Roger, Butch

The carnival show held in the Town Hall auditorium was also a major attraction, and in 1959, the "bright and cheery" Harry Murphy was the master of ceremonies. Harry also acted in a skit with Leona McRea, Jean Johnson and Ovide Cote.

Others in the show were the Teenaires, Kay Macfarlane (Chapleau favourite songstress), Leonard 'Elvis' Gionet and his guitar and Albert Martin and his dog that did everything but talk. Ross Wilson from the Lakehead performed on the Hammond Organ and trampoline stars The Nicklings were on hand.

Exciting downhill runs and slaloms were presented at the Chapleau Ski Club and if you needed a ride take a taxi -- the fare for a party of four was 75 cents.

Figure skating was also feature at the arena and members of the Hiawatha Skating Club of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan gave " an exhibition of artistry on ice".

Dances were held every night beginning with a Moccasin Dance at the arena on opening night with admission of 75 cents. The Grand Carnival Ball was held at the Town Hall with music by the Teenaires for a $1.00 admission. The grand old fashioned street dance on Main Street wound up the carnival.

I also found the program advertisments interesting and here are some of them. For the most part, Chapleau's business community has changed significantly since 1959.

In fact, only Charles W Collins Stores, now called Collins Home Hardware and Furniture remains, but in the same family.

Other businesse sin the program included B and P Cartage (Bill Payette and Glen Brown), Canadian Oil Companies (Dick Hoath), Tease Cartage (Garth Chambers), The Model Grill (Alex Peld), Campbell Trucking (Grant Campbell), Len's Taxi (M. Beaulieu but founded by Len Perfetto), Eaton's Order Office, Chapleau Electric Light and Power (Clyde Fife, manager) Chapleau Beverages (Robert Fink), Queen's Hotel (Matt Castonguay), Old Reliable Barber Shop (Alf Comte), Smith and Chapple Ltd. (Arthur Grout, president),Marianne Dress Shop (Marianne Demers), Canadian Tire (Newt Pellow), Lakeshore Propane (Dex Landry), Babe's Service Station (Babe Therriault), and Stedman Brothers (W Loucks, manager)

Austin Lumber (Dalton) Limited, K.W. Biglow and Sheppard and Morse Ltd. have all gone from the scene too.

Thanks Mark for sending along the program and also to Doug Greig for the Mid North News clipping. My email is mj.morris@live.ca