ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Doug Wilson, Hockey
“I would have been delighted to have been there,” said Chicago Black defenceman Doug Wilson. “I miss all the good stuff.”
The object of Doug’s affection was the Associated Canadian Travellers-Cities of Ottawa and Nepean Sports Dinner athlete of the year for 1977. National Hockey League duties took precedence. He has been the only defenceman so recognized, and dad, Doug, supplied the appropriate flourish accepting the award in formal attire.
The younger Doug didn’t have any other trophies to show for the 1976-77 hockey season other than the athlete of the year award. The culprit was a gimpy knee which kept him on the sidelines seven weeks. “So it as probably good we went on to the Memorial Cup. I was able to get more exposure.”
He played well in the final which matched the tree top junior clubs in a round-robin.
Chicago Hawks must have liked what they saw for they made him their first pick in the junior draft.
Wilson’s big thrill from junior days was that Memorial Cup series in Vancouver where 67’s lost a tough final game to New Westminster 5-4.
The defenceman thought that getting to the final was one of Brian Kilrea’s coaching accomplishments. “A good many thought we had no business being there, at all,” said the defenceman.
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR (GORD TRIVETT MEMORIAL TROPHY)
Joe Tunney, baseball
“I wished that my wife, Grace, and my family could have been here to share the excitement if I should win, but I wouldn’t want them to share the disappointment if someone else had won.”
That was one of the random thoughts that passed through Joe Tunney’s head that night back in 1977 when he was named Gord Trivett Memorial Trophy winner as Associated Canadian Travellers-Cities of Ottawa and Nepean Sportsmen’s Dinner sportsman of the year.
He would find that he was among “many friends” who had been faced with that predicament and have come out with no better solution than to stand alone.
Tunney got into minor baseball because his children were coming up through the system. He stayed on 16 years after his last offspring had graduated.
During his term of office Tunney had contact with Little League. Babe Ruth League and the American Amateur Baseball Congress including Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial. His governing title was president of the Eastern Ontario Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle Stan Musial Baseball Federation.
He scored a major coup when he brought the Connie Mack North Atlantic regional tournament to Ottawa in 1976. His efforts produced a historic occasion, the Connie Mack tournament moving outside the United States for the first time in history of the American Amateur Baseball Congress.
His involvement with baseball didn’t start with the Little League Baseball in 1958-59. He had baseball connections through umpiring and one of his contacts was Henri Laperrière.
“I have met him on a couple of occasions,” said Tunney talking about area baseball’s eternal enthusiast. “I’ve talked to him many times on the telephone.”
Tunney didn’t realize they were both on the sports dinner honor roll. Laperrière, who admits to 80 years, was the third man to be named to the honor, in those days, a special award.
Archery — Scott McKercher
Badminton — John Czich
Baseball — Doug Frobel
Basketball — Ingrid Kihl
Boxing — Johnny Page
Cricket — John Vaughan
Curling — Dave Merklinger, Mike Bell, Terry Potter, Glenn Jackson
Darts — Duke Astra
Equestrian — Ian Millar
Figure Skating — Kim Alletson
Fencing — Louise Leblanc
Football — Dick Bakker
Field Hockey — Laura Branchaud
Gymnastics — Peter Cobb
Golf — Eric Kaufmanis
Hockey — Doug Wilson
Handicap — Peter Palubicki
Judo — Tina Takahashi
Orienteering — Megan Piercy
Paddling — Tina Arnold
Rugby — Gord Fownes
Rowing — Bev Cameron
Softball — Claude Lafleur
Swimming — Anne Merklinger
Squash — Vic Wagner
Shooting — Steve Kelly
Skiing — Mike Nemesvary
Sailing — Tad Grygier
Touch Football — Don Belsher
Tennis — Marjorie Blackwood
Track and Field — Paul Landry
Volleyball — Paul Gratton
Wrestling — Ray Takahashi
Waterskiing — Pat Messner
Weightlifting — Terry Hadlow
Team — Ottawa 67’s
Confederation graduate Ingrid Kihl was the unintentional basketball eligibility rhubarb that has seen at least one province, Ontario, has made a change… Kihl went to Guelph after high school graduation and spent one term there, came home and joined the Rookies and that worked until playoffs… Since she was at university she was barred from playing with Rookies in any games under OBA jurisdiction. Now university players may join their old teams providing they have played no playoffs… The 1972 amateur list had a brother-sister act, Bill Merklinger’s rink leading the curlers and sister, Anne, was named top swimmer… Track and field’s representative was Paul Landry, a handicapped hearing athlete and an able runner, was a silver medallist in the Games for the hearing disabled at Caracas, Venezuela… Irish forward Gord Fownes had an interesting comment on his return after a year with Llanelli. Fownes called the rugby club, the most professional amateur rugby club he has ever seen.