History of Black hockey showcased by Black History Ottawa 

 

12. 15 & 16 December 2017

Black History Ottawa (BHO) made its own history in December when it organised and hosted three events commemorating the contribution of people of African descent to Canada’s national sport, under the theme: The Road to Canada 150 and Black Hockey.  On Tuesday 12 December, at the Ottawa Public Library Main branch on Metcalfe Street, BHO hosted a presentation by renowned hockey historian, Bob Dawson, titled: History of the Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by CBC anchor Adrian Harewood. This was followed on Friday 15 December by a screening of the ground-breaking movie: “Soul on Ice”, a documentary on the contribution of African Canadians to the national game. This occasion was graced by the presence of Canada’s first Black National Hockey League player, Willie O’Ree. The proverbial icing on the cake came on Saturday 16 December when a commemorative hockey game was held at the Elizabeth Scott arena on Torquay Street. Among the VIP’s in attendance were Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Centre and Ontario’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Bob Dawson hockey historian and sports writer, Chandra Arya (MP for Nepean) and June Girvan, President, Black History Ottawa.

Kudos to Black History Ottawa for a great job and a special shout out to Jean Marie Guerrier, BHO Treasurer, who led and coordinated the planning of all three events.

 

Below are comments from hockey sportswriter Bob Dawson, Jean Marie Guerrier (BHO Treasurer & Event organiser) and Sarah Onyango (BHO Community Outreach Officer) on these historic events.

Bob Dawson

Greetings everyone. Roch Carrier, a noted Canadian writer, once said “Hockey is the history of Canadians”. Well, on 

Saturday, December 16th, you made a bit of hockey history by participating in the first ever Commemorative 

Hockey Game outside of Nova Scotia and in Ottawa to honour the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes

(CHLM).

As the organizer of the Commemorative Hockey Game and on behalf of Black History Ottawa, I’d like to extend a

special thanks to the following people for their contributions in making the game a big success. 

–  Sarah Onyango, PR and Communications Officer for Black History Ottawa – Words of Welcome and Introduction

    of Special Guests

–  Lisa Gaye-Pryce – Canadian National Anthem

–  Chandra Arya (MP for Nepean), June Girvan (President, Black History Ottawa), Hazel Lucas (descendant of

   former player in the CHLM),  and Yasir Naqvi (MPP for Ottawa Centre, and Attorney General for Ontario) –

   “Ceremonial Puck Drop”

–  Jean-Marie Guerrier,  Treasurer of Black History Ottawa

–  Frankie Geddes, Events Videographer

–  Darrell Maxwell, Honorary Coach of the Dartmouth Jubilees

–  Sean Foyn, Assistant Honorary Coach of the Halifax Eurekas

–  Players of the Dartmouth Jubilees –  Paul Blackmore, Northrop Blackmore, Kasai Major-Browne, Vianney Calixte, Rob 

Hagarty, Graham Longair, David Perras, Nick Semanyk, Harley Shaw, Ian Sprott

–  Players of the  Halifax Eurekas  – Anthony Bailey, George Blackmore, Kwesi Bourne, Jaedon Major-Browne, Jacquie Dixon,

David Giannini, Garth Gittens, Gary Masson, Nick Ngwafusi, Owen Semanyk, Kevin Williams

The game featured (a) the first female (Jacquie Dixon) to play in the game, (b) great sportsmanship (no penalties???), (c) no 

body checking, although there was a lot of incidental contact 

 on the ice, and (d) a lot of scoring with the Halifax Eurekas 

winning 7 to 5 over the Dartmouth Jubilees. Looking back in history, these 2 teams played in the CHLM’s first league game on 

February 27, 1895. They played to a 1-1 dram.

 

Based on the game reports, below is a list of the “point getters” in Saturday’s game.

–  Kwesi Bourne, Halifax Eurekas, 5 – goals, 2 – assists (Ponts – 7)

–  Nick Ngwafusi, Halifax Eurekas, 2 – goals, 2 – assists, (Points – 4)

–  Nick Semanyk, Dartmouth Jubilees, 4 – goals, 0 – assists (Points – 4)

–  Owen Semanyk, Halifax Eurekas, 0 – goals, 3 – assists (Points – 3)

–  Kevin Williams,  Halifax Eurekas, 0 – goals, 3 – assists, (Points – 3)

– Northrop Blackmore,  Dartmouth Jubilees, 0 – goals, 2 – assists, (Points – 2)

–  Kasai Major-Browne,  Dartmouth Jubilees, 0 – goals, 2 – assists, (Points – 2)
–  David Perras, Dartmouth Jubilees, 0 – goals, 2 – assists, (Points – 2)

–  Ian Sprott, Dartmouth Jubilees, 0 – goals, 2 – assists, (Points – 2)

–  Paul Blackmore, Dartmouth Jubilees, 0 – goals, 1 – assist, (Point – 1)

–  Jacquie Dixon, Halifax Eurekas, 0 – goals, 1 – assist, (Point – 1)

–  Garth Gittens, Halifax Eurekas, 0 – goals, 1 – assist, (Point – 1)

–  Graham Longair, Dartmouth Jubilees, 1 – goal, 0 – assists, (Point – 1)

Surprising news! Unbeknownst to us, CBC showed up at the arena and videotaped the “ceremonial puck drop” and part of the game.

Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada’s Hometown Hockey, during one of the intermissions of the Hockey Classic here in Ottawa,

spoke about the black hockey events; click on https://players.brightcove.net/2217916490001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5688582348001.

Once  photos of the hockey game become available, they’ll be forwarded to you. Based on the success of this year’s game, Black History Ottawa may make the Commemorative Hockey Game an annual event.

As a former hockey player, sports writer and black hockey historian, I thought that you might be interested in the 2 articles (see titles

and links below) I wrote that have been posted on Boxscore World Sportswire. Please feel free to share the links with others.

Canada 150 and Key Moments in Black Hockey History 

Part – 1 http://boxscorenews.com/canada-and-key-moments-in-black-hockey-history-p140457-68.htm

Part – 2 http://boxscorenews.com/canada-and-key-moments-in-black-hockey-history-part-two-p140485-68.htm

 

100 Years of the NHL and The Black Experience

Part – 1 http://boxscorenews.com/years-of-the-nhl-and-the-black-experience-part-of-a-special-part-p140689-90.htm

Part – 2 http://boxscorenews.com/years-of-the-nhl-and-the-black-experience-part-of-a-special-part-p140707-90.htm

Best regards to everyone and thanks again for making the Commemorative Hockey Game a big success.

Here’s to wishing you a Merry Christmas and may good health, joy and prosperity follow you throughout the New Year.

Bob

Bob Dawson, BA, MSW

Sports Writer, Diversity Management Consultant

and Black Hockey Historian

Ottawa, ON

*****************************************************************************************************************

December 17

*****************************************************************************************************************

                                                                                      *************************************

Dec 15

Oh my, my, my!!! Did that just happen? ?? Did Black History Ottawa just put on an unforgettable evening celebrating our Black hockey heroes past, present and future? ??! Just….wow! Many thanks to hockey historian Bob Dawson for partnering with us to screen Kwame Mason’s documentary
” Soul on Ice”! Much gratitude to Ottawa CBC news anchor Adrian Harewood for moderating the post screening panel discussion as only a real hockey connoisseur could! “Big up” to our amazing panelists Bob Dawson, the legendary Willie O’Ree, the talented filmmaker Kwame Mason, the incredible Darrell Maxwell and super hockey Dad Godlove Ngwafusi! And what a treat to have Ottawa spokenword artist The Nth Digri close the event with his classic” Black Hockey Player” poem. ..and to have “Hockey Night in Canada” host Ron MacLean join the audience AND read a text message sent by PK Subban towards the end of the event!! Those of you who didn’t attend really missed out! Come join us for the commemorative game tomorrow (Dec 16) honouring the Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes!

                                                                                    ********************************************