Retiree ·Golf on Tuesday
was actually the second day
of. that particular event for
the 1983 season. It was

auatber beautiful day out
there and 48 members of our
eJitll clan were on band to
participate.
Blghligbting some pretty
fair performances was that
of one of our newer
members, Ernie Primeau.
he came in with a gross 39,
playing to a nine handicap.
Ernie used his putter only 10
times in his round and until
half way through the morning's action he bad the
longest putt on No. 9,
however, Lou Freema."l beat
him in this category with a
great 45-footer.
For his putting Ernie gets
a ball. Policy dictates that a
player can only win one at a
time, so runner up Herve St.
.Jean with a 41 gets the ball
for low gross honors. In the
low-net category, Lou Crowe
aad Rick Watkinson tied
with 33s and a gent by the
name of Osing won the ball
for his honorable qualities.
Believe me, it wasn't for his
golf.
Next week it will be hidden
partners and Bob Walley and
Morris Sawyer will be at the

helm.

Before- fieave this part of -of the Legion's LA next week
it I want to relate a story and they may add to those
about Lou Crowe. Coming nmnbers.
into the clubhouse the other
Allan wishes to thank
evening while a basketball David Martin and the boys of
game was in progress on the the ambulance crew for their
tube, he was asked what he assistance in every phase of
thought of the . action. A the Job being done.
typical Crowe answer
followed.
News of a different variety
"Hell, I know all those is the subject of this next
guys, I used to play cen~ pn part of this week's column.
one of those teams!''
Thanks to an effort on my
behalf by Ab Cronie, I have
A very fine effort is being garnered some background
pushed by the Rossland on Gerry Thomson who
branch of the Canadian passed away during the
Legion. It is being beaded by previous weekend
an activities committee
Gerald Manwell Thomson,
presided over by Allan a big name in B.C. amateur
Stinson.
hockey circles, was born in
Allan told me the other day Calgary, Aug. 7, 1913 and
that since it opened they took all his schooling in the
have qualified six people in city system. He took part in
CPR, the first aid effort all school athletics and
which lets people recngnlr.e played all his minor and
symptoms and get help to Junior hockey there. Some of
other people who are injured his teammates in those days
under
various
circumstances.
The thing about having
these six people qualified
means that they can now go
ahead and instrud others in
the field, making it pouible
for a larger number of
people to get that teaching. I
understand the subject will
be brought before a meeting

were names well known to
many Trail people, Mel
Snowdon, Lome Mercer,
Jack Forsey and Ab Cronie.
One of his favorite sports as
a youngster was boxing. It
can be said to his credit that
he did not use the art in any
of his other sports .
Gerry moved to B.C. in
1933 and played hockey in
Nelson in 1933-34. Moving on
to Trail in 1934 he played his
remaining years of senior
hockey with the Smoke
Eaters and was instrumental in bringing
Snowdon and Cronie to Trail
that year.
After years of participation in sports he passed
on his experience to the
young people and spent
many years working as a
member of the Trail
Amateur
Athletic
Association. He coached in
all divisions of minor hockey

and then took the Trail
Junior Smoke Eaters to the
Memorial Cup Finals in 1943-44.
Among the names on that
team were Trail boys Jake
McLeod, Lome DePaolis,
Ivo Toffolo, Frank Turik and
Tino Magliani.
Gerry also coached the
Senior Smoke Eaters. He
then became involved in the
problems of · running
amateur hockey in B.C. and
was appointed district
representative for the
BCAHA, later becoming
president.
In his retirement years
Gerry actively pursued the
games of curling and golf,
both of which he thoroughly
enjoyed and played well.
Gerry will be missed by
many of us who knew him
and I would like, on their
behalf, to extend our sympathies to those left behind.