Category Archives: Year Inducted

LINDSAY MIDDLEBROOK

Lindsay was born in Collingwood, Ontario on September 7, 1955, the youngest of six children. He began skating at age three on an outside rink at Wasaga  Beach, Ontario.

In the summer of 1962, Lindsay moved with his family toToronto. In the fall of 1962 at age seven Lindsay began his hockey career by joining the Bert Robinson Minor Hockey League at the tyke level.

He played in this league until 1964. After winning the league championship the
first year, he played a second year of Tyke house league hockey for Bert Robinson and a third Tyke year for the Bert Robinson “Hornets”. In 1965, he switched to the George Bell Hockey Association where he played for their M.T.H.L. representative for the next three years of Minor Atom, Atom, and Pee Wee level hockey. Over the next three years, these three teams accounted for three Metropolitan Toronto Hockey League
Championships, three Ontario Minor Hockey Association Championships, a Silver Stick Hockey Championship (Port Huron, Michigan) and a Quebec Pee Wee “AA” Championships (Quebec City).

In 1968, Lindsay transferred to St Michael’s College Arena to play Minor Bantam for Toronto Olympics (M.T.H.L.) the following year playing for Foster Firebirds (M.T.H.L.) in the Bantam division. Lindsay was selected as the Toronto Telegram’s All-Star Goalie in the M.T.H.L. Lindsay enjoyed two successful seasons of Junior “B” hockey, including selection as the Western Division’s All-Star Goalie in the Junior “B” All-Star game and the All Ontario Junior “B” Championships.

In 1977, Lindsay signed as a ‘free-agent” with the New York Rangers. He split his 1st year of professional hockey between the New Haven “Nighthawks” of the American League and Toledo “Goaldiggers” of the International Hockey League, leading the “Goaldiggers” to the Turner Cup International Hockey League Championship while being voted First All Star Goalie.

The second year (1978-79) Lindsay led the New  Haven “Nighthawks” to the Southern Division Championship of the American Hockey League.

The following six years of professional hockey involved being drafted second by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1979 N.H.L. expansion draft. He split his time between the Jets and their central Hockey League Farm Team, the Tulsa Oilers. In 1981 Lindsay was names second All Star Team Goalie in the C.H.L. and in 1982 first All Star Team Goalie. Lindsay played for the Minnesota North Stars, New Jersey Devils and the Edmonton Oilers.

JIM GEORGAS

Jimmie is an ageless sports legend, a lifelong advocate for physical fitness and not surprisingly, a tenacious, fearless, no-quit competitor.

His athletic talents spans numerous decades as he dominated the sports of skiing, cycling, duo-athlete and runner.  He has won 200+ duathalons including 10+ world & 14 national and provincial masters duathalon championships.

Jimmie has won an astonishing 209 out of 257 masters cycling events that feature hill climbs, time trials, criteriums and road races. As a runner, he participated in 39races ranging from 5-10 kms. taking home 30 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals.

In addition to his membership in the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame, Jim’s accomplishments are honoured in the Owen Sound and Ontario Ski Pro Hall of Fame.

 

BERT McLEOD

Bert McLeod can qualify for Collingwood’s Sports Hall of Fame in several categories because he excelled in every game he ever tried.
As a student in the Collingwood Collegiate over seventy years ago, he won the junior, intermediate and senior athletic awards in senior athletic awards in successive years and played fullback on the C.C.I. first ruby-football team.
As a member of the Collingwood Y.M.C.A. he stared in basketball, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics, baseball and lacrosse.
Bert played on Collingwood Junior O.H.A. teams for several years and then became a key defenseman with the Collingwood Intermediate team that lost only four games in three years- winning the provincial title in 1918-19-20.
Bret moved on to Peterborough in 1921 where he led the Lift Lock City team to two O.H.A. Senior “A” championships.
He turned professional with Kansas City in the mid twenties and pioneered the game in the mid-west American city as a player and coach.
During his seven-year win three championships and was never out of the play-offs. After his long athletic career he operated a successful pharmacy in Peterborough.

DAVE TAYLOR

Davey Taylor received his first golf club on Christmas Day, 1905, in Alloway, Scotland. The club was in his stocking and he was just five years old.

He started knocking a golf ball around from that very day, and, he was still at it just 75 years later.

His greatest thrill came at 14 years of age when the family moved to the town of Troon, on Scotland’s west coast. Troon was surrounded by no fewer than six golf courses.

After serving with the First Highland Light Infantry Regiment in World War II, Davey came to Collingwood to work in the shipyard in 1923.

Since that time he has been a legend and a landmark on Collingwood golf courses. Always available, Davey never spared himself when it came to lending a helping hand to young golfer.

His golfing can be attested by the shelves of cups and trophies that adorned his comfortable home on Moberly Street. During his career in Collingwood he has won the Collingwood Senior Golf Club championship ten times.

He won the Saugeen Open in 1963, the Wasaga Beach open twice and the Collingwood Legion Trophy three times. Add the annual Shipyard tournament awards and a dozen local cups and shields and you find Davey Taylor sitting on top of a stone boast load of silver. He has ringed the cup many times on his tee shots but only once did he realize the golfer’s dream- a hole in one. His first and last ace came on a Toronto golf course back in 1931.

Par for the old Collingwood Golf Club is seventy. Mr. Taylor did not remember how many times he has pared that course. He shot a 64 at the age of 63.

He died in 1981.

PAUL SHAKES

Born in Collingwood, Paul Shakes scored one hundred goals in the novice division of Collingwood Minor Hockey, and that record still stands. Paul hockey skills caught the attention of our local junior team where he played at the midget age of 15.

Shakes was chosen 38th overall by the California Golden Seals (NHL) after accumulating 170 points in three seasons with the St. Catharines Black Hawks of the OHA. After scoring 20 goals in 1971-72 the young rearguard was voted on to the OHA  first all-star team.

A recognized fine playmaker, Paul played defense for Salt Lake City in 1972-73 where he registered a decent 42 points as a rookie pro with the WHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles. The next year he played 21 games for the California Golden Seals but was relegated to the minors for the last two years of his career before he retired in 1976 after surgery for a herniated disk.

He now has an interest in Harness Racing where he and son Brad have co-owned and trained many champions including 2002 Ontario Sires Stakes champion Meadowview Sunny.  In the same year, Meadowview Sunny was a recipient of the O’Brien Awards as the premiere 2 year old cold trotter in harness racing over a given year.

Paul was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.



PETE SWITZER

Born in Collingwood on November 14, 1930, Peter’s accomplishments in baseball and
hockey were quite impressive given his relative short career. A graduate of Victoria Public School and Collingwood  Collegiate, Peter and wife, Grace have two children Bill and Janet. A lifelong citizen of Collingwood, Peter’s untimely passing in 1973 at the early age of 43 continue through the athleticism of his son Bill and Bill’s daughter – Jodi.

Peter’s tutelage in the Collingwood Minor Hockey system returned great dividends for
the town. A member of the formidable Collingwood Greenshirts Junior C team he played a large role in 2 – OHA Championships in 1949-50 and 1950-51. In 1951-52,  he was a member of the Collingwood Shipbuilders – Intermediate A Ontario Champions. His provincial championships were not limited to hockey as Peter was a member of the All Ontario Baseball Association Midget B Champs – Collingwood Cubs.

Peter’s successful playing career is recognized by his induction as a member of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 12, 1998 in the Players’ category.

CAL PATTERSON

Born in Collingwood on July 29, 1929, Cal is a lifelong citizen of our community. A graduate of Victoria Public School and Collingwood Collegiate, Cal and his wife Lenora have five children – Wendy, Patricia, David, William and Carole.

Cal’s hockey career spanned 5 decades as a player and coach. In 1944-45, Cal began his playing career in the Town League as a South End Dynamiter ascending to the Collingwood Juveniles (1947), Collingwood Junior B Sailors (1948 & 49), Collingwood Intermediate A (1949-54 & 1955-56). He played with the Aylmer Intermediates in 1954-55 and returned to play with the Collingwood Senior B team in 1964-65. His competitive career ended in 1966 with the Senior B – Midland Flyers.

During his playing years, Cal won the Intermediate A Championships in 1951 and 1952 and OHA Senior B Georgian Bay Group Champions in 1965.

Immediately following his playing days, Cal coached the Stayner Lions to the OHA Intermediate D Championship. He also managed the Senior A – Collingwood Kings from 1967-69 and Collingwood Intermediate A team from 1972-74.

Cal is recognized for his hockey career, becoming a worthy member of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 12, 1998 in the Players’ category.

JOHN ROWE

Jack (aka John) Rowe was not only one of Collingwood’s greatest and best known athletes, at the age of 90, he was still an important cog in this town’s sporting fraternity.

Born of a pioneer Collingwood family in 1885, he was on the active sports scene for
almost three quarters of a century. Apart from numerous team sports, he will be
remembered mostly for his success as a long distance runner. He once defeated
Billy Steel in a ten-mile race at Barrie and Steel represented Canada
in the 1908 Olympics.

Jack and two other outstanding Collingwood runners, Ancil Williamson and Hec Lamont, once ran an exhibition five-mile race against the legendary Tom Longboat, Canada’s greatest distance runner. The race took place sixty-five years ago right here
in Collingwood in the old Pine Street rink. We won’t go into the details, but the
Collingwood trio running as a relay team and with the assistance of a little skull duggery, defeated the peerless Indian runner.

Jack’s best game was lacrosse. We saw him play his last game against Alliston at the
age of forty-eight. To say he held his own that evening would be a bit of an
understatement. Collingwood won the game 5-4 and Mr. Rowe scored four goals,
including the winner.

For forty years he was a landmark on Collingwood ball diamonds as a player,
manager, umpire and as president of the softball league no fewer than six
times.

He played on Collingwood’s first basketball team, re-organized and served as
president of the Town Hockey League. Few people know of his boxing ability but
he has a gold medal to prove it. In 1917, Sergeant Jack Rowe, representing the
157 Battalion, won the Fourth Canadian Division Welterweight title. Ten years
ago, at a testimonial dinner, Bill Akos presented a new trophy to Blue Mountain
Softball League. It was named the Jack Rowe Trophy. Just a small tribute to a
man who played such a major part in Collingwood’s sporting history.

SONNY ROBINSON

Sonny Robinson was a valuable member of those great Collingwood Jr.’C’ Greenshirt
teams, in 1951 -52 and 1952 – 53, which won back-to-back OHA championships.

Robinson, was the leading scorer for the a Greenshirts in the 1953-54 season before
moving on to play for the Intermediate ‘A’ Meaford Knights for two years, going
to the all-Ontario finals both times. The hard working centre man came
back to Collingwood to play for the Intermediate ‘A’ Shipbuilders in 1956 and
played for eight more seasons.

Robinson’s contributions weren’t restricted to the ice surface as he served as a volunteer at several different positions, including president and a house league coach
with the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association for 1957-79. He was responsible
for setting up a power skating school during his tenure with the CMHA.

Clarence ‘Sonny’ Robinson was inducted in the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

JACK STOUTENBURG

Jack Stoutenburg makes the Sports Hall of Fame on a bicycle. He was the top bike
racer of his days in the Georgian Bay district and probably one of the best in Canada when bicycle racing was a major sport.

Would you believe that a crowd of 3,000 came to Collingwood to watch a five mile bike race just after the turn of the century? He became prominent as a bike race almost overnight when he won surprise victory over the famed McKee brothers, Art and Jack, of Barrie in a five-mile race at Meaford.

He accumulated a case full of trophies and medals from 1904 to 1912.

Although the five-mile events was his most specialty, Jack won one & two mile events but his most important one-miler was a victory at the C.N.E. track in Toronto in 1908. He almost missed that race when he took the wrong street car from the Union Station and ended up in Scarborough. Still lugging his racing bike he finally made it with the co-operation of two or three kindly street car conductors. He was on his mark a few seconds before starting time and did not have time to procure a starter- that’s the fellow who gives the rider a shove when the starting gun is fired and Jack had to mount from a dead start. This cost him several precious seconds and by that time the field had a fifty-yard lead. But he caught them on the third lap and he won the race
by the width of a bicycle tire They say it was the greatest mile bike race ever witnessed at the C.N.E. grounds but another sporting event got he headlines that day. It seems that on that same afternoon, Tommy Longboat, the peerless Canadian Indian runner, won a fifteen- mile foot race against the great Alfie Shrubb of England.

Jack Stoutenburg continued racing bikes until 1912. Not because he was physically
finished. He just ran out of competition. Jack passed away in his 90th year.