Greenwood Hockey History Display

1951-Greenwood-High-School-Hockey-Team

Greenwood High School Bruins – 1951. Back row: Mr. Yakalec (coach), Tom Uyeyama, Shig Uyeyama, Masamitsu Oye, Roland Fritz, Gord MacPhail, Tom Madokoro, Ichio Miki (injured). Front row: John Sano, Bob Miyaishima, Nobby Hatanaka, Susumu Shinde

 

Did you know that former Greenwood athlete Eugene Peacosh (1966), was part of the famous Edmonton Oil Kings in the mid-60s that won the Memorial Cup twice along with famous players like Pat Quinn (’63), Glen Sather (’63) and Jim Harrison (’66)? He played for the Johnstown Jets where all the donnybrook happened. Thus, the movie Slap Shot was born. In 1977, Eugene signed with the WHA Edmonton Oilers, but he was traded soon after to the Indianapolis Racers for Bryan Campbell, but as part of the team in association with Wayne Gretzky!

Did you know that the Boundary Hockey League was the first league formed in BC in 1908, and the first hockey trophy given out? The Phoenix (BC) Hockey Club challenged for the Stanley Cup in 1911 when the team won the McBride Cup, BC and International championship. The reply came too late! The famous brothers, Lester and Frank Patrick, started a league on the west coast that was called the Pacific Coast Hockey Association in 1911, and the B.H.L. teams like Greenwood, Grand Forks, and Phoenix were the unofficial farm teams of the P.C.H.A.

SHS-GHS-TIGERS-'45

SACRED HEART SCHOOL-GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS – 1945. Front: 1. Showney Higashi 2. Anthony ‘Toots’ Fukumura 3. Hisashi Matsuzaka
4. Tosh ‘Mac’ Shigematsu 5. Yosh Aura 6. Gus Nose 7. Isao Yonemitsu
Back: 1. Tommy Tanaka 2. Tosh Tanaka 3. Kiyoshi ‘Coyote’ Shimizu 4. Terry
Takeuchi 5. Fusao ‘Jinks’ lmai 6. Paul Nakamichi 7. ‘Sockeye’ Fujino
Photo: Courtesy of Francis Nakagawa. Player Identification: Yosh and Fumi Aura

 

In 1942, many Nikkei families were sent to ghost towns in the Boundary-Kootenay district.  Young men found a new passion for hockey as they only played basketball and baseball on the west coast. Sacred Heart School and Greenwood High School formed three teams called the Hep Cats, Bruins and Tigers. In the 50s, the senior team was first called the Monarchs, but they later became the Dynamiters. One diminutive player who was captain of the Monarchs, Martin Aura, was given a try-out with the Penticton Vees. One of the Warwick brothers handed him a Russian leather helmet and said, “Hey kid, you’ll need this.”

Why do Paul, Steve and Martin Kariya, Dusty Imoo, Dustin Blyflugien, Jim Harrison, Grant Rezansoff, and as mentioned Eugene Peacosh all have a Greenwood connection?  Visit the Greenwood Museum in May and view the Greenwood Hockey History display with all the answers! A mannequin will be outfitted with the old team jersey and equipment. Have you ever seen a dented athletic support?  The museum has much more!   Greenwood Museum is located on 214 Copper Street and the phone number is: 1.250.445.6355.