The hockey career of the colourful Dutch Wheeler covers a quarter of a century and his natural ability can be compared with any of the great players spawned in his ” hockey hot bed” that is Collingwood.

Learning to skate the day after he took his first walking step, Dutch was starring for the old Central Tigers in the Junior Town League at the age of then, and before he turned fourteen he earned himself a spot on the 1934 Collingwood O.H.A. Junior “A” division. Collingwood’s Charlie Sandell also made the team.

Dutch starred with the Biltmores for three years in 1938, 39 and 40.

From Guelph, he went to the Barrie Colts with another Collingwood Boy, Robbie Sandell.

He enlisted with the Canadian Army in 1941 and played out of Newmarket for three years with the Canadian Army team. That team won the interservice championship against the Royal Canadian Navy in 1944. His team mates included Bill Taylor, Bep Guindon, Check Shannon, Bill McComb and Johnny Callaghan.

It was back to Collingwood after the war in 1946. He performed for the Shipbuilders in the O.H.A. Intermediate “A” series for two years and then hopped over to  Midland for one season in 1948.

The new Community Arena was built in 1948 and Dutch couldn’t stay away from the old home town with such ice facilities so close to his own back door.

About that time Eddie Bush was finishing off a great professional career and when he came back home as a coach-player, Dutch Wheeler definitely figured in Bush’s plans.

It could be said that Eddie built one of Collingwood’s greatest Intermediate teams around himself and the Dutchman.

Jack Wheeler was a key cog on a team that won two back to back O.H.A. Intermediate “A” championships in 1951 and 1952 and went to the finals against the Simcoe Gunners in 1953

Dutch and Bush both packed it up as active players the follow year.

Hockey was not his only athletic endeavour. He played a pretty fair softball game and was a member of the Trott’s Pros, twice winners of the Collingwood Senior Softball League in the fifties.

His lacrosse career lasted one season when a group tried to revive the game back in 1936.

An eight-team junior group was formed and all went well with the Collingwood team until they met the power packed Orillia club, seven times winners of the Minto Cup.

That ill fated evening in Orillia, Jack Wheeler startled the Orillia fans when he took a pass from Butch Thomson and scored ten seconds after the face-off. Then the Minto Cup holders went to work and scored thirty-two goals. The final score-32-1. That was the end of short lived Georgian Bay Junior Lacrosse League. There hasn’t been a lacrosse game played in Collingwood since.

Dutch continued his interest in hockey in an executive position with the Collingwood Senior Club during the late fifties and early sixties. This man truly earned his niche in Collingwood’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Norm Burmister was the only Collingwood born goalkeeper to make the professional ranks. He was born too soon. In this era of expansion, Normie would have no trouble catching a spot in the N.H.L.

He learned his trade on the West End mill ponds and made the Collingwood Junior O.H.A. club at the age of fifteen. One of his team mates was Reg Noble, Collingwood’s contribution to the National Hockey Hall of Fame. Another was Sailor Jim Herberts, one of the most colourful players with Boston, Toronto and Detroit, in the days when colourful hockey players were abundant.

He performed in the nets for several Collingwood junior teams until his career was interrupted by World War 1. He served in the Canadian Army for three years and on his return hitched up with intermediate and senior teams in Welland and Niagara Falls.In 1926 he turned in professional with the New York Americans and was sent to New Haven for seasoning.

His big chance came in 1928 when he was slated to move up into the “Big Time” with the Amerks. But cruel  fate stepped in and deprived Normie of his one big opportunity. Joe Ironstone was a hold-out and refused to come to terms with Big Bill Dyer, the racketeer owner of the New York team. Dyer immediately sent for Burmister, who was in training camp at Niagara Falls. On the day before he was to report, Normie broke his shoulder in a pick-up softball game. He never got the chance again and finished his professional career with New Haven in the Can-American League and Guelph and Stratford in the old Can-Pro League.

While with New Haven, he played with two other Collingwood boys, his brother Roy and Abbie Hughes. Roy and Abbie both made the N.H.L. with New York Americans.

Rusty Butters was another rugged East Enders who learned his basic hockey on Legatt’s Mill Pond.
His hockey career spanned almost two decades but his long athletic career was not confined to the winter pastime.
Rusty was an exceptionally good football player-good enough to be offered a tryout with the Balmy Beach O.R.F.U. senior team back in 1930. He didn’t accept the offer but instead went to work in the Enterprise-Bulletin. It might have been the biggest mistake of his life. Several big league football coaches were of the opinion that the big outside winger could have made it easily.
His hockey career started with the East End junior and seniors in the old Collingwood Town Hockey League and he graduated to the local O.H.A. junior entry.
For the next fifteen years he made his presence known as a hard hitting, rock ribbed defense player with Collingwood Intermediate and Senior clubs. Rusty and the late Dutch Cain, the King of the body checkers, struck terror into the hearts of opposing forwards for a number of years. Dutch dropped them like stones with his wizardly body checks and the two hundred-pound Rusty crunched then into or over the boards.
Butters had the privilege of playing with such Collingwood hockey greats as Rabbi Fryer, Buck Walton, Jack Burns and Wink Foulis, when this formidable quartette was finishing off their careers in the thirties.
His one and only championship medal came in 1939 when the Collingwood Shipbuilders won the O.H.A. Intermediate “A” title.
Rusty played his last hockey game in Kingston in 1947 when the Shipbuilders were eliminated in the O.H.A. Senior “B” semi-finals round.
At the urging of Red Farrel, he took to refereeing in the O.H.A. and wound up by handling a hundred or so games in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior series before hanging up his skates in 1955.
His track and field career was short but despite his two hundred-pounds stocky stature, Rusty could step the 100 yard sprint in eleven seconds.
A good swimmer and a cracking fine diver, he won the annual Collingwood Aquatic Meet senior diving title three years in a row in the early thirties.
A hard hitting second baseman in the old Collingwood Senior Softball League, hit fifteen home runs in 1931 to help Huck Caesar’s Beavers win the championship. He had a short fling at lacrosse in 1937 on Collingwood’s last lacrosse team.

Albert, or Ab as he was better known, was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 20, 1992, in the players category.

He was born in Collingwood, May 1, 1933 and at the time of his election to the Hall he was living in Collingwood with his wife Gladys.  They had three
children. Albert attended Collingwood Connaught Public School and Collingwood Collegiate Institute.

The list is long for this multi-sports athlete, thus the reasons for naming Ab to
the Hall of Fame.

A summary of his career is seen in the following:

– 1946-1960  Hockey

– 1947-1959 Baseball

– 1948          High school Track & Field

– 1960-1967 Fastball

He played juvenile hockey in 1949-50 moving up to Junior ”C” to be coached by Jack Portland and winning the OHA’s Junior “C” title.  Continued his “C” career until 1953 having played on all four Junior ”C’ Greenshirt championship teams-1949 -50 with Jack Portland; 1950-51, 1951-42, 1952-53 with Eddie Bush. In 1953-54, he played on the Collingwood Intermediate Hockey Team. In 1954-55, Ab was a member of the Meaford Knight’ Intermediate Hockey Club going to the OHA final before being ousted by Tillsonburg in the seventh game.

During the 1949-50 season while playing juvenile hockey he was scouted by Bob Davison, chief scout of the Toronto Maple Leafs and signed to an Option “C” form.
The following year he attended the Toronto Marlboro Junior “A” Hockey Team’s camp at Maple Leaf Gardens.

In fastball, he played on local teams until 1957 when he joined the Stayner Motormen’s OBA Intermediate club helping the team win the provincial title.  In 1958 and 59 he went to OBA finals with Stayner and the Collingwood Lions.  He also played with the Midland Indians and the Creemore Red Sox.  He ended his ball career playing with Collingwood clubs sponsored by GM Motors and the Tremont Hotel.

In 1948, while attending Collingwood Collegiate Institute he completed in junior boys’ track and field becoming the junior school champion in three events (880 yard dash, 440 yard and 220 yard) and finished second I the 100 yard dash.  He was named the overall junior champions.

Ab worked at the Collingwood Shipyards as a draftsman until the yard closed in 1986.

In Jan 2023, the Albert passed away in his hometown, Collingwood.

Eddie Young joins his brother, “Porky” in the Hall of Fame and this will be the eighth time that brother acts have graced this charmed circle of Collingwood athletes.

Eddie was born in Collingwood and like most hockey members of the Hall of Fame, came all the way up through the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association from Novice to Juvenile.

After his graduation from minor hockey status, he played one year with the Collingwood Junior “B” Blues. He led the team in scoring for defencemen and the following season was snapped up by the Guelph Biltmore’s where he performed exceptionally well in Junior “A” company for three consecutive years.

For the next three seasons, Eddie was regarded as one of the top senior “A” players with Port Colbourne, Niagara Falls and Hamilton. During World War II he enlisted and played on army championship teams with Brampton and Camp Borden.

Following his discharge from service, Edie was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was assigned to the Central Pro League with Tulsa and Houston, where he performed for four years. His active pro career came to an end in 1959 when he returned to Port Colbourne for three seasons as playing coach.

Eddie Young was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 11, 1986.

In Collingwood’s rich sporting history, Ron’s nickname “King” is acknowledged as one of the most used sports’ monikers in Collingwood. Born in Singhampton on November 6, 1936, Ron has lived in Collingwood since 1946. Ron has one daughter Polly and three grandchildren who continue to reside in Collingwood with Ron. A graduate of Victoria Public School and Collingwood Collegiate, Ron continued his studies at the Ontario Fire College – Gravenhurst where his distinguished firefighting career included Fire Chief for the Town of Collingwood. Ron’s passion for sports ensured his year-round participation. However, he excelled in hockey and baseball where his triumphs have resulted in his induction as a member of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 12, 1998 in the Players’ category.

In 1965, Ron was a member of the Collingwood Shipbuilders OHA Senior B Championship. On the ball diamond, Ron’s Stayner Motormen won the 1957 OBA Intermediate A Championship. Ron’s active interest in the fine details of the game allowed for his easy transition as a coach of the 1976 & 1977 Kinsmen Midget baseball teams. Additionally, Ron has worked behind the sporting scenes as a 17 year member of the Collingwood Parks and Recreation Board, Past President and Life Member of the Collingwood Kinsmen Club, and original member of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame acting as a Director for many years. Ron played an instrumental role in the creation of Old-timer Hockey and the Masters Division Slo-pitch in Collingwood.

In 1958, he won the Dr. John C. Findley Trophy. The Dr. Findley Trophy is an award presented annually to the athlete adjudged to be the keenest and best competitor in the Town of Meaford. That year, the special citation read “To the little man with the big heart.” That single line is the life story of Collingwood born – Barney Walmsley.

Pound for pound . . . and he never weighed more than 135 of them. . .  Barney was one of the best and gamiest athletes ever to come out of Collingwood’s East End, and there were many games ones spawned in the shadow of the old Connaught School.

He excelled at every game he played; hockey, baseball, softball, football, track and field and even table tennis. Barney played them all and won them all – well and clean.

There are not many stick handlers left in the game of hockey. The stick handler has been discouraged in this era of hit, charge and shoot but Barney can be classed as one of the last of the good ones.

He had everything but weight on the ice with the big fellows. He weaved in and out of the tight corners like an eel, could attain full flight in three strides, could thread a needle from the port or starboard side with a flicking but powerful wrist shot, could lay a pass on a teammate’s stick from blue line to blue line, rarely lost a face-off and never, stopped trying and hustling.

Born on January 15, 1931, Barney skated a few days after he learned to walk.

His hockey career started with the formation of the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association back in 1945 when that organization boasted only four junior teams. He played centre for theEast End and made the first All-Star team the first-time out. He was fourteen and he tipped the scales at exactly 90 pounds, shoulder pads and all.

He jumped up to Midget O.M.H.A. in 1946 and was bitterly disappointed when Hap Emms’ Barrie Club beat them out in the group finals and went on to win the provincial title. Lindsay put the Collingwood team out in 1947 in a tough overtime game and the following year the whole team stepped up into Juvenile ranks. The club went to the finals.

The following year, the Juvenile Cubs won the Ontario title without losing a game. Barney scored 35 goals and set up plays for 81 more.

The following year, Barney and Len Cook went to the St. Louis training camp and St. Louis sent them to the Barrie Colts, a Junior “A” club, coached by Hap Emms.

Emms was very much impressed with Walmsley but he said “Barney you are good enough for any Junior “A” Club right now but you are too small for professional hockey.” The kid was naturally disappointed but he passed up the Junior “A” chance and came back to Collingwood.

That was the beginning of the long reign of the Collingwood Greenshirts. They won the Ontario Junior “C” title four years in a row.

In 1950, Barney scored 50 goals and at the end of the season, Baldy Cotton, chief scout for the Boston Bruins, asked him to sign with Waterloo in the Junior “A” loop. He was offered a contract but he couldn’t sign because he property of the St. Louis Flyers.

After a great deal of thought, he reasoned that there was no 103 pounders in the NHL and he came back to Collingwood.

He helped the Greenshirts to another title and moved up to the Intermediate ranks under Eddie Bush in 1952 when the Shipbuilders on the provincial championship for the second year in a row.

It was quite a season for Barney. He lost all of his front teeth in the group final against Newmarketbut he never missed a game.

In the Ontario final against the Simcoe Gunners, it was Barney who put the icing on the cake in the fifth game. He scored the cup-winning goal on a pass from Eddie Bush before the end of the 10 minute overtime period. The Gunners turned the tables on the Shipbuilders in the 1953 final.

After another year in Collingwood, he received offers from Orillia, St. Thomas and Meaford. He took Meaford because it was closest to home. Meaford reached the Intermediate “A” finals in the next two years and won the OHA Senior “B” title in 1958.

Barney had played in the OHA Junior, Intermediate and Senior finals for eight consecutive years. Meaford went to the Senior “B” final  again in 1963 and two years later Walmsley was back to Collingwood.

The Shipbuilders went to the Senior “A” final in 1965 and Barney moved back to Meaford to finish out his active playing days. He played hockey with the Oldtimers until 1982.

Barney was a slick fielding baseball player and was a member of the Collingwood team which won the Ontario Midget title in 1946. He later played O.B.A. baseball with Collingwood and in the Intermediate ranks with Thornbury, Orillia, Stayner, Creemore and Meaford. His athletic ability was not confined to hockey and baseball as he starred on high school basketball, soccer and football teams. In a Tudhope Track and Field Meet in 1946, he competed in five events and finished with a first, two – seconds and a third.