Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame 2014 Induction
Monday september 29, 2014

The Thirty Second Annual Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner was held on Saturday September 27th at the Camlachie Community Centre with 266 people in attendance.

Two local athletes were inducted under the Amateur Athlete category. 
 

Accepting on behalf of Mark Kilbreath was his wife Diane who is pictured with their children Katlyn and Jacob.  Mark passed away in 2012 at the age of 54 was a talented multi sport athlete that included wrestling and racquetball.  Mark won numerous competitions in wrestling and became one of the top ranked doubles racquetball players in the country.

Mark Hart also received the Amateur Award for his accomplishments in lacrosse and hockey.  Hart was a member of two National Championships teams with the Point Edward Jr. B Pacers and earned a full hockey scholarship to Colgate University. 
"It's a great honour to be a part of the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame." Hart said after receiving his award  "Not only for Lacrosse and hockey but to be able to share it with everybody here tonight with well deserved Inductees and many many great inductees in the past. It's a great honour to be here and I'm ecstatic to be part of this event."

The Earl MacKenzie Award honours those people involved in sports at least 30 years prior to the year of induction.  This year recipient was Dean McEachen.

"It's surreal." McEachen said "I'd reflect on it the first time I won MVP a guy came over to me at a big dinner banquet like tonight and said, you know enjoy this moment it doesn't happen often and I'm really enjoying the moment."

McEachen accomplishments range from great success in amateur sports to founding, coaching and administration for local sports team with beginnings in 1957.  McEachen competed in fastball, hockey, touch football, billiards and sailing and won many team awards along with individual awards.

The Bud Haveling award for Special Achievement was presented to Referee and Umpire Charles Maxwell.  Maxwell officiating began in 1968 as a volunteer umpire for SMAA fastball and high school basketball.  His umpiring spanned over a total of 44 years in Men's Ladies and Minor baseball, fastball and two pitched. In 1970 Mr. Maxwell became a minor hockey referee and refereed hockey for 26 years. Mr Maxwell's was very appreciative after receiving his award.  He said that he did a lot but enjoyed every minute of it.

Doug Campbell was inducted under the Bud Morrison Category.  This category recognizes a person who over a number of years has made significant contributions to the youth in their sport endeavours.  (ie: coach, manager, official, trainer, facility maintenance, including school officials)
 
"I'm still speechless, I have been since the day I found out that I been elected and it's so surreal." Campbell said " I'm coming to grip with it but I'm still floating on cloud nine."

Campbell came to Canada in 1963 and continued to play and coach soccer until 1997.  He later became a level 3 trainer and has trained with AAA, Jr.C and Jr. B hockey throughout Lambton County and has completed 14 consecutive years as trainer at the Alliance Hockey Under 17 AAA camp held in Woodstock.   Campbell is known amongst the minor hockey community for his many attributes including his positive attitude, willingness to help in any situation and most importantly, for always treating minor hockey players with respect and kindness. Today he is the Trainer for the Lambton Shores Predators.

The Professional Athlete award is presented each year to athletes for their outstanding performance at the professional level.  In this category the athlete must have achieved professional status and maintained that level for three years or three seasons and be retired from his/her professional career for a minimum of three years. 

Kerry Fraser met and surpassed the requirements with his 30 year career as an NHL referee.  Kerry who retired at the end of the 2009-2010 season was selected to referee in twelve different Stanley Cup Finals with his first in 1985 as the youngest referee ever.  He officiated at the 1996 World Cup in both Europe and Gold medal rounds in North America. He also officiated at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, two NHL All Star games and the 2010 Winter Classic held at Fenway Park in Boston. 

Kerry was overwhelmingly selected as the best referee in the NHL thought independent polls of NHL players conducted annually by ESPN and the Toronto Sun.  Referee magazine selected Kerry as one of the top 10 officials of the century in any sport.

"I'm am humbled." Kerry said "I truly believe that my career was enhanced based on the background that I had as a young athlete growing up in the city and the opportunities the Sarnia Minor Athletic Association provided and then on to the Junior level. Without the tutelage of those great people that donated their time as coaches and managers I never would have succeeded in the National hockey league as a referee."

The team award was presented to the 1962 Jr. Knights Football team for winning the league title.  They went on and defeated the Toronto Lakeshore Bears 19 - 0 to win the Ontario Junior ORFU Championshp, the first team to bring back the Ontario Championship since 1934.  The team were finalist at the Eastern Canadian Finals losing to the Montreal NDG Maple Leafs.

Members on the 1962 team included Jack Craig, Jack Armitage, Cal Adams, Tom Belton, Don Ecker, Dave Fleet, Al Ische, Logan Millman, Mike Moore, Rollie Ranson, John Clark, Ted Eveland, Doug Fraser, Mac Kechnie, Gene Lakusiak, Barry Mattingly, Jim Patterson, Skip Ross, Gerry Stewart, Paul Wellington, Dan Charyk, Dan Churchill, Lou Daws, Dan Plazek, Ron Jackson, Ray Mallette, Ed Petronski, Ernie Plain, Larry Cassin, Chuck Dunn, Stan Griffiths, Pat Hudak, Ed Tyro and Dick Waring.  Staff Members included Archie McAffer, Don Mattingly, Tom Dwinnell, Ed Macdonald and Carl Burden.
 

The final presentation of the evening was the Rose Hodgson Memorial Award presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to our community. Rose was a founding member of the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame who contributed her time to our community and country and the award was created in her memory to honour her achievements.

Past recipients of the award include Wilma McNeil, Bonnie & Bob Young, Grace Schultz-Muser, Steve Locke, Don Cook, Jorge DeGuzman and Bonnie Kearns.  The 2014 Award was presented to Dave Watson.

"It's amazing" Watson said after accepting his award. "It's just amazing, I never thought I be grouped in that same category."