Where are they now?
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Neepawa Bantam BB Hockey Club: Front row (from left): Bob Allen, Barry Hunter.
Centre row: Walter Kawka, Ian Stuart, Byron Hamilton, Billy Guinn, Edgar Crabbe, Don Whitmore, Earl Doherty, Len Bolton, Wayne Sparling.
Back row: Walter Green (manager), Keith Graham, Cecil Bolton, Pat Hutchinson, Henry (Hank) Goodridge, Jim Gillespie, Dick Guinan (coach)
The Clint Bennest Memorial Trophy winners for ‘48-‘49
This week, the Neepawa Press introduces a new feature by local author and sports historian Rick Sparling. “Where are they now” attempts to locate and catch up with the teams featured in Sparling’s most recent book, Amateur Hockey in Neepawa: A Scrapbook.
By Rick Sparling
Neepawa Press
In the 1948-1949 season, the Neepawa Bantam BB team won the Manitoba Bantam “BB” Hockey Championship and the Clint Bennest Memorial Trophy.
Where are they now?
Walter Green was a teacher at Central School who managed this team to the Manitoba championship. It is believed to be his first and only year managing a minor hockey team. Walter went into the Ministry and passed away in the early ‘60s, in Winnipeg.
Keith Graham, better known as “Wafers”, won his third (of seven) Manitoba championship in the ‘48-‘49 season. Keith has one daughter, Liane, who lives in Vancouver. Keith lives in Winnipeg where he still plays 'old timer's' hockey.
Cecil Bolton played golf, baseball (Cubs) and hockey. He played for the Flin Flon Bombers in his youth and many years for the Neepawa Natives.
He was the club manager at the Neepawa golf club and ran the Imperial Oil bulk station for some time. Cecil married Joan Atkins and had three children. He passed away in 1999.
Pat Hutchinson made his home in Calgary and graduated from university with a masters degree in Education. He taught school and became a vice principal before going into the investment/insurance field. He is now semi retired and still dabbles in some investment consultation work. Pat married Joan Love and they had three children and eight grandchildren. Pat and Joan still live in Calgary.
Henry (Hank) Goodridge played for the Brandon Wheat Kings, Flin Flon Bombers and the Saskatchewan Melville Millionaires. He later moved to Powell River, BC, and played for the Regals. He retired from Macmillan Bloedel in the early ‘90s. He and Mona had one boy, Shane. Hank still resides in Powell River.
Keith Graham, Cecil Bolton and Hank Goodridge on Central School’s outdoor rink. They were all part of the ‘48-‘49 championship team.
Jim Gillespie was the son of Roy Gillespie, who operated Gillespie’s garage in Neepawa. Jim had two daughters and worked in the Library system in Ottawa and has been retired there for several years now.
Dick Guinan was brought into Neepawa as the Recreation Director for the town just in time to coach the 1948/49 BBs and the ABs to Manitoba championships. He was also the playing coach for the Intermediate Provincial champions that same year.
Walter Kawka worked for Manitoba Telephone as a payroll manager (37 years) and retired in 1993. He is currently residing in Winnipeg.
Ian Stuart seemingly left Neepawa shortly after leaving Grade 12 for British Columbia. Ian was killed in an automobile accident at an early age.
Byron Hamilton currently resides in Brandon. Byron and Arlene had two children and have four grandchildren. Byron worked for the Bank of Montreal and retired from the Westoba Credit Union in 1996
Billy Guinn worked for the Bank of Commerce and left Neepawa for Calgary and shortly afterwards made his way to Denver, Colorado, where he worked in the banking industry. Billy had four boys who all live around Denver. He passed away in early 2015.
Edgar Crabbe played for the Neepawa Natives and the Cubs baseball team for several years. He married Shirley Lough and they had three children and eight grandchildren. Ed worked for Good Roads Association of Manitoba for many years and retired in the mid ‘90s. Ed passed away in 2000 at the age of 65.
Don Whitmore graduated from the University of Manitoba (Engineering) in 1959 and achieved his MBA from the University of Western Ontario in 1961. Upon returning to Winnipeg, he worked for Powell Equipment and founded his own construction company, Vector Construction, in 1965. Don celebrated 50 years in business in 2015, although the last 10 years were at arm’s length. He married Florence Potter in 1960 and they had four children, 13 grandchildren and one great grandson. They still reside in Winnipeg.
Earl (Sam) Doherty played hockey, baseball with the Cubs and enjoyed curling. He married Joyce and they had three girls and have seven grandchildren. Earl was a pharmacist after graduating from university and retired in 2012. Earl and Joyce still make Winnipeg their home.
Len Bolton worked for the Hudson bay Mining & Smelting Co. (HBMS) during his hockey days with the Flin Flon Bombers (1954-56) and worked there as an electrical journeyman. He worked a number of part-time jobs to support his boys’ activities, including being a bartender at the Legion, electrical work for Burnetts and as a referee for all levels of minor hockey, including the Bombers. Len married Lillian (Babe) Roberts in 1956 and they had four sons and eight grandchildren. Babe passed away in 2000 and Len in 2008.
Wayne Sparling played on four championship hockey teams and opted out for curling. He was also active with the Neepawa Cubs baseball team. He worked for several years at Conquergood’s, Fenwick’s of Neepawa, in his own furniture store in Minnedosa, for Bottomley’s in Brandon and Dufresne Furniture. Wayne married Mary Gibson and they have three children, eight grandchildren and five great grandkids. Wayne and Mary live in Brandon and have been retired since 1997.
Bob Allen, also on four championship hockey teams, played baseball with the Cubs and hockey for many years with the Neepawa Intermediates. Bob married Yvonne Waggoner and they had four children and 10 grandchildren. They were transferred to Regina in 1969 as part of the Salt Well move and retired there. Bob is still active in curling.
Barry Hunter’s father ran Hunter’s Meats in Neepawa. Barry moved to Winnipeg at 15 and finished his school there, before heading out to explore California. Barry got on in the banking industry and met and married Gloria Mewkirk in 1964, who was also a banker. The Hunters had two boys and have two grandchildren. They spent 17 years in Santa Barbara, California. He retired in 1996 and they have spent the last three years in the desert at Borrego Springs, California.
