Felix Lavalee – Athlete
Felix LaVallee found success on the ball diamonds of Prince Albert and the hockey rinks of his hometown and Western Canada.
On the diamond, Felix got his first sniff of championship glory while playing with the Legion team in the
Prince Albert Little League in 1957. The Legion team made it to the provincial playoffs before ending their season.
It was not until 1960 that Felix won his first of many provincial titles. Playing with the Lions juvenile baseball team, Felix was part of a Saskatchewan champion.
He played with the Parkland Builders fastball team from 1963-66 and won two Saskatchewan Senior B titles. The first came in 1963 and the next in 1965. The Parkland Builders teams of those years were previously inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1966 Felix earned an individual honour being named an all-star first baseman in the Prince Albert Senior B fastball league. Then it was team glory again in 1967 when the Corrigal Seals won the city championship.
On the ice, Felix played junior hockey with the Prince Albert Mintos in 1961-62. But, he also played with the Prince Albert midget Mercury team that won the provincial championship.
From 1963-65 Felix played junior A hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He was named the Wheat Kings’ rookie of the year in 1963-64 as well as a league all star on a Manitoba league championship team. In 1964-65 Felix was again a league all-star.
His hockey career then took him to Spokane. Felix played with the Jets in the Western International League from 1965-68. Felix was named the team’s rookie of the year in 1965-66. In his final season in Spokane, the Jets won the Savage Cup, emblematic of the league champions.
From 1968-77, Felix played with the Cranbrook Royals of the WIHL. He was named a league all star in 1970-71 and the team competed in the Ahearne International tournament in Europe. In 1973-74 the Royals were runners-up for the Allan Cup.
In 1981-82 Felix competed at the oldtimers hockey World Cup in Toronto for the East Kootenay oldtimers’ hockey team.
Felix is joined this year in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame by brothers Floyd (Athlete) and Tom (Builder).
The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Felix LaVallee in the Athlete category.
