Resuming play, showing support in the wake of 1950 flood

Winnipeg Free Press

a day ago

Winnipeg
In a July column, Memories of Sport began to examine the impact the record Red River flood in 1950 had on local sports such as baseball and softball. In late May that year, some sports resumed play and events scheduled during Sportsmen's Week in early June raised funds in support of the Manitoba Flood Relief Fund.
On June 7 in the Winnipeg Amphitheatre, a professional wrestling card was promoted by Alex Turk. The wrestlers donated their purses, the rental fee was waived, and $3,631 was added to the fund. In the feature match, Canadian great Whipper Billy Watson battled to a 60-minute draw with Jumping Joe Pazandak. Fans also had the opportunity to see two great football players perform in the ring. Bronko Nagurski beat Dirty Dick Raines and Leo Nomellini handled Otto Kuss. In another match, Vern Gagne made his first appearance of many in our city and beat Mike DiBiase.
Nagurski, who was born in Rainy River, Ont., was an All-American football player at the University of Minnesota, who later played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. He played as both a running back and defensive tackle and was an inaugural inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. While playing for the Bears, he started his wrestling career in 1933 and continued to compete in the ring until 1958. Along the way, he won the National Wrestling Association world title.
Nomellini, an All-America defensive tackle at Minnesota, played 14 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He was inducted in the Pro Football HOF in 1969 and College shrine in 1977. Known in wrestling circles as Leo the Lion, he debuted in Minnesota in 1950, and went on to win 10 tag team championships. In one, he partnered with Gagne.
Four thousand soccer fans had the opportunity to see one of the greatest players ever in action on June 12. Blackpool star Stanley Matthews — who was later knighted by the Queen — was among 16 of England's finest, who played an exhibition match at Osborne Stadium. The visitors were divided into two teams and six local players were added to the rosters. Winnipeg Blue Bomber Bud Korchak was in goal for the victorious Blue squad and he was joined his St. James Legion teammates Nick Carter and Bill Wedlake. Midge Pennington from Scottish had a goal for the Whites, who lost 7-6. Bill Fraser from Scottish and Bill Milne of Legion also wore White.
Two future umpires and hockey referees were in the limelight when the Greater Winnipeg Senior Men's Baseball League opened play on June 2. Iggy Scaletta's two doubles led St. James Legion to 9-2 victory over Army and Navy Vets. His longtime officiating partner Sam Tascona banged out two triples, a double and a single in the St. Boniface Native Sons' 11-8 win over Selkirk. Darky Bouchard, the patriarch of the Bouchard baseball and softball family of note, contributed two doubles and two singles.
The City's first baseball Little League for boys 12 and under would begin play at Carruthers Park on June 12. An auction was held to select the players who had made the four teams. Len Cariou of the Dominion News Maple Leafs is the best known today. He became a star on Broadway where he won a Tony Award for best actor in a musical. From 2010 to 2024, he played retired New York City police commissioner Henry Reagan in the TV series Blue Bloods. Two of his Maple Leaf teammates were future Blue Bomber and Winnipeg Rangers junior hockey player Dennis Liebrecht and Garth Day, who starred for the Canadian junior football champion Winnipeg Rods in 1955 and 1956.
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The Okum Inn Blue Sox had future pro hockey player and junior coach Gerry Brisson and Ken Lailey, later a top golfer at Elmhurst. Al Glover, the shortstop on the 1967 Canadian men's softball champions Molson Canadians, played for the Sterling Stars.
A Free Press headline stated that the 'Manitoba Golf Picture Brightens.' The Inter-Club and Free Press tournaments were to be switched from St Boniface to Southwood and moved back a week from June 14 to June 21. St. Boniface, the defending inter-club champs, had been looking forward to hosting its first major tournament, but the course was the hardest hit by the flood. Windsor, Kildonan, Niakwa, Canoe Club, and Southwood also suffered damage.
T. Kent MorganMemories of Sport
Memories of Sport appears every second week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. Kent Morgan can be contacted at 204-489-6641 or email: [e-mail]
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