11¥i111 !wry PIIJPtr Last Tuesday evening at a branch #14 Legion meeting the gathering was treated to an interesting demonstration by two members of the ski patrol at Red Mountain. Bill Thompson and Don Green work for Cominco. They spend a lot of time working for the ski patrol. The demonstration was to show a relatively new type of stretcher for packing people with limb damage off the mountain with least waste of time and effort. It looked like a folded blanket when they brought it into the hall. When Keith Woods volunteered to lay down on it and the boys applied the pump, it folded around him like it was never going to let go. Keith told me afterwards he couldn't move, apparently something inside the thing comes alive with the application of air and works to form a real straight-jacket effect. Snugly fitting to the body-form and stay that way until you let the air out, robbed of air, they are like striking union member, they quit work until they get a new contract. The reason for the demonstration was that the patrol have approached the Legion for a small donation to help with the purchase of another, which they will be getting shortly. Over to hockey, the Warriors lost their last two games, the first a brutal contest in which the players were burdened with a so-called referee whom I firmly believe should not be allowed to officiate at a low-grade minor hockey game. Not only did he miss numerous calls, but he allowed brutality to creep into the game. I saw two Border Bruin players push Damon Racicot into the linesman while holding his arms up as though he was attacking the official. When a team µke Grand Forks, who have improved tremendously with the past season, resort to this · sort of thing it's because they know they can get away with it with some of the current officials. We also know when Damon is out there he keeps the pot boiling and since he's one of the top point-getters in the league, it's really understandable that they'd rather he was sidelined for a game or two. The final was 8-5 in that one. The following night we saw an excellent contest between two really good teams. CasUegar had the upper hand throughout but the Warriors kept driving and put on a spirited drive in the last two minutes. Down llMl they got one back and with less than a minute to play kept driving to get the tying goal, final 10-9: In this game we saw a return to the clubhouse lawyer style, where everyone wants to tell the official what they think the decision should have been. This situation plagued early gam~ in the arena but there hasn't been much of it lately. Saturday night saw it bloom again. By the time you read this we shall have made our Retirees Curling club trip to Nelson. We are looking forward to this one. We get a look at the way the fellows over there handle things and there is always lots of idea-swapping going on. These are the things I really enjoy, that and renewing old acquaintances. We got our third competition underway last Thursday and that leaves just one to go before golfing starts, we hope. While on curling, I would like to congratulate Doug Mcisaac, Trail's Legion zone sports officer who had the good sense to try to avert a total calamity in Legion curling. Doug proposed at a winter meeting in New Denver on Sunday that the zone's policy should be changed to allow all .,_.,.._ .... __ -~ - -- •-•--"--~ 1-----• : - • , , ___ :___, __ __ I It looked like a folded blanket when they brought it into the hall. When Keith Woods volunteered to lay down on it and the boys applied the pump, it folded around him like it was never going to let go. Keith told me afterwards he couldn't move, apparently something inside the thing comes alive with the application of air and works to form a real straight-jacket effect. Snugly fitting to the body..fonn and stay that way until you let the air out, robbed of air, they are like striking union member, they quit work until they get a new contract. The reason for the demonstration was that the patrol have approached the Legion for a small donation to help with the purchase of another, which they will be getting shortly. Over to hockey, the Warriors lost their last two games, the first a brutal contest in which the players were burdened with a so-called referee whom I firmly believe should not be allowed to officiate at a low-grade minor hockey game. Not only did he miss numerous calls, but he allowed brutality to creep into the game. I saw two Border Bruin players push Damon Racicot into the linesman while holding his arms up as though he was attacking the official. When a team !ike Grand Forks, who have improved tremendously with the past season, resort to this · sort of thing it's because they know they can get away with it with some of the current officials. We also know when Damon is out there he keeps the pot boiling and since he's one of the top point-getters in the league, it's really understandable that they'd rather he was sidelined for a game or two. The final was" in that one. The following night we saw an excellent contest between two really good teams. Castlegar had the upper hand throughout but the Warriors kept driving and put on a spirited drive in the last two minutes. Down 10-8 they got one back and with less than a minute to play kept driving to get the tying goal, final 10-9.In this game we saw a return to the clubhouse lawyer style, where everyone wants to tell the official what they think the decision should have been. This situation plagued early gam~ in the arena but there hasn't been much of it lately. Saturday night saw it bloom again. By the time you read this we shall have made our Retirees Curling club trip to Nelson. We are looking forward to this one. We get a look at the way the fellows over ·there handle things and there Is always lots of idea-swapping going on. These are the things I really enjoy, that and renewing old acquaintances. We got our third competition underway last Thursday and that leaves just one to go before golfing starts, we hope. While on curling, I would like to congratulate Doug Mcisaac, Trail's Legion zone sports officer who had the good sense to try to avert a total calamity in Legion curling. Doug proposed at a winter meeting in New Denver on Sunday that the zone's policy should be changed to allow all members of any type to play in Legion zone 'spiels from now on, while we continue to support any rinks who wish to continue to contest for the provincial playdowns by supplying them with the facilities to conduct their playdown and go on in search of the big one. Doug got good support on this one, especially from a Nelson delegate. Nelson took the brunt of the trouble this year as they had to cut down when many rinks thought the cost of fun curling, which is what ~e Legion does it for, was being raised too high, too fast. The decision tp go back and start over with a brand new format will go a long way to help -bring the Legion game·back to what it used to be, fun for everyone. Now, til next time,·then!