Hockey Canada to Honour Trail's
World Championship teams
By Guy Bertrand.
Times Sports Editor
Hockey Canada is coming to Trail to celebrate the city's world championship hockey history.
On March 4, during the Trail Smoke Eaters' final game of the BCHL regular season, Hockey
Canada president Bob Nicholson will be on hand to honour the 1939 and 1961 world
championship teams.
Hockey Canada has embarked on a project called the World Championship Recognition
Ceremony to recognize all Canadian teams that have won world or Olympic championships.
Prior to Canada's 1994 victory at the world championships, the country had not claimed a
world or Olympic title since the Smoke Eaters accomplished the feat in 1961. Between 1920
and 1961, 19 Canadian teams won world or Olympic titles.
Hockey Canada is going about recognizing these teams and their players by holding
celebration events in each of the cities of these champions.
"They've done Kimberley, Penticton, Lethbridge and Edmonton," said Cal Hockley, the
captain of the '61 Smokies. The tour has also covered Eastern Canada.
The celebration, to be held between periods, will include the unveiling of a banner that
includes the championship logo of the winning team, the Hockey Canada logo and appropriate
logo of the winning team.
The ceremony also introduces each player from the teams or a surviving family member to
accept commemorative jerseys. The jerseys will have the Hockey Canada logo as well as the
players' names.
The '39 team's jerseys will have the number 39 on the back with the players' name and
Smokies logo on the sleeve. The '61 team's jerseys will have the player's original number and
their name on the back as well as a logo on the sleeve.
The video scoreboard will be used to highlight each player. At the conclusion of the ceremony,
two large banners will be raised to the Cominco Arena rafters.
"The hope is to contact family members of the players who have passed away," said Hockley.
"We've been searching around."
He said the search includes calls across Canada looking for former players or family members.
"If anyone knows relatives or close contacts of these players they should contact AM Ford.
We'd like to get as many representatives as possible."
The local dealership is handling the post-game ceremony that includes an invitation-only social
at the Riverbelle Restaurant.
Nicholson will be on hand for the presentation as well as Trail native Steve Tambellini, an
executive with the Vancouver Canucks and the Canadian men's Olympic hockey team headed
to Turin later this month.
The BCHL Smokies take on Salmon Arm in their final game and organizers are hoping the
combination of the ceremony, final regular season game and playing Salmon Arm will fill the
Cominco Arena on this special occasion.
The 1939 World Champion Trail Smoke Eaters
Back row from left : Bunny Dame, Benny Hayes, Joe Benoit, O.H. Nelson (Manager), J.F.
Ahearne (IIHF Chairman), Tom Johnston, Jimmy Haight, Mel Snowdon,
Front row : Duke Scodellaro, Mickey Brennan, Dick Kowcinak, Ab Cronie, Jimmy Morris,
Johnny McCreedy, Buck Buchanan.
The 1961 World Champion Trail Smoke Eaters
Top row - l to r Eric Hewitt (vice pres.), Gordon Sharp (dir), Don Matheson (dir), Ed
Cristofoli, George Ferguson, Darryl Sly, Dr. Jack Colbert (team doctor), Bruce Hogle (dir),
James Cameron (pres)
Middle row - Harry Smith, Cal Hockley, Don Fletcher, Harold Jones, Frank Turik, Dave
Rusnell, Walt Peacosh, Joe Garay (trainer), Ugo DeBiasio, (mgr, sec treas)
Front row - Marshall Anselmo (asst. trainer), Addie Tambellini, Norm Lenardon, Gerry
Penner, Seth Martin, Hugh McIntyre, Laurie Bursaw, Bobby Kromm (coach)
Missing - Jackie McLeod, Claude Cyr, Mike Legace