Gordon Wilson – Athlete

Gordon Wilson was one of a unique group ‑ a multi‑sport athlete and coach who excelled in hockey, baseball and softball.

Born in 1923, Wilson played hockey in the winter and ball in the summer.

As a hockey player, Wilson started in the Prince Albert Church Hockey League and graduated to the Junior Blackhawks in1940. For three years he tended net for the Blackhawks with a future National Hockey Leaguer, Johnny Bower, as his backup.

Wilson served in the Second World War from 1943 ‑ 46 and when he returned to Prince Albert he played senior hockey and also officiated at Junior Minto games. Wilson gradually withdrew from the sport as a player and went into coaching where he was very successful at the pee wee and bantam levels. One of his highlights as a coach was having his son Rick on his team. Rick Wilson went on to enjoy a successful hockey and coaching career in the National Hockey League.

When it was too warm to be involved in hockey, Wilson could be found at the ball diamonds.  He played baseball for the Bohemians and Anavets ‑ for a number of years, but his greatest success came in softball where as a member of the Riverside Royals he helped the team to four Northern championships and provincial titles in 1959 and 1961. Highlights during this time included a league‑leading batting average of .456 in 1956 and a game winning grand‑slam home run against The King (Eddie Feigner) and His Court in a highly publicized exhibition game.

Wilson later turned to coaching women’s softball teams and in 1975 he guided the Browne Motor Dusters to the provincial Senior C championship.

Very active in the Royal Canadian Legion, Wilson received the award of merit for his involvement in community activities.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.