Fourteen movers-and-shakers in the hockey world will be inducted into the Shawville Hockey Wall of Fame July 21.
The induction ceremony will pay tribute to such iconic stars, both locally and nationally, as 1920s Ottawa Senators star Frank Finnigan, official Blaine Angus, builder Bryan Murray and player Terry Murray.
The co-ordinator of the induction ceremony is hockey scout, author and aficionado Grant McCagg, a Shawville resident who grew up in Renfrew.
For a town of about 1,500 people, McCagg says Shawville has certainly put itself on the hockey map, and the induction ceremony is a way of recognizing that excellence.
“I just hope it’s a reminder of how rich a hockey history this town has, which we should be proud of,” he said.
“And hopefully it’s an inspiration for younger kids, who can realize you don’t have to be from the big city to accomplish something in the game.”
Players like Frank Finnigan are easy selections, says McCagg, given not only his prowess as a player with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League in the 1920s, but his role in helping bring the Senators back to the national capital.
Finnigan’s No. 8 was retired by the Senators in 1992.
“Frank Selke Sr. said Frank (Finnigan) was the best defensive forward he’d ever seen,” said McCagg.
The Saturday, July 21 induction ceremony gets underway with a barbecue dinner at 6 p.m. at the Shawville Arena.
The $20 tickets are available at local retail stores, at the event, or by calling 1-819-647-1024.
Three Murrays are among the inductees.
Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray, who was the NHL coach of the year with Washington in 1983-84, has gone on to GM postings with Detroit, Florida, Anaheim and Ottawa
As an NHL coach or general manager for 31 consecutive years, Bryan Murray’s a shoo-in for the wall of fame.
Brother Terry Murray made his NHL debut with the California Golden Seals in 1972, before also playing with Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington in a 302-game NHL career. He also won back-to-back Eddie Shore Awards as the American Hockey League’s best defenceman in the late 1970s before cracking the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup on a regular basis.
Terry and Bryan Murray’s nephew, Tim, is also being inducted, as a builder. Tim’s NHL days started as an amateur scout with Detroit in 1993-94 before joining the Florida Panthers in 1994. His NHL involvement has included being in charge of the Anaheim Ducks’ amateur draft and college free agents, and assistant GM with the Ottawa Senators.
GIBSON AND HORNER
Other builders being inducted are Bill Gibson and Keith Horner. Gibson is best remembered as Shawville’s pre-eminent hockey builder. For a decade, in the 1940s and 1950s, he sponsored, coached and managed the Shawville junior hockey club. McCagg says he was also a major reason Shawville became a senior hockey power in the ‘50s and ‘60s, thanks to Gibson’s outstanding junior program and ability to develop young talent.
Horner managed and coached the Shawville seniors from 1957 until Bryan Murray took over the coaching duties in 1968.
Horner helped lead the Pontiacs to the Upper Ottawa Valley Hockey league championship and a berth in the Ottawa district intermediate finals in 1958-59.
Other than Terry Murray and Finnigan, players being inducted into the wall of fame are 1930s Toronto Maple Leaf Erwin ‘Murph’ Chamberlain; Marc Rodgers of the QMJHL champion Verdun College Francais; and Bristol-born Bill Cowley who played with the St. Louis Eagles and Boston Bruins and was the NHL most valuable player in 1940-41 and 1942-43. Other player inductees are Hardy Cup champion Carson Ryan; Cahill Shield winner Lindsay ‘Red’ Dale; Earl Powell, 1969 Ottawa intermediate champion and captain of several Shawville senior teams in the 1950s through 1970s; and Royce Richardson.
Richardson was an inaugural member of the Shawville Pontiacs in 1954 who played with the team until it folded in 1975.
A multiple scoring champion, he was an MVP in Upper Ottawa Valley senior and intermediate leagues.
The only official being inducted is Blaine Angus. He worked as a linesman in the American Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1985 to 1988.
He went on to officiate, as a referee, in 444 NHL games, from 1991 to 2006. His career highlights included officiating at the 1991 world junior championships, 1995 Spengler Cup, several NHL playoff games, and the 2004 NHL all-star game.
The July 21 induction ceremony will be emceed by Dave Schreiber, the radio voice of the Ottawa Senators and Ottawa 67’s. Music will be supplied by DJ Chris Godin.
The doors open at 4 p.m. The barbecue dinner gets underway at 6 p.m.
Hockey supporters of all ages are welcomed.
“It’s a celebration of hockey,” said McCagg. “And there will be some great, old hockey stories flying around.”
steve.newman@metroland.com