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GEORGE “TRAINER” MONTGOMERY

George “The Trainer” Montgomery was a pint sized man with the heart of a lion and the courage of a wounded wolverine.

Suffering from chronic asthma from the day of his birth, George tried his best but his
physical handicap prevented him from making an organized team.

However, “The Trainer”, as he was affectionately called by his host of friends, made a scientific study of every sporting event. He was an absolute authority on the statistics of hockey, baseball and football.

But his specialty was organization. George was the moving force behind the founding
of the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association back in 1946. He pounded on doors,
pestered the life out of pockets and peddled fund raising raffle tickets.

But he made Collingwood fans minor hockey conscious and laid the foundation for an
organization that now boasts the control of 400 young hockey players in five leagues, plus the sponsorship of Tyke, Novice, Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget and Juvenile teams representing Collingwood in the vast Ontario Minor Hockey Association. George Montgomery needs no stone commemorate his tireless efforts. The Collingwood Minor Hockey Association is his monument.

His proudest hour came in 1949 when his Collingwood Clubs won the O.M.H.A. Juvenile title. That was the greatest kid team to ever wear Collingwood colours and
every player came step by step up through the hockey organization he founded and help develop.

During his comparatively short lifetime, he served as President of the Collingwood
Minor Hockey Association, the Collingwood Hockey League, Collingwood Softball
League and served as director on several baseball clubs and the short lived Collingwood Lacrosse Club, back in the hungry thirties. This great little man died too soon-far too soon.

ROBERT RING

Robert Ring has served as a coach and in several capacities in the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association’s executive.

As a defenseman in his minor hockey years here, he has the distinction of playing on two CMHA teams that won provincial titles. In recent years, Ring has served as Collingwood’s representative on the Georgian Bay Minor Hockey Association and was appointed district rep for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association in 1994-95.

The OMHA chose “Ringo” as its prestigious Honour Award winner for 1994-95, recognizing him for his tireless volunteer work in minor hockey.

He has also been an active member in adult baseball as president of the North Dufferin Baseball League in Collingwood and was credited with bringing back minor
baseball to this town in the late seventies.

Robert’s 20 years of dedication and volunteer work with minor hockey was also recognized earlier this year when he received the Order of Collingwood.

Robert Ring was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame, in the builders’ category, in 1996.

CHRIS STOUTENBURG

Chris Stoutenburg’s was an all-around athlete that excelled in football, basketball, golf, track and field. During his senior year at CCI, many Canadian Universities scouted his football talents with Guelph ultimately being selected as Chris’s choice to wear their colours for the coming season.

In 1997, after sustaining a spinal cord injury, Chris refocused his athletic talent into the sport of wheelchair basketball where he has never looked back! A life-long Collingwood resident, Chris has become a collector of gold – gold medallions! Within 2 years, Chris became a member of the national team in 1999, Chris’s national team athletic career is represented by two Paralympic gold medals   (2000-Sydney & 2004-Athens) and one silver medal (2008 –Beijing; a world championship and Wheelchair Basketball Canada All Star (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008).
Today, a recent retiree from the national wheelchair basketball program, Chris has begun to focus his energies towards sledge hockey.Away from the world of athletics, Chris dedicates himself towards for the seamless integration of disabled persons into society. As a spokesperson on Accessibility and Paralympic Sport, Chris represents Canada Basketball, Sunnybrook “Life after Injury” and Breaking Down Barriers. Annually, he is the featured guest speaker at 20+ engagements annually.

In 2008, Chris’s services were called upon as he was the honorary chair of the 2008 Ontario Paralympic Winter Championships held in Collingwood. In his words, “never stop keep making people aware of disabilities but don’t hesitate to beat the odds yourself, make yourself important and build the muscles that still work and find another way.” Unquestionably, words that have driven Chris Stoutenburg to his incredible number of achievements in Paralympic sport. His international successes in Wheelchair Basketball have made Chris Stoutenburg a global ambassador for the Town of Collingwood.

TOM COLLEY

The Collingwood Shipbuilder’s began their climb towards ‘Senior A’ supremacy with the arrival of Tom Colley for the 1981-82 season.

At the age of 8, Tom’s tasted his first of 6 consecutive league championships in AAA
in the Toronto M.T.H.L. During each season, Tom’s reputation as a goal scorer
grew as he tallied 55 to 92 goals per season.  TC’s goal scoring continued throughout a two year stint with the Weston Dodgers in Jr. B followed by another two years of 20+ goals in the OHA playing for the Niagara Falls Flyers and Sudbury Wolves.

Eventually, Tom Colley was the fourth choice of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft and turned pro in 1973 with the New Haven Nighthawks, where he would spend the next seven years. Colley played one NHL game in 1974.  During his illustrious AHL career he earned the nickname as Mr. Nighthawk as he routinely potted 30+ goals while wearing the “C” from 1977 through 1980. This consistency was recognized in 1998 when he was honoured by New Haven as one of the city’s greatest hockey players.

In 1981, Collingwood welcomed its first legitimate goal-scorer in many years. Immediately, goaltenders across the Georgian Bay loop felt the warmth of the ‘red’ light behind them as Tom averaged 1.5 points per game for the next 5 seasons. He led the league in scoring during the 1982-83 while the Shipbuilder won the Major Int. “A” Champions coming in second place in the province behind Timmons.

In 1985-86, upon the completion of the Shipbuilder season, Tom was signed by the Dundas Real Coys to compete in the Hardy Cup. Not surprisingly, Tom provided some clutch short-handed and power-play goals as the Real Coys captured the the Hardy Cup. Like most champions, Tom ended in competitive hockey career going out in style by winning the OHA Senior “A” title 4-games-to-2 against the Dunnville Mudcats of the Southern Ontario league.

Fortunately, Tom Colley stayed in the Collingwood area upon his retirement as chose to share his talents as a Collingwood Minor Hockey coach progressing to the coaching staff of the Collingwood Blues – Ontario Tier 2 Provincial Jr. ‘A’ , serving as an assistant in two separate stints with the club. Consistent with his playing career, Tom coached his teams to multiple Silver Stick Championships and league titles. Not surprisingly, his induction supported by many heartfelt testimonials from his coaching career.

Away from the rink, Tom’s baseball prowess resulted in an invitation to the 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates training camp. Following his hockey career, Tom was a valued member of the Provincial Champion – Collingwood John’s Car Wash Slo-Pitch team that represented Ontario in the 1989 & 1993 Slo-Pitch Nationals.

Alongside his son Kevin Colley, Tom Colley’s induction marks the fourth time a parent-child has been represented in the Collingwood Sport Hall of Fame.

JOHN FREUDEMAN

John was born in Guelph, Ontario on October 28, 1935, and at the time  of his election to the Hall he was living in Collingwood, with his wife Betsy  and their three children.

Following his schooling at Guelph, Teeswater, Wingham and the University of
Western Ontario, John moved to Collingwood in 1962.

Reasons for naming John to the Hall of Fame are many and as a builder he rates high
with all of the others in the Hall. A summary of the work and dedication of this man to Collingwood is seen in the following:

– Member of the executive of the Collingwood Ski Club

– Director of the Collingwood  Blue Mountain Golf and Country Club

– Director of the Collingwood Senior hockey club

– Director of the Collingwood Intermediate hockey club

– Manager of the all-Ontario 1974 Collingwood Juvenile hockey championship team

– Coach of many teams at Collingwood Collegiate Institute

–  Chairman of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame and principle in the building
of the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame room

– Co-chairman of many Collingwood Summerfest Slo-Pitch Tournaments.

John Freudeman was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 20,
1992, in the Builders’ category.

BRIAN JEFFERY

Considering all of the accomplishments in the golfing career of local resident Brian
Jeffery, one figure stands out when all of the numbers are compiled. Twenty-Eight (28)
holes-in-one! He’s done it at the famed Turnberry links in Scotland, twice
within two weeks earlier this year while wintering in Florida, and several
times on his home Blue Mountain Golf & Country Club. “There has to be
some skill involved, but largely it’s a lucky shot,” said the 60-year-old
Jeffery, who placed 12th at the 2004 Canadian senior amateur championships in North Bay, prior to his Induction.

Some luck and a lot of practice has helped Jeffery become the top-ranked senior amateur player (55 yrs. & up) in Ontario. He was introduced to the sport at the age of two by his grandfather, Bill Thompson, at the old Collingwood Golf Club. As a teen, he won several area tournaments and captured the Simcoe County Invitational four years running (1964-67). His father Don managed the Collingwood arena for 25 years and is in the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame for his years of hockey at the OHA Junior and Senior levels.

At just 140 pounds, Brian played junior hockey but preferred sticks of the iron variety. Jeffery would go on to work 30 years and one day at Bell Canada before retiring and getting into the senior golf ranks. Among his golfing achievements, was runner-up at the 1999 Canadian Senior Match Play Championships, 3x Ontario senior amateur title (2002, 2005 & 2008) and taking the National Senior Association title in 2003. Locally, he has claimed the Scenic Caves Invitational and Blue Mountain Golf & Country Club titles seven times each.

Jeffery credits long-time playing partner Don Cook for pushing him to be a sharper player and competitor.  “I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes,” joked Jeffery. “Just because you can see the clubhouse, it doesn’t mean you’ve won anything yet. I remember I was leading a tournament in Midland by five strokes with five holes to play and then made a 10 on one hole. Sure I lost that tournament, but I learned a lot from the experience and it helped me later.”

This evening, October 23, 2004, the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame welcomes Brian Jeffery as an enshrined member for his Athletic achievements.

ALLAN MORRILL

To say that Allan Morrill is a member of one of Collingwood’s great hockey families would be the understatement of the century. Allan will join his great uncle, Ernie “Rabbi” Fryer; his father Bobby Morrill, of the greatest amateur centre and goal scorers of all time; his two cousins, Barney Walmsley and the late Ab Kirby.

Allan’s active hockey career was far too short.  Had he chosen to continue after his junior days, he would undoubtedly have made the NHL.

He had everything –superb stick-handling ability, speed, courage and a shot that could tear out the end of a net.

His ability to score goals can be attested in his splendid goal production when the Collingwood Greenshirts won their first Ontario Junior title in 1950.

In a 15 game regular schedule he scored 25 goals and assisted on 18 more.  In the 17 game playoff series, he “lit the lamp” 21 times and was accredited with 20 assists.  That makes a total of 46 goals, 38 assists for a total of 84 points.

That year, Morrill and his team mates of Frankie Dance and Jimmy Barrett rolled up the astounding mark of 184 points.  Needless to say, Dance and Barrett are also in Collingwood’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Allan’s first provincial medal came in 1949 with Porky Young’s juvenile champions.  He was teamed with Frankie Dance and Jim Barrett that season and for the next four years the line held together to win four straight Junior “C” championships.  Morrill and Barrett also added a pair of OHA Intermediate “A”’ medals when Eddie Bush called them up to the Shipbuilders Intermediate finals in 1952 and 1953.

The Barrett-Morrill-Dance line was probably the greatest scoring combination in Collingwood’s hockey history.  Its passing plays could be described as “Poetry in Motion”.  With that combination there was no such a thing as “giving the puck away”.  Every move was made as if it was planned on the drawing board beforehand.  Dance
would lay out the pass to the point from left or right with deadly accuracy.  He did not even have to lift his head because he knew that either Morrill or Barrett would be on the receiving end and the shot on goal was automatic. That kid line accounted for 444 goals and 347 assists for a point total of 791 scoring points during the four year span they were together.

His greatest scoring feat came in the final game of the 1952 Collingwood-Ingersoll series.  Morrill scored five goals and assisted on a sixth as the Greenshirts won 7-5.  He drew a standing ovation from a crowd of 2,000 as he skated to the dressing room three minutes before the end of the game.

Allan left Collingwood for Gananoque in 1953.  He played part of a season for Kingston Seniors before calling it a career in 1954.

Allan Morrill was inducted into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame on June 11, 1986.

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.

TOM COLLINS

One of the most colourful hockey players in the history of the town.

Tom played on  Collingwood’s second Ontario Hockey Association’s team for ten years around the
turn of the century.  He was a member of the 1907 Intermediate Ontario
finalists.  He played professional hockey with Portage La Prairie and
Minneapolis.  He was also a star lacrosse player.