Sport NL Announces 10 New HOF Inductees

9/20/2022

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Announces Names Of 10 New Hall of Fame Inductees

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador (SportNL) is elated to announce 10 new members into the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame for 2021 and 2022. Honoured members were selected by the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors.

“Individually and together, the ten inductees represent a broad spectrum of lasting excellence and high-level accomplishments for positively impacting sports in a multitude of ways and their abilities to serve as exceptional role models for future Athletes, Administrators, and Volunteers across the sport community,” says Ed Murphy, Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors. “The impact of their participation, commitment and volunteerism is significant and far-reaching and because of this each new member is deserving of this honor.”

The 2021 inductees are:

Jackie Barrett in the “Athlete” category (Powerlifting, 5 Pin Bowling)
David Buckingham in the “Athlete/Builder” category (Baseball, Hockey)
Zane Forbes in the “Athlete” category (Hockey, Baseball, Rowing, Softball)
Blair Langmead in the “Athlete” category (Softball, Hockey)
Wulf Stender in the “Builder” category (Track & Field)

The 2022 inductees are:

Brian Brocklehurst in the “Athlete” category (Softball, Hockey, Baseball)
Darren Colbourne in the “Athlete” category (Baseball, Hockey)
Sean Gulliver in the “Athlete/Builder” category (Baseball)
Mike Howlett in the “Athlete” category (Soccer)
Pat Parfrey in the “Builder” category (Rugby)

Biographies for each of the inductees can be found below.

Inductees for 2020 were previously announced in a press release, but the COVID-19 pandemic impacted hosting the Induction Ceremony to honour them in-person. The 2020 Inductees include three Athletes – Kirk Howell (Cross-Country Skiing), Anne (Barrington) Johnston (Athletics), and Erin Woodrow (Boxing); one “Builder” – Douglas Redmond (Soccer) and one “Athlete/Builder” – Gail (Moore) Roberts (Volleyball / Basketball / Field Hockey).

For the first time in two years the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame will honour Inductees for the years 2020 and 2021 at an in-person Induction Ceremony event on October 22, 2022, at the Sheraton Hotel. An event honouring the 2022 inductees will be hosted in spring of 2023 with details forthcoming.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame has a long history of recognizing the Athletes, Administrators, and Volunteers who have achieved great successes over their sporting careers. It aims to recognize, honour, and pay tribute to exceptional individuals who have made considerable contributions to the provinces sporting community through their playing ability, sportsmanship, and character. These distinctions aid in the development of all aspects of sport through the permanent recording of the achievements and history of these accomplished individuals.

Hall of Fame Inductee Biographies for 2021

Jackie Barrett “Athlete”

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a Corner Brook area resident since 2008, Jackie Barrett, has been involved in Powerlifting and 5 Pin Bowling as a Special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador athlete for many years. At the national level, Jackie competed for Nova Scotia at the 1994 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Swimming, and the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Powerlifting; and competed for Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2010 and 2014 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Powerlifting. He captured a total of 22 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal in Swimming and Powerlifting at six Special Olympics Canada Summer Games appearances.

Jackie competed for Canada at the 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Powerlifting, capturing a total of 13 gold and 2 silver medals. In his sports career, Jackie has won several awards. He was named Special Olympics Canada’s “Male Athlete of the Year” in 2000 and 2015. In 2000 and 2008, he was a finalist for Sport Nova Scotia’s “Individual Male Athlete of the Year” award. In 2011, he received the City of Corner Brook “Achievement in Community Excellence” and “Male Athlete of the Year” awards. In 2015, he received the Dr. Frank Hayden Athlete Lifetime Achievement Award and became the first Special Olympian to be a Lou Marsh Trophy nominee.

As a record-breaking Powerlifter, Jackie made history as the first-ever Special Olympics athlete inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 2019 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. While training and excelling in each sport, Jackie also found the time to work towards his educational dreams. He graduated from St. Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1998 and CDI College with a Programmer Analyst and Internet Solutions Developer Diploma in 2006. He presently works as a Webmaster at Academy Canada in Corner Brook. His abilities and successes are a testament to his passion for sports which shows in his role as a Powerlifting Coach, Peer Mentor, and Executive Member with Special Olympics Corner Brook.

Dave Buckingham “Athlete/Builder”

Dave Buckingham’s accomplishments and contributions to the sports community are vast, impacting both the sport of hockey and baseball, both as an athlete and builder. Dave’s Hockey career, as a goaltender, between high school and the Newfoundland Senior Hockey league saw him produce 7 team championships in a 10-year span. This includes a Herder Championship in 1977 with the Blue Caps, along with 7 top goaltender awards. Dave also represented Newfoundland on the national stage at 3 Allen Cup Championships between 1975 and 1978, wining the Eastern Allan Cup in 1976 with the Blue Caps.

Over a 20-plus-year playing career, Dave played at the highest level of baseball in the province, along with representing Newfoundland at 10 national tournaments. Dave showed the talent, sportsmanship and team-first approach that led to multiple individual awards and team championships. His individual accomplishments include being named MVP of the St. John’s Junior League, MVP of the 1976 Junior Provincial Championship, a 3-time St. John’s Senior League playoff MVP, multiple statistical awards and receiving the Gonzaga Vikings Association Athlete of the year award in 1976. During Dave’s playing career he was a core member of 13 provincial championship teams along with 13 city championship teams. Dave’s name is synonymous with the 1980s Shamrock Dynasty teams that won a record 9 straight Senior Baseball league titles. Dave’s outstanding playing career culminated with his introduction, in the player category, into the St. John’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Newfoundland Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.

Dave’s most impactful contribution to the Newfoundland sports community, however, came after his playing days were finished as an umpire with baseball where he was the provincial Umpire in Chief from 1997 to 2006. Dave helped transform umpiring in the province to assist in developing a more qualified and knowledgeable umpiring program and has helped the program develop over 10 nationally certified umpires. Dave’s abilities as an umpire are renowned nationally and internationally for both his on-field ability and off field mentoring, where he has been a go-to resource at every Baseball Canada tournament he attends. Dave has been involved in over 20 National tournaments as an umpire or umpire supervisor along with countless Provincial and Atlantic level tournaments. Dave’s ability as an on-field umpire and off field mentor resulted in his being appointed a crew chief at ever national tournament he’s attended. Dave’s on-field umpiring highlight was being selected to umpire the 1999 Pan-American Games in Winnipeg. Dave is one of only two umpires in Baseball Canada history to win both the Dick Willis Memorial Award for umpire of the year, and the Home Run Sports Umpire Lifetime Achievement Award. Provincially Dave won the umpire of the year award in 2007 and 2021 and has also had the umpire room at St. Pat’s renamed the Dave Buckingham Room in 2017. Dave continues to umpire and supervise at the highest level both provincially and nationally where his knowledge, leadership and fair approach to umpiring continues his passion of developing current and next generation umpires.

Zane Forbes “Athlete”

Zane Forbes is an athlete who was considered an all-star performer in every sport he played. He was involved with and excelled in the sports of hockey, baseball, softball, and rowing. Zane’s reputation for leadership and great ability to work with his teammates quickly made him the ultimate team player on and off the ice.

Zane played provincial senior hockey from 1977-1990, where he earned many accolades. One of his many career highlights include being four times a member of a team that won the Herder Memorial Trophy, with Gander in 1980, Stephenville in 1984, and with the St. John’s Capitals in 1987 and 1990. He had the honour of being selected as the Senior MVP-T.A. “Gus Soper” Memorial Award in 1982 and 1985, which he is the only player in provincial senior hockey to achieve such an accomplishment twice.

Other notable accomplishments of Zane’s hockey career include being named League Rookie-of-the-Year in 1978, receiving the “Albert “Pee Wee” Crane Memorial Trophy, and earning the S.E Tuma Memorial Trophy for being the Senior Hockey League Scoring Leader in 1980. As a skilled offensive player, Zane played 373 games with the Gander Flyers, Stephenville Jets, Corner Brook Royals and the St. John’s Capitals. He finished his career with 324 goals, 408 assists for 732 points in total, earning him the second all-time scoring leader in the history of the league.

In addition to hockey, he played in the St. John’s Senior Baseball League winning 9 city championships, 1 city championship in the St. John’s Senior Softball League, and he was a successful oarsman in the Royal St. John’s Regatta for many years.

Blair Langmead “Athlete”

Blair Langmead is a talented fastpitch softball and hockey athlete who has been hitting home runs on the ball field since his early days as a teenager playing in the Pouch Cove Men’s League. His will to win is unmatched as is his competitive personality shown by him taking every opportunity to practice his game whether it would be catching flyballs in between games or working on his swing while everyone who could throw the ball would try to put it past him. In his 23-year senior league career Blair won 5 Regular Season Titles from 1987-1989, 2003 & 2004 and 7 Playoff Championships during 1987-1992 & 1996, finishing his career with an impressive batting average of .317. His team championships at the city and provincial levels as well as three silver and two bronze medals at the National Level would arguably make him one of the most decorated ball players.

During his athletic career, as softball was winding down his hockey season was starting up. As an Atom hockey player, Blair was the only player in Pouch Cove who played Atom A Hockey and competed in the Atom A International Hockey Tournament in Nova Scotia. He proved at a young age that he could be a starting goalie as part of the Flatrock Flyers in the Avalon East Senior Hockey League, a competitive league well known for its talented players and rugged play. Stepping away from the League to compete with the Junior 50’s in the St. John’s Junior League, he won League, Provincial and Atlantic titles, but soon returned to the Flatrock Flyers, which became one of the most successful teams in league history. Playing for the Flyers for 19 seasons, he was instrumental in helping the team win 11 Avalon East Senior Hockey League Championships and 3 Herder Memorial Trophy Championships.

Blair accumulated an impressive number of individual and team awards including winning Hockey NL’s Presidents Goaltenders Award an impressive 11 times and the NLHA Senior ‘A’ Goaltender Award 4 times. In 2007 Blair was named as one of the top 15 performers for all time with the St. John’s Senior Men’s Fastpitch League and in 2014 he was inducted into the Softball Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame.

Wulf Stender “Builder”

Wulf Stender’s decision to live in Newfoundland and Labrador was a major plus for athletics within this province. First as a competitor, and then as a volunteer organizer, coach, and official, his contributions have been very important factors in the success of the sport of Track and Field. His involvement with track and field covers more than five decades and he continues to share his wealth of experience and knowledge with other officials, athletes, and coaches. He is very well respected at home and across Canada for his expertise and for his constant positive attitude and high spirits.

Having competed since 1951 in his native Germany, he first came onto the Newfoundland and Labrador track and field scene in the mid-1960’s, emerging as a top finisher in various prestigious events. At the 1964 Labour Day provincial track and field championships he captured the Victor Ludorum as a top performer in the senior division.

From 1974, as a coach, he became a fixture at club meets, lending his officiating skills to most events. He joined Basil Delaney in the 1977 establishment of the Westerland Track and Field Club. His coaching contributions were on a year- round basis, indoor and out. He coached five Newfoundland and Labrador teams at the Canada Games, including 1977 in St. John’s, 1985 in Saint John, 1989 in Saskatoon, 1997 in Brandon, and 2001 in London. For more than 20 years on eight different occasions in cities coast to coast, he led local athletes to the National Royal Canadian Championships, and in 1997 he was Camp Director of the Legion National Camp.

Since 1974 his officiating services and experience have been priceless to the sport of track and field. He has officiated at many Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games, high school regional and provincial competitions. From 1985 to 1992 he officiated at six national championships, and in 1987 he earned his Level IV Jumps Certificate. The highlight of his officiating career was in 1993, when he was invited to officiate as the Chief Official for the High Jump at the Indoor World Championships, which took place at the Sky Dome in Toronto.

Former athlete Mike Gulliver, read an article online that The Evening Telegram published on Wulf Stender, and his love for Track. Here is what Mike had to say about his past experiences with Wulf: “His ability to bring out the best person in you is unparalleled to any other coach I’ve seen or met. He truly is a legend and built a legacy that will never be surpassed”.

Hall of Fame Inductee Biographies for 2022

Brian Brocklehurst “Athlete”

Brian Brocklehurst was an all-star athlete in St. John’s in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. He was a late starter in hockey, but soon caught on to the sport to become one of the best kids in the minor hockey system in St. John’s because he passed the puck with authority and was an excellent stickhandler who had a strong shift to either side when rushing the defense. He played on the 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966 Provincial minor hockey championship St. John’s teams. He went on to win two St John’s junior and senior hockey championships with St. Bon’s and Memorial University. As a rookie in 1969 he won the senior league scoring title with 58 points in just 16 regular season games and was also named league MVP. Later in his hockey career, Brian was a star player for the MUN Beothuks from 1970-1973 and again as a rookie lead the St. John’s Caps in scoring and to the Herder Trophy in 1973-1974. When his career led him to be transferred to Gander, a softball injury prevented him from playing with the Gander Flyers as part of the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League, so he took to coaching the team instead.

He was an all-star in the St. John’s Senior Softball League and is a member of both the St. John’s and Softball Newfoundland Halls of Fame. He played on six league championship teams winning 11 individual awards including the league MVP in 1969, the first non-pitcher to win the award. During the 12 seasons he played in the St. John’s Senior Softball League he compiled a .283 batting average with 136 hits, 14 home runs, and 61 runs batted in. He was also a catcher for the St. Pat’s baseball teams that won both St. John’s Junior and Senior titles. As a first baseman, who also caught and pitched, he earned a great deal of respect for his hitting ability, his fielding skills, his impressive leadership skills, and his exceptional sportsmanship and was well liked-by teammates and opponents.

Brian’s biggest and most treasured accomplishment was being named St. John’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1969. In that year he played on eight championship teams in three different sports – softball, hockey, and baseball. A severe leg injury in 1974 effectively ended his competitive career at the age of 24. He continued to play recreational hockey until recently and today enjoys a leisurely game of golf.

Darren Colbourne “Athlete”

Darren Colbourne has succeeded as both a hockey and baseball athlete since he began playing minor baseball and hockey in Corner Brook in 1972. Darren has displayed excellence and leadership at every level of his sports career while playing locally, provincially, nationally, internationally, and professionally. His exploits on and off the baseball fields and hockey rinks on the west coast of the island led to a life filled with awards and individual achievements. Playing baseball, he appeared in more than 20 National Junior and Senior Championships with the Corner Brook Barons and St. John’s Caps, won 10 Provincial Championships, 2 Atlantic Junior Championships, and 2 Atlantic Senior Championships, along with winning a Bronze Medal at the 1992 Senior Men’s Championships in Windsor, Ontario. His hard work led him to be selected as the Flag Bearer for the 1989 Canada Summer Games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the age of 21.

He had the unique opportunity to pursue hockey and baseball for collegiate endeavours in 1984, choosing to follow his dreams of playing hockey. He spent 5 years in the Ontario Hockey League playing with both the Oshawa Generals, and the Cornwall Royals. Known for his gift to shoot and score, he was fortunate enough to score 150 goals and added almost 130 assists which resulted in being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1988. He had a decorated career in the ECHL, playing 421 games over seven seasons in the League and ranks fifth in League history with 323 goals. He was also named ECHL Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-ECHL First Team in 1991-92. He was one of only three players in ECHL history to have three 50 plus goal season which held him to be inducted into the ECHL’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

He also played Inline Roller Hockey, earning 3 world hockey championships which include a Roller Hockey International title in 1995 and a Major League Roller Hockey World title in 1998, and a International Ice Hockey Federation World title for Canada in 1998. Retiring in 1999 from his professional career, Darren returned to provincial hockey in 2000 to play for the Corner Brook Royals. He played a pivotal role in four league championship achievements and the 2002 Herder Memorial Championship. After he retired from playing in 2009, he went on to coach the 2011 Clarenville Caribous to an Allan Cup title. His contributions to the hockey community were recognized when his jersey number, 25, was retired by the Corner Brook Royals.

Sean Gulliver “Athlete/Builder”

Sean Gulliver had a great baseball career as a star infielder in local and provincial senior baseball in the early 1980’s and was the heart and soul of the Shamrocks baseball dynasty for over 30 years. Sean combined great hitting, defense, and baseball intelligence to help his team to 21 local and 10 provincial championships. As an outstanding defensive shortstop/second baseman and captain in the infield he was always at or near the top in key statistics and captured many individual honours over the course of his career.

From 1979-1985 he played in the St. John’s Junior league helping to win the Championship in 1985 and from 1980-2016, Sean was a member of the Shamrocks Senior Baseball team competing in the St. John’s Senior Baseball League. He broke into the league as a 15-year-old rookie and played for a total of 38 years at the junior and senior level combined. During his baseball career he had a batting average of over .360, hit .400 or better 10 times earning him multiple awards, including being inducted in 2019 into the St. John’s Baseball Hall of Fame and into the Provincial Baseball Hall of Fame.

During the prime of his career, he was considered by many to be the best hitter in the province and has been a dedicated and tireless leader in the development of baseball in Newfoundland and Labrador on and off the field, always helping to make others around him more successful. Coaching for 41 consecutive years, he has coached over 100 teams spanning both Minor and Senior divisions to help those teams capture 55 championships at the local and provincial levels. He has also coached the Junior and Senior St. John’s Capitals for a combined 30 years and has been head coach of both teams for the past 7 years. For his efforts, Sean has been recognized by the Provincial Baseball Association as Provincial Coach of the Year 8 times and won the Les Noseworthy Award in 1993. He continues to coach the Intermediate and Senior Shamrocks, both of whom finished second at the St. John’s Amateur Baseball Association league in 2021. In addition to coaching, he was a respected umpire, a scout for the Major League Scouting Bureau and served on the executive of St. John’s Minor and Senior Baseball Leagues.

Mike Howlett “Athlete”

Mike Howlett has been involved in the sport of Soccer since the young age of four, a total of 32 years of his life in which 22 of those years were played at the All Star or top provincial level in two different provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta. At the age of 12, Mike was honoured to be selected to play for Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the Under 15 age level to help his team to win the Atlantics and compete at the 2007 All Star Nationals. In 1993, Mike represented the province as part of Team NL at the Canada Summer Games in Kamloops. He moved away in 1995 and moved back home in 2007 to start playing Challenge Cup for St. Lawrence at 15 years of age but moved to Calgary a few years later and then played for St Lawrence again from 2007-2010.

For the next 15 years he split his time with the St. Lawrence Laurentians and two teams in Calgary. At the national level, his Calgary teams represented Alberta six times while winning the National Challenge Cup gold medal twice. In 1999 he won with Calgary Celtics and repeated the success in 2003 with the Calgary Callies. He is the only Newfoundland born player to have won two Challenge Cup gold medals. Here at home, his St. Lawrence team represented the Newfoundland and Labrador 4 times at the Challenge Cup Nationals in 1993, 1998, 2007 and 2008, winning a Bronze Medal for the province in 2007. Playing at the Masters level in 2012, Michael helped St. Lawrence win a Silver medal at the Eastern Canadian Masters.

In Alberta, he is recognized as being one of the top strikers to have played in the Alberta Major Soccer League. Mike is also considered by many to be the best player Newfoundland and Labrador has ever produced. He continuously showed leadership on every team he played on by being named captain, team and league MVP along with being scoring leader numerous times. Winning multiple titles earned him the honour to be named as the NLSA Senior Player of the Year in 2008 and be inducted into the St. Lawrence Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014, the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Burin Peninsula Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mike is described as a strong, determined competitor and his success on the field has been exceptional even when he played at the All Star level at 36 years of age, becoming the league top scorer.

Dr. Pat Parfrey “Builder”

Dr. Pat Parfey started playing rugby at the age of 13 at the CBC in his native Cork, Ireland and played club rugby while studying for his medical degree at the University College Cork (UCC) winning the Munster Cup with the team in 1976. He eventually moved to England to further his academic career, and continued to play in Montreal and England. Assuming responsibility of player coach from 1977-1982 with the London Irish, he led the team to its first ever RFU Cup Final in 1980.

As a player, coach, and volunteer, Pat has made enormous contributions to the sport of rugby for over 30 years. His name is widely known within the rugby community here in the province, across Canada, and around the world for pushing the development of the game, to guiding many national championship teams from the province and becoming one of the sport’s most prolific fundraisers and builders.

Away from the field, he led the campaign to build the Swilers Rugby Complex, a world class sports facility in St. John’s which has played host to attracting high quality competitive teams from all corners of the globe. Pat has mentored and coached athletes of all ages. His accomplishments as a coach to improve Canadian Rugby are numerous, including training an Under 19 team that won 5 out of 6 games while touring London, and led the Canadian National side to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, also leading Canada to victory in the Pacific Rim Championship in 1997 and 1998.

Pat is the only person to have served as the Coach of Canada’s National Senior Men’s Team and President of Rugby Canada, and currently is Canada’s representative on the World Rugby Board as part of the Community Rugby Committee. Many attest that the opportunities that Pat’s leadership and mentorship behind the scenes with planning, goal setting, lobbying, fundraising, orchestrating, and ultimately getting this done on the grandest of scale has created results for the betterment of the rugby community and in particular youth playing the sport. Presently he is giving back to the sport in a unique way as the Team Manager for the National U20 Men’s Team and is a board member of the Swilers Rugby Club.

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NL Fastpitch Would Like To Take This Opportunity To Congratulate The Sport NL 2021 And 2022 Hall Of Fame Inductees.

Congratulations!