ALK
It is now almost two weeks
since the · passing of one of
Rossland's young superathletes and I have had a
chance to think about the
sports career of a young man
that spanned abnost the total
course of his short life.
Stevie McFarland started in
sports when he was very
young; and after perusing his
scrapbooks, diligently kept up
to date by his parents, I can
say without much fear of
contradiction that he had as
much printer's ink expended
on his exploits in Western
canada as any young man
who has passed this way.
Steve was a very honest
young man. When he was
happy he made everyone
around him that way and if he
didn't like you he never
bothered with you; it was just
that simple. During his last
few years he had been a
member of Rossland's fun
leagues and I like to think that
this was the way he liked his
sports. Commitment is there,
but it isn't the only ingredient.
Essentially, if you enjoy what
you are doing, the rest comes
' naturally to someone as
talented as Stevie was.
As I said at the outset,
Stevie start~ in sports at a
very tender age. I well
remember him and his older
' brother, John, when they
r
played Little League ball back
in the Rossland Colts heyday;
' clippings and photos tell the
at-""'' nl tho

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with
Harry
Pepper

got from him, one such was a tertainment. Whether they terrific and the emphasis, I
report that he had spent the liked him or not, they had to imagine, will be to develop
previous day, his birthday, on have a great deal of respect some scoring punch.
a bus trip. "What a way to for his ability to do his chosen
spend a birthday", he job in a top-notch manner and
remarked.
supply the measure of color to
After he tired of the dog-eat- his performance which is the
dog life in the juniors, Steve mark of a truly fine athlete.
returned home and was soon
In closing out this tribute to
in demand in the camp of the a young man for whom I had a
Trail Smoke Eaters. When the great deal of admiration, I
Smokies goalie of that time, want to extend my deepest
Pierre Hamel, was given an sympathy to ·John, Ethel, John
indefinite susp~nsion by the Jr. and Danny · along with
league for some infraction, Steve's family in their loss.
Steve was called upon to fill in, There was lots of happiness
a job he did so well that he along the way and I will
become their first-string .remember that part of it. I
goalie shortly thereafter.
hope a lot of others will too.
Sport writers around the
league never seemed to tire of
On the local sports scene, I
telling of his amazing abilities would like to congratulate
to stop pucks fired at him from Helen Bourchier and her
STEVE McFARLAND
any direction at speeds up to gallant MacLean School
... happy days remembered
100 miles an hour.
volleyball team for their
And again he was the success in the Trail district
During his years in the recipient of MVP awards as he tournament. To every one of
WCHL, Steve played with led the Smokies with his you youngsters I'd like to say,
some of the great ones, names stellar net minding in the " Well done, it was a fine efthat dot the NHL rosters seasons he played for them. At fort."
today. Tom Lysiak, Lonny his peak I think he could easily
McDonald, Stan Weir and a
have crashed the ranks of the
This weekend is Grey Cup
number of others were on the NHL. He chose not to go that time and we shall have the
Tigers' roster while Steve · route, and after returning to same pattern on view as we
toiled there in the nets.
Rossland he confined his have had the past couple of
Through it all, Steve never hockey anf baseball to the fun years, the Edmonton Eskimos
failed to keep in touch with the games that he liked so much. v Montreal Alouettes. And if
folks. His mother, Ethel, and
During his life span Steve the semi-final games were any
father, John, tell a number of McFarland gave the sports criterion I would say that this
humorous stories about the fans wherever he played more will be another low-scoring
inone calls and letters they than a full measure of en- affair . Both defences are

To say the least, it will be
interesting; I say the Esks will
coine out on top.

naturally to• someone as tolled there in the nets.
talented 88 Stevie was.
'lbrough it all, Steve never
As I said at · the outset, failed to keep in touch with the
Stevie s ~ in sports at a folks. His mother, Ethel, and
very tender age. I well father, John, tell a number of
remember him and his older humorous stories about the
brother, John, when they (ilone calls and letters they
played IJttle ~ague ball back _·
in the Rossland Colts heyday;
clippings and photos tell the
story of the boys' successes in
international tournaments 1 top bitter, MVP awards were
almost a foregone conclusion
for them in the days when Bev
Berry coached them along as
kids.
· Every phase of minor
hockey saw them in the thick
~ things, Steve concerned
mostly with stopping them
and John trying to get all the
goals he could. During their
mimr hockey days John was
always near the top of the
scoring stats while Steve's GA
average was invariably
among the lowest around.
Then came the opening of
the KIJHL and Rossland's
entry into it. I don't think the
Warriors won that many
championships, but Steve
captured his share of awards
in those days and the Warrior
fans just loved him. 1be
hottest forwards ~ the league
disliked playing Rossland
because they knew that
scoring goals aginst McFarland was not the easy way
to pad their sco$g stats.
Then, 88 surely as day
follows night, or 'vice-versa,
came the bid to try a higher
strata of our national game
and Steve was called upon to
try out with the then powerful
Estevan Bruins under the
tutelage of Ernie "Punch"
Mc~an. He did not catch on
with the Bruins, ending up
with the new kids on the block,
the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Mc~an had reason to wish he
had kept the acrobatic
I Rossland native; he seemed to
~ save some of his better efforts
fortheB
ams:- - 1

1

1

1

Rossland he confined his
hockey anf baseball to the fun
games that he liked so much.
During his life span Steve
McFarland gave the sports
fans wherever he played more
than a full measure of en-

have had the past couple of
years, the Edmonton Eskimos
v Montreal Alouettes. And if
the semi-final games were any
criterion I would say that this
will be another low-scoring
affair. Both defences are

i