Tracing the roots of the Leamington Flyers to 1952

By C. Scott Holland

In December 1952, Bill Burgess, manager and coach, put together a squad of local players into what was then the Windsor City Hockey League. That team evolved into what we know as the Leamington Flyers.

That hockey team was comprised mostly of players who had shown up on local ponds and frozen waterways like the Hillman Creek, Sturgeon Creek and Pigeon Bay to play some pick-up hockey.

In the very first season, the roster listed the following in various games: Whitey Bevan, John Burke, Eric Mackenzie, Jim MacKenzie, Bill MacKenzie, Leo Rochon, Jim Elsley, Bob Way, Bob “Shorty” Wallace, Caesar Brndjar, Gord Droulliard, Jim Duddy, Jim McKinnon, Tony Minkewich, Bill Kincaid, Bill Siddle, John McEachern, Lloyd Crawford, George Carriveau, Bill Pearce and (unknown) Pare.

Most of the Flyers’ players would be stars with the club for a good portion of the 1950s.

The 1952/53 Flyers celebrate Shorty Wallace’s 21st birthday. Seated are Leo Rochon, Gord Droulliard and Bob “Shorty” Wallace. Standing, from left, are Tony Minkewich, Jim McKinnon, Bill Siddle, Caesar Brndjar, John MacEachern, Bill Pearce, Bill Burgess, John Burke, Whitey Bevan and young Paul Burgess.

Photo from the Scott Holland Collection

Their first regulation contest was against the Detroit S & C club. Leamington whitewashed the Detroit crew by the score of 13-0 as 10 Flyers found the back of the net.

Only two penalties were called - both against the Flyers in the third. Shorty Wallace picked up the shutout.

During the season, Wallace would tally another shutout (10-0) over Detroit and whip the Dearborn team 14-1. Eric MacKenzie would finish first among all scorers and Wallace was a top goalie. The club was third overall in the standings. However in playoffs the Leamington team faced Windsor N & D in a two game total goals set. The Flyers would be nipped 3-2 in the opener as Eric and Jim MacKenzie bookended the three Windsor markers.

The second contest was another close one. After falling behind 5-0, Leamington rallied to notch four goals as Jim, Bill and Eric MacKenzie all found the back of the Windsor net and Tony Minkewich closed the gap to within one in the third.

But that was the way it would stand and the Flyers lost the total goals series.