COLUMN: Carillon Flashback – April 8, 1970 – Former Huskies greats a big hit at family day

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/02/2023 (860 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was Centennial Family Day at the Steinbach Arena and nearly 1,000 people showed up to see former hockey greats tripping over their skate laces, four dozen figure skaters doing their stuff and a host of outstanding minor hockey players receiving trophies, as Steinbach celebrated the end of a busy winter season and Manitoba’s 100th birthday.

The day started at 10 a.m., with the youngsters enjoying broomball and an afternoon of pleasure skating and minor hockey games.

In the evening Mayor L.A. Barkman and Steinbach Recreation Commission Chairman Henry Braun brought greetings from the town to kick off the the official Manitoba Centennial Family Day activities at 7 p.m.

Mayor Barkman put on his skates for the first time in some 30 years, but must have used up all his energy in navigating two laps around the rink during the pleasure skating period in the afternoon, and was unable to suit up with his former Huskies teammates for the oldtimers’ game in the evening.

The game was the highlight of the evening program, and for most of the players on the ice, it was the most fans they had ever played before. Nobody mentioned that the sellout crowd that showed up to help Steinbach celebrate the province’s 100th birthday, was not there to watch these old stars in action.

Like the mayor, many of the players out there had hung up their skates decades ago and the lack of skill added to the enjoyment of the evening. At least two players fell flat on their backs as they stepped on the ice but, as a whole, the players showed amazing agility in spite of their advancing years.

Nearly all of them had played for the Steinbach Huskies around 1938 and 1939, and it was a rare get-together for these aging hockey greats.

The presence of former coaches Charlie McBurney and Ron Kreutzer, and goal judges Fred Barkman and Dan (Doc) Toews, made the game doubly realistic. Jake Peters wearing an original 1939 Steinbach Huskies uniform added to the nostalgia of the evening.

As it was, the Blues whipped the Whites 2-1, despite some fancy footwork by goalie Aaron Kroeker, who was hampered by tight equipment and no skates,

A good natured brawl near the end of the game was thoroughly enjoyed by fans and players alike.

No record was kept of the goal-scorers, but coffee shop talk the next morning seemed to indicate that a lot more than a total of three had been scored.

Arena managers Art Topnik and Ed Plett shut down the ice plant following Family Day activities, officially marking the end of a very busy 1969-70 winter season.

Approximately 450 boys participated in the minor hockey program, 100 girls took figure skating lessons, several senior hockey teams used the rink for games and practices, and many families enjoyed the facility for pleasure skating.

– with files from Abe Warkentin