1987 BELLEVILLE SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

  • Gary Bowerman

    ATHLETE, GOLF

  • Sandford Burrows

    ATHLETE, HOCKEY

  • George Carver

    BUILDER, MEDIA

  • Walter Gerow

    ATHLETE, BASEBALL

  • Fred “Lefty” Goyer

    ATHLETE, BASEBALL

  • Vernon Goyer

    ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

  • Stanley Hagerman

    ATHLETE, BASEBALL

  • Albert “Toots” Holway

    ATHLETE, HOCKEY

  • Robert "Bobby" Marvin Hull

    ATHLETE, HOCKEY

  • Dennis Hull

    ATHLETE, HOCKEY

  • Betty Ingram

    ATHLETE, GOLF

  • William James “Peeney” Mills

    ATHLETE, BASEBALL

  • George Pepper

    ATHLETE, MOTORCYCLE RACING

  • Sarah Thompson

    ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

  • Homer "Red" Townsend

    BUILDER, MULTI-SPORT

  • Vernon Weir

    ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

GARY BOWERMAN

ATHLETE, GOLF

Born in Picton, Ontario, Gary moved to Belleville in 1951 and began playing golf at the Bay of Quinte Country Club at the age of 13. He was Junior Champion on several occasions, and Senior Men’s Club Champion in 1962. He holds the course record of 65 at the Bay of Quinte Country Club. He left Belleville in 1963, and turned professional, beginning as an assistant pro at the Islington Golf Club. In 1965 and 1966, he won the Ontario Assistant’s Championship, and in 1967 and 1976 won the Bay of Quinte Festival Pro Tournament. Gary qualified for the Canadian Open seven times, finishing as the low Canadian in 1970. In 1969, he qualified for the U.S. professional tour. His professional victories include the Pro-Am Yuma, Arizona Open in 1971, and the British Columbia Open in 1973, the year in which he was the leading money winner on the Canadian Tour. Gary later became associate professional at the Weston Golf Club in Toronto, a position he held until his untimely death in 1977 at the age of 35.

SANDFORD BURROWS

ATHLETE, HOCKEY

Born In Belleville, Ontario, Sanford “Sandy” Burrows joined the City Intermediate Ontario Hockey Association team in 1903. He played with the team for two of the most exciting and controversial years in Belleville’s hockey history. Sandy played and coached for a number of years, then gradually moved behind the scenes.

He was one of the eight directors who built the Belleville Arena in 1929, and he purchased it in 1937. He was elected to the executive of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1937, a position he held for seven years.

He owned the sloop “Yoda,” and the skiff “Viva,” which won the International Skiff Championship in Hamilton Bay.

With his daughter Phillipa, he won the mixed two-ball championship at the Bay of Quinte Country Club.

Upon his death in 1952, George Carver wrote of Sandy: “His many business, sports, musical, and community efforts kept him in contact with the crossroads of life in this City. Sandy was loved by all.”

GEORGE CARVER

BUILDER, MEDIA

Born in Luton, England in 1895, George was educated at the Wellington, Ontario public and high schools. In his youth, George was an active participant in many sports, and excelled at badminton, for which he won several awards in the Maritime Provinces. He was a veteran of the First World War, and while stationed at Halifax, was injured during the terrible explosion which rocked the harbour on December 6, 1917. He is remembered today for the outstanding work he did as a sports reporter for the Belleville Intelligencer from 1936 to 1968. His daily column ”Sports Slices – Rare, Medium and Well Done” was a must read for anyone interested in the daily events of the local sports scene. The columns also contained a wealth of information about the history of sport in Belleville. The highlight of his career came with his coverage of the World Hockey Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1959, when the Belleville McFarlands won the World Title.

WALTER GEROW

ATHLETE, BASEBALL

It has been said that no one knew as much about baseball as did Walter Gerow. Born in Foxboro, Ontario, Walt started playing ball at an early age, and by 1906 was playing in the city leagues in Belleville. While playing for St. Mary’s in Toronto, he was spotted by scouts who offered him a professional contract to play in Cobalt, but he turned it down and returned to Belleville. Walter played first base for the Ontario Senior Baseball Champs, the Grand Trunks in 1919, and was manager of the Nationals when they again won the title in 1928.

In 1932, Gerow shocked the local baseball community when he announced he was leaving Belleville for Napanee, where he coached the Gibbard’s Ball Club and managed the ball park and arena. In 1934, he coached the Intermediate A and Intermediate B Gibbard’s teams to Ontario Championships. In the early 1940s he moved to Kirkland Lake where he led the Toburn Mine Beavers to the Nickel Belt Baseball League Championship in 1941. He returned to Belleville in 1943, and managed the Memorial Arena until his retirement in 1960.

FRED GOYER

ATHLETE, BASEBALL

From the family of outstanding local athletes, Fred Goyer, also known as “Lefty,” was one of the best baseball pitchers ever produced in the city.

As with many of his day, Fred began playing in the city leagues in the second decade of the 20th century. He was a natural choice for mound duty when the Grand Trunks were formed in 1919. In the semi-finals of the Ontario Baseball Championship Series against the might Toronto Oslers, he struck out eighteen batters in front of four thousand fans to tie the series.

In the third and final game, he whiffed another seventeen to gain the victory, and recorded forty-five strike outs in the three game series. He received many professional offers, but waited two years before accepting an offer to play in Guelph.

He lived there the rest of his life, playing with local teams, and managing the Guelph Maple Leafs of the inter-county league.

VERNON GOYER

ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

Vernon is probably the most talented and versatile athlete ever to come out of Belleville. He has excelled at hockey, baseball, softball, and football, as well as an official and as a coach. After a stint in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he played football and hockey for forces teams in Halifax, Vern joined the Toronto Argonauts in 1945, the year they won the Grey Cup. In that final game, he played both offense and defence, and was on the field virtually every minute of the game. The professional game was not for “Jumbo,” however, and he moved on to play for the Galloping Ghosts in Cobourg. He played for many local teams: hockey: the Redmen, Hawks, ANAF and Diesel-Electrics; and in baseball: the Batas and the Redmen, to name a few. In 1953, he was named Belleville’s first Athlete of the Year. As an official, Vern was very well-respected. In recognition of his talents, he was named to the Ontario Hockey Association Honour Roll in 1985.

STANLEY HAGERMAN

ATHLETE, BASEBALL

A native of Belleville, Stan is the only surviving member still residing in the city, of Belleville Nationals team that won the Ontario Senior Baseball title in 1928. During the 1920's and early 30's, he was a standout baseball and hockey player. He won the Babe Ruth Cap Award as the leading home run hitter in the Central Ontario Baseball League in 1922, 1923, and 1924. In 1925, he played hockey for the Canadian National Railways team in the Railway-Telephone League in Montreal. During this period, he was catcher and outfielder for the Grand Trunks and Nationals baseball teams. As a hockey player, he saw action on junior and intermediate teams in Belleville, which reached the Ontario Hockey Association Semi-finals on three separate occasions. Following his retirement as President and General Manager of Stewart-Warner Corporation of Canada Ltd., he continued his avid interest in local sports.

ALBERT “Toots” HOLWAY

ATHLETE, HOCKEY

Although he was born in Toronto, “Toots” always considered himself a Belleville native, the city in which he played his early hockey. He starred with the Belleville Juniors from 1917 to 1922, and moved to the Belleville Intermediates the following year.

He played for the Toronto St. Patricks in 1924, before moving on to Montreal in 1926, the year the Maroons won the Stanley Cup.

From 1928 to 1930 he toiled with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NHL. As a defenceman in the NHL, he played 117 career games. From 1930-36, he played for and managed the London Tecumsehs. He attempted a comeback in the minor pro leagues with the Cleveland Barons in 1937 and the Seattle Seahawks in 1938-39.

In 1940, he played with the Reliance Senior ‘A’ club in Belleville, and coached the Junior Team. In 1949, he was among the founding members of the Oldtimers’ Hockey Association.

ROBERT “Bobby” MARVIN HULL

ATHLETE, HOCKEY

Bobby Hull, nicknamed “The Golden Jet”, is an immortal hockey legend. His overpowering slap shot led the Point Anne native from Belleville Minor Hockey to the NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks, and the World Hockey Association with the Winnipeg Jets, finishing with a brief stint with the Hartford Whalers in the 1969-70 season.

In the NHL, Hull won the Hart Trophy as league MVP twice, the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer 3 times, the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in 1965, and the Stanley Cup in 1960-61. In the WHA, he won the Gary Davidson Trophy as league MVP twice, and the AVCO Cup-League Championship Trophy two times. He was a First All Star 13 times, and reached the 50 goal plateau 10 times in his career. In 1972, he left Chicago for the fledgling WHA and Winnipeg Jets, lending credibility to the new league, and opening the door for many pro hockey players. In 1974, on a line with Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg, he scored 77 goals in 78 games. He won the Lester Patrick Award for service to hockey in the United States in 1969, and was named Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1966.

DENNIS HULL

ATHLETE, HOCKEY

A native of Point Anne, Dennis made a name for himself in the National Hockey League from 1964 through to 1978. Dennis followed Bobby from the Belleville Minor Hockey Association to Junior “A” hockey with the St. Catharines TeePees, and on to the Chicago Black Hawks. His booming slap shot from the left side established Dennis as one of the NHL’s most feared shooters.

A highlight in Dennis’ career came in 1972 when he was a member of Team Canada which defeated the Soviet Union in the memorable eight game series prior to the start of the 1972-73 season. At the end of that season, Dennis was named to the second All-Star Team. He stayed with the Black Hawks until the end of the 1976-77 season, and played one season for the Detroit Red Wings before retiring. His NHL statistics include 303 goals and 351 assists in regular season play, with another 33 goals and 34 assists in playoff activity.

BETTY INGRAM

ATHLETE, GOLF

Betty Ingram’s proficiency at the game of golf has brought much recognition both to her and to her home club, the Bay of Quinte Country Club. Ingram has won the Ladies Club Championship 22 times since 1959, choosing to retire from the competition in 1986. She was Ontario Senior Amateur Champion in 1975. In 1981, she was runner-up for the Canadian Senior Ladies Golf Championship. As a member of the Ontario Senior Amateur Team, she has represented the province eight times at the Canadian Championships, and has captured the national crown five times. She has been ranked as high as fourth in Canadian Senior rankings. In Kingston District play, Betty was amateur champion five times, and was a member of the district team on 14 different occasions. She has been chosen eight times to represent Ontario in an Ontario-New York State Senior Championship held annually.

WILLIAM JAMES “PEENEY” MILLS

ATHLETE, BASEBALL

William “Peeney” Mills was considered one of the top catchers in amateur baseball in Ontario in his day, when he backstopped the Grand Trunks and the Nationals to Senior Baseball championships. A life-long resident of Belleville, “Peeney” played first base for the Belleville Ontarios, winners of the Belleville Senior League in 1910.

He was signed as a catcher for the Grand Trunks in 1919, the year they won the Ontario Championship. He had many offers to turn professional at that time, but rejected them to remain in Belleville. In 1928, he was behind the plate when the Nationals own the Senior Provincial title. For a number of years, he played hockey for junior and city league teams. He was names to the Ontario Athletic Commission in 1934, and hung up his mitt the following year.

In 1940, the Ontario Baseball Association honoured him as the best amateur baseball catcher for the previous twenty years. In addition to his playing, he was a much respected manager.

GEORGE PEPPER

ATHLETE, MOTORCYCLE RACING

On Labour Day in 1936, George Pepper defeated the top motorcycle riders in North America in the 200-mile Canadian Motorcycle Roadrace through the streets of Belleville.

Spurred on by his success, he decided to take his talents to the pro-racing circuit in England. He attained great success, and was a popular racer for the West Ham and Newcastle teams.

When the Second World War broke out, he enlisted with the Royal Air Force. He achieved the highest marks possible on tests, and became a night-fighter pilot. In November 1941, he and his partner, Sgt. J. H. Toone, shot down three German bombers, setting a record for an Allied night-fighter crew.

For his exploits, George was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On November 17, 1942, while making a daytime flight, his plane crashed, and he was killed. George Pepper was 29.

SARAH THOMPSON

ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

The Year of the Disabled in 1979 provided the impetus for Belleville’s Sarah Thompson as she became one of the city’s most decorated athletes in the 1980s. Having lost her sight in 1978, she turned to athletics a year later and began competing in Games for the Physically Disabled, at first locally and eventually at the national level. Her career blossomed and she set records at virtually every meet she attended. At present, she holds every Canadian record in her Blind Masters Division in the following events: 3,000 metre, 100 metre, shot put, discus, javelin, and long jump. In 1984, she branched out from Blind Masters track and field to include powerlifting. Once again, she quickly established herself as one of the top powerlifters in Canada in handicapped competition. At present in the 81 kilogram classification, she holds every Canadian record in the event, which is based on body weight and disability for powerlifters of all ages.

HOMER “Red” TOWNSEND

Builder, Multi-sport

"Red" Townsend was born in Thurlow Township in 1906, and educated in Belleville at Queen Alexandra School and the Belleville High School. He continued his education at the University of Guelph, and played on the intercollegiate hockey team. Upon graduation in Scientific Agriculture, Red began his teaching career at Nepean High School. He soon returned to Belleville to continue his career at B.C.I. & V.S. From 1933 to 1972, he remained at the Collegiate, teaching and coaching various teams. He was an excellent athlete in his own right, playing softball and hockey for local teams. For many years, Red worked as a baseball and softball umpire throughout Ontario, and gained valuable knowledge of athletics from that experience which he passed on to his students. As a fiery competitor, both as a player and a coach, Red has left an indelible impression of the value of sport on thousands of young Bellevillians.

G. VERNON WEIR

ATHLETE, MULTI-SPORT

G. Vernon Weir was considered one of the finest gentlemen to ever play sports in the city of Belleville. Weir was a member of the Belleville Nationals and Grand Trunks baseball teams when they won the Ontario Senior Baseball Championships in 1919 and 1928.

Born in LeRoy, New York, in 1899. Vern moved with his family shortly thereafter to Belleville. As a youngster attending Queen Mary School and Belleville High School, Vern developed his athletic skills to the extent that he was a key player on several championship teams.

There was virtually no sport that he did not play. Vern was a versatile athlete, excelling in hockey, baseball, bowling, basketball, and track and field. He was an infielder with the Grand Trunk National team when they won the Ontario Senior Baseball championships in 1919 and 1928. Vern was a right winger with several Belleville teams in the Ontario Hockey Association – in the late teens and twenties of this century. In 1926, he coached the Belleville High School Girls’ Softball team to the Eastern Ontario Championship. He was a member of the Belleville Y Men’s Intermediate Basketball team which was eliminated by Niagara Falls in the Ontario Finals. 

Weir worked for the CNR until 1932, and then with London Life Insurance until he retired in 1962. He was an elder of his church for thirty years, and a Sunday school teacher.

Above all, he was always the consummate gentleman – who once said, “I’m always happy when I am making someone else happy.”

Vern died in Belleville, August 18, 1983.