Gift heralds golden hockey era

NEW GLASGOW – Memories were thrust to the surface last Thursday during a special presentation to the Pictou County Sports Heritage Hall of Fame by Clint Dickson on the hockey career of the late Freddie Malcolm.
Malcolm was a high school hockey standout in the 1960s during what is considered the golden era of New Glasgow High School teams coached by the late John Brother MacDonald in the sixties.
Dickson presented copies of his work to the Hall of Fame and Malcolm’s widow, Sheila Malcolm, after he commissioned a research project that outlines the career and contributions of Malcolm. It was completed by local sports historian Corey Hartling.
“I have the research on just about every player,” Hartling said. “It’s just about putting it together.”
The collection is called New Glasgow: A Hockey Dynasty and shared vital information on eight hockey teams.
It started with a bantam team MacDonald coached in New Glasgow that won the 1958-59 provincial bantam championship.
New Glasgow teams were also semifinalists during the 1959-60 midget championship, won the 1960-61 provincial and Maritime midget titles and reached the 1960-61 high school finals.
NGHS reached the 1961-62 provincial high school semifinals and won the 1962-63 championship.
The team also captured provincial and Maritime juvenile titles.
“We had a really good team,” Dickson said.
In one clinching game, Malcolm scored three goals and Dickson added a pair.
Dickson said the approach to hockey has changed since he played on those teams.
“We had more practices than hockey,” he said. “They seem to have more games now.”
The gathering also featured Clint’s daughter, Christine Dickson, who presented the Hall of Fame with a Toronto Maple Leaf jersey that was given to her by Bobby Baun, a defenceman who played most of his NHL career with the Leafs, including their four Stanley Cup winners in the 1960s.
Hall of Fame curator Trenholm said the items will be welcome additions to what is already stored and displayed.
The Hall of Fame is accessed off East River Road in the federal building and utilizes displays by local designer John Ashton to showcase hockey and other sports athletes and teams.