B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame
to induct five stalwarts
Two outstanding players, coach, scout and play-by-play broadcaster to be honoured
Broadcaster Jim Hughson
Photograph by: Arlen Redekop - PNG, The Province
By Gordon McIntyre
The Province
February 1, 2012
Jim Hughson had once hoped to make it to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame as a player.
"Those hopes were dashed early," the main play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada said.
Hughson, Scott Niedermayer, Rob Brind'Amour, Leafs scout Scott Carter and longtime builder of hockey in B.C. Dr. Bob Hindmarch, were unveiled on Tuesday as the 2012 inductees to the provincial HHOF at a ceremony in Penticton on July 27.
Hughson, who lives in White Rock, got his start broadcasting junior Flyers games in his hometown of Fort St. John as an 18-year-old, before moving on to jobs in Dawson Creek, Penticton, Kelowna, Merritt - and even Brandon, Man.
"There aren't many guys in my position who have done that," the 55-year-old Hughson said.
Hughson did his first radio broad-cast of a Canucks game in the fall of 1980 - a 4-1 loss in Montreal - for CKNW, subbing for Jim Robson, who was doing a TV play-by-play.
His first TV broadcast was in 1982. Having called 100-plus hockey games in many years, his life-time tally must be in the thousands, although he's never kept count.
"I'm always worried more about the game next week rather than the game last week," he said. "There have been some great memories, I don't suggest that's not the case.
"But I've never been one for accumulating milestones."
Niedermayer, a Cranbrook native, is seeing how the other half lives now, chauffeuring his four boys to various hockey tournaments in Southern California.
"I'm having a good time and a new respect for how hard it is to be a full-time parent," he said by phone.
"B.C. is home, a lot of good memories growing up there, playing hockey all over the province, obviously a lot in the Kootenays, and then playing junior hockey in Kamloops.
"I played with so many great players, right from the time I was a mite. That was probably why, at the end of the day, I'm getting these honours."
Hindmarch, of Nanaimo, has been instrumental in B.C. hockey for a long time. A one-time coach of the T-Birds, he worked with Father David Bauer to establish the nation-al team at UBC and is in the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.
One of the things he helped introduce was the mandatory use of helmets in B.C. for young players in 1961.
"Someone told me this and I find it interesting," he said. "They brought in protection for genitalia in about 1920 and we brought in helmets in 1961.
"It shows where most men thought the most important part of their bodies were."
Brind'Amour, from Campbell River, said his induction is a pleasant surprise.
"I'm really honoured, to be honest with you," he said. "I never expected anything like it.
"It's been a while since I played hockey in British Columbia, but it's obviously where I got my start.
"I've got some great memories of there."
twitter.com/gmacsports
© Copyright (c) The Province
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Hockey+Hall+Fame+induct+five+stalwarts/6083319/story.html#ixzz1l9AxBz9M
.
to induct five stalwarts
Two outstanding players, coach, scout and play-by-play broadcaster to be honoured
Broadcaster Jim Hughson
Photograph by: Arlen Redekop - PNG, The Province
By Gordon McIntyre
The Province
February 1, 2012
Jim Hughson had once hoped to make it to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame as a player.
"Those hopes were dashed early," the main play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada said.
Hughson, Scott Niedermayer, Rob Brind'Amour, Leafs scout Scott Carter and longtime builder of hockey in B.C. Dr. Bob Hindmarch, were unveiled on Tuesday as the 2012 inductees to the provincial HHOF at a ceremony in Penticton on July 27.
Hughson, who lives in White Rock, got his start broadcasting junior Flyers games in his hometown of Fort St. John as an 18-year-old, before moving on to jobs in Dawson Creek, Penticton, Kelowna, Merritt - and even Brandon, Man.
"There aren't many guys in my position who have done that," the 55-year-old Hughson said.
Hughson did his first radio broad-cast of a Canucks game in the fall of 1980 - a 4-1 loss in Montreal - for CKNW, subbing for Jim Robson, who was doing a TV play-by-play.
His first TV broadcast was in 1982. Having called 100-plus hockey games in many years, his life-time tally must be in the thousands, although he's never kept count.
"I'm always worried more about the game next week rather than the game last week," he said. "There have been some great memories, I don't suggest that's not the case.
"But I've never been one for accumulating milestones."
Niedermayer, a Cranbrook native, is seeing how the other half lives now, chauffeuring his four boys to various hockey tournaments in Southern California.
"I'm having a good time and a new respect for how hard it is to be a full-time parent," he said by phone.
"B.C. is home, a lot of good memories growing up there, playing hockey all over the province, obviously a lot in the Kootenays, and then playing junior hockey in Kamloops.
"I played with so many great players, right from the time I was a mite. That was probably why, at the end of the day, I'm getting these honours."
Hindmarch, of Nanaimo, has been instrumental in B.C. hockey for a long time. A one-time coach of the T-Birds, he worked with Father David Bauer to establish the nation-al team at UBC and is in the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.
One of the things he helped introduce was the mandatory use of helmets in B.C. for young players in 1961.
"Someone told me this and I find it interesting," he said. "They brought in protection for genitalia in about 1920 and we brought in helmets in 1961.
"It shows where most men thought the most important part of their bodies were."
Brind'Amour, from Campbell River, said his induction is a pleasant surprise.
"I'm really honoured, to be honest with you," he said. "I never expected anything like it.
"It's been a while since I played hockey in British Columbia, but it's obviously where I got my start.
"I've got some great memories of there."
twitter.com/gmacsports
© Copyright (c) The Province
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Hockey+Hall+Fame+induct+five+stalwarts/6083319/story.html#ixzz1l9AxBz9M
.