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 Minor Hockey Pioneers - Trail, BC Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 49° 05.854 W 117° 42.631
11U E 448132 N 5438545
Mounted on the west end of the Trail Memorial Centre, the home of the Smoke Eaters, are four large placards which relate the story of the Smokies and minor hockey in Trail.
Waymark Code: WMXZ6D
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 03/20/2018
Views: 3
Above the placards is a huge mural which spans the entire width of the wall. If you love hockey, you will enjoy this mural. It depicts the 1939 Smoke Eaters hockey team in action, their first World Championship, as well as minor hockey in Trail.
This placard relates the story of the inception of minor hockey in Trail, as well as the fact that, back in 1957, the first minor hockey week to be staged in Canada took place in Trail. The idea of "minor hockey week" caught on and today is celebrated in essentially every community in Canada which has a minor hockey program.
MINOR HOCKEY PIONEERS
The year 1934 saw the first officially organized league for youth hockey in Trail. The Trail Boys Booster Hockey Club, under the umbrella of the Trail Athletic Association, was established to provide the Trail Smoke Eaters with coaching opportunities within the community. In 1950, with 500 players registered, the club became the Trail Minor Hockey Association and teams at all levels competed in regional and provincial tournaments. In 1957, under the direction of TMHA Director Charlie McLean,Trail held the first Minor Hockey Week ever organized in Canada. Touting the slogan, "Don't SEND your boy to play hockey -TAKE him!," the event garnered national attention and the following year saw the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association following suit, and Minor Hockey Week became an annual event. To date, Trail minor hockey teams have amassed over 70 provincial titles.
The Smoke Eaters are still active, though now as a Junior B team, Memorial Centre still being their home arena and minor hockey remains as strong as ever in the city.
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Group that erected the marker: City of Trail
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
1051 Victoria Street
Trail, BC Canada
V1R 3T3
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.
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