Category: 2003 Inductees

The 2003 inductees to the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame

  • 1953 Prince Albert Senior Jacks – Team

    1953 Prince Albert Senior Jacks – Team

    The Prince Albert Lumberjacks – or Jacks as they were more commonly known – had a perfect ending to a perfect season when they captured the provincial Senior B men’s softball championship in 1953.

    In the final game of the best-of-five series against the Moose Jaw Arcades, Prince Albert’s ace pitcher Ollie Fiddler tossed a no-hitter to lead the Jacks to a convincing 9-0 triumph. Just one Moose Jaw player reached base and that was on an error. The Jacks were facing elimination earlier in the day after Moose Jaw grabbed a 2-1 series lead with a 7-3 victory, but Prince Albert rebounded with a 6-2 decision before Fiddler closed the door in the final contest. Moose Jaw and Prince Albert had split the first two games with the Arcades winning the opener 5-0 before the Jacks battled back with an 8-3 verdict.

    The Jacks, who had been together as a unit for a few years, began their successful playoff run with a two-game sweep over the Riverside Royals in the city playoffs. The Jacks won the opener 4-2 and then sealed the deal with a 10-2 triumph. In the north semifinals the Jacks faced a strong team from Payton, but again the outcome was never in doubt as Prince Albert won all three meetings including a 14-2 drubbing in Game 2, a game that lasted just six innings.

    In the north final, the Jacks took on Saskatoon CNR. Prince Albert lost the first game 4-2 and the teams tied the second match 2-2 before the Jacks reeled off three straight wins – 5-2, 5-4 and 9-3 – all in one day. Fiddler once again was the deciding factor as he struck out 21 batters in 21 innings of work in the three-game sweep on the final day of the series. Fiddler pitched every playoff game for the Jacks, a feat that will likely never happen again. The win over Saskatoon then propelled Prince Albert into the provincial final against Moose Jaw.

    Members of the championship team included: Jim McDonald (manager), Dunc McKillop, Pete Rosa, Joe Nishnik, Ed Federenko, Tom Zwack, Ron Fiddler, Murray Donahue, Harold Risebrow, Tom Scott Sr. (coach), Cec Corrigal, Charlie Cowan, Stu Barden, Danny Kissel, Tom Scott Jr., Ollie Fiddler, Ray Hudson and Jim McDonald Jr. (bat boy.)

    For a team that had to travel together in an old one-ton truck, they experienced a ride that won’t be forgotten and the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame wants to ensure their place in history as they welcome the Jacks into the team category of the local shrine.

    Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

    1953 Prince Albert Senior Jacks – Team
  • 1963 & 1965 Parkland Builders Softball – Team

    1963 & 1965 Parkland Builders Softball – Team

    1963 & 1965 Parkland Builders Softball – Team

  • Lloyd Culy – Builder

    Umpires usually don’t get a lot of respect, but when you put in 50 years calling games then it is expected. Lloyd Culy is a respected umpire.

    Born in Imperial, Saskatchewan, in 1918, Lloyd was in Grade 11 when he called his first game. He went to watch a high school ball game and when there were no umpires, he volunteered. The rest, as they say, is history.

    It would be a few years later before he returned behind the plate, however. While teaching in Mirror Lake he entered a team in the Mildred Sports Day. When his team was eliminated he was asked if he would umpire games on another diamond and from that point on he was hooked. Lloyd always said his motto was, “Be fair and square leaving no room for complaint.”

    Lloyd umpired games all over the northern half of the province and was a member of the Prince Albert Umpire’s Association from 1954-1988. He certainly wasn’t perfect and had some instances when fans and players disagreed with his calls, but more times than not he would have players come up to him and say, “Good work.” He even had the experience of having one player throw dirt in his face and then 15 years later work with that same person on an umpiring crew.

    In addition to umpiring baseball and fastball, Lloyd was involved in a number of other activities. He formed a senior men’s softball team outside of Canwood known as the Dry Creek Penguins and more than 50 years later that team still exists. Lloyd coached soccer and baseball while working at the Student Residence in the 1950s and on several occasions his teams won city championships. Lloyd also coached a women’s softball team in the mid-1950s and in the 1960s he officiated at high school and minor football games.

    Lloyd was a dedicated umpire and it is because of this dedication the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is thrilled to welcome Lloyd Culy into the builder category.

    Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

    Lloyd Culy – Builder
  • Jim Leaderhouse – Meritorious Service

    Jim Leaderhouse – Meritorious Service

    For more than a quarter century there wasn’t a hockey tournament or a rod, custom and antique car show held in Prince Albert that didn’t have Jim Leaderhouse’s fingerprints all over it.

    Born in Prince Albert in 1938, Jim was raised in various locales around the province before returning to Prince Albert for his adult life. Once settled in Prince Albert, Jim wanted to become involved in the community and become involved he did.

    In 1967, Jim began his long association with the sport of hockey when he became a coach in the East Hill district of the city. In 1971, a Squirt hockey tournament was to be staged in conjunction with the annual Winter Festival and Jim was recruited to be the chairman. For six years Jim ensured this was a staple of the event, but in 1976 developmental hockey arrived on the scene and again Jim was tabbed to get a major tournament off the ground. The annual Lion’s Pee Wee and Bantam hockey tournament, which attracted teams from across Western Canada, was first held in 1977 with Jim as the chairman. Jim retained this post for the next 12 years until other commitments took him away from that level of hockey.

    While Jim was busy helping organize these tournaments, he still stayed involved with individual teams. His East Hill clubs were city champions twice from 1967 to 1975 and for the next 13 years he was a manager for a developmental team, always at the Bantam level. His coaching partner for those 13 years was Tom Lavallee and together they enjoyed a great deal of success winning the silver medal at the 1982 Saskatchewan Winter Games and twice being runners-up in provincials – in 1982 and again in 1984. They were also Centre-Four Hockey League Bantam Division champions on three occasions. For the final two years of his distinguished career, Jim moved up to the Junior B ranks where he once again managed teams coached by Tom Lavallee.

    Hockey was his preoccupation for the winter months. In the summer and early fall of every year from 1964 until the mid 1980s Jim was involved in staging rod, custom and antique car shows, first with the Coachmen Car Club and then the Oddfellows. Jim chaired these events and through them thousands of dollars was raised for Multiple Sclerosis research. It was through this pastime that Jim enjoyed fulfilling one of his dreams and that was restoring an antique car which he did with a 1940 Ford Coupe. In 1973, this car was featured in the Los Angeles magazine called the “L.A. Street Rodder.”

    Jim has often helped with sporting events in the community as his fundraising skills were second to none. Local businesses always gave freely to Jim because they knew that they would get more than fair treatment for their support. With his involvement as an organizer long behind him, Jim continues to offer his services in a variety of other ways whenever a major event is held in the city.

    The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is proud to recognize meritorious service to sport and it welcomes Jim into this category.

    Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

    Jim Leaderhouse – Meritorious Service
  • Janice Boucher – Athlete

    Janice Boucher – Athlete

    Janice Boucher has always been involved in sports. She has competed in volleyball, curling, bowling, fastball, slo-pitch, swimming and equestrian. She has enjoyed success in all ventures, but it wasn’t until she took up archery that she excelled.

    Janice got involved in the sport later in her athletic career, but for most of the 1990s she was one of the dominant female competitors in the country. Janice won her first provincial medal in 1993 when she struck gold in the FITA indoor female bowhunter release category. Janice would win that same event for the next two years along with the indoor 3-D competitions and she amassed an outstanding six straight provincial outdoor 3-D titles beginning in 1994.

    Janice’s biggest year came in 1995 when she not only won the three aforementioned provincial titles, but she also captured the FITA Canadian Regionals and established a new Canadian record at the national 3-D event. From there she went to her first world competition in Flatwood, West Virginia, and again she captured a gold medal in the female bowhunter release discipline.

    Janice continued to compete after her world championship year and she continued to claim provincial and national titles in bowhunter release and bowhunter open competitions. Janice set another Canadian record in 1997 when she topped the field at the FITA Canadian Regionals and in 1999 she not only participated in the 3-D events, but she took her best shot at target competitions. The results remained the same as she won both the FITA and Field categories, but at nationals she was third in FITA and fourth in Field.

    Janice remains active in the provincial archery scene as she holds both a judge’s certificate and is a Level 1 coach. Born in Prince Albert and the mother of three children, Janice is proud to call Prince Albert home. The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is proud to call her one of its own and it is with great pleasure that Janice is inducted into the athlete category.

    Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

    Janice Boucher – Athlete
  • David Dice – Builder

    David Dice – Builder

    The term “Builder” has never been more defined then when used in association with David Dice.

    The high school science teacher was born in Prince Albert in 1948 and after obtaining several degrees and beginning his teaching career elsewhere, he returned to his hometown in the late 1970s and the sport of track and field has never been the same.

    David’s first move was to form the Prince Albert Optimist Track Club in 1981 and for the next 18 years he was the head coach of that group. David was also the head coach of the Carlton Comprehensive High School track and cross-country teams during this time, but he still managed to find time to become an official and serve on the board of directors for Saskatchewan Athletics.

    With the interest in track and field growing in Prince Albert, David decided there were some areas that needed fine tuning so in his spare time he developed a software program known as Hy-Tec which was used to easily gather results at meets. This software package is now used province wide and also allows for easier registration of athletes.

    To complete the setting for the sport, David was instrumental in getting Prince Albert an all-weather surface and electronic eyes for the Harry Jerome Track. The finished product has made Prince Albert the preferred site for many major competitions.

    Naturally, whenever Prince Albert hosted a major event David was the only choice for the athletics competitions. David has been the chairman for track and field at the 1992 Saskatchewan Summer Games, 1999 Western Canada Summer Games and 2002 Canadian Special Olympics. He has also officiated at the 2001 Canadian and World track and field championships.

    David’s intelligence, foresight and dedication have made the sport of track and field more attractive for countless athletes and his organizational skills have been a main reason why track events are always a huge success. The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is very proud to include David Dice in its builder category.

    Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

    David Dice – Builder
  • Victor Dutka – Builder

    Victor Dutka – Builder

    Victor Dutka is a man of all seasons and where ever he has lived he has left his mark on that community.

    Born in Wakaw in 1935, Victor moved to Prince Albert in 1954 where he played ball for the Bohemians. In 1957, Victor was asked to join the Kinsmen Club and immediately he took on the responsibilities of running the minor hockey program in the winter and the Little League baseball in the summer. Victor was instrumental in getting the community clubs together to form the Kinsmen Minor Hockey Association and he also helped build Dent’s Ball Park. Victor didn’t limit his involvement to just administration as he was a coach in both sports for his time in Prince Albert.

    Victor and his family left Prince Albert in the fall of 1966 and over the next 26 years they had stops in Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, Prince Rupert, Terrace, and Edmonton. At each place Victor continued his involvement in Little League baseball as he was an umpire and assisted with other duties.

    Victor retired in 1992 and immediately moved back to the family farm outside of Shellbrook. Victor resumed his coaching career there, but it was in Shellbrook where he made his biggest impact. In 200, he and a group of individuals decided the community needed a better baseball facility and after a lot of work the dream was realized as Shellbrook now has a park that features a scoreboard, dugouts, turf, and shale base paths.

    Victor who has been a director with the Saskatchewan Baseball Association on two occasions (1965-66 and 2001 – present), was honored by that group in 1999 for his lifetime of dedication in promoting and building the sport in the province. The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame also wants to recognize Victor’s accomplishments and it is with great pride that he is inducted into the Builder’s category.