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m1mifwtrmol4v By RANDY MCDONALD Examiner Sports Editor Its only fitting that 1976 should bow out on the heels of one of the busiest sports weeks of the year Its just been that kind of year The holiday break at Christmas has become the traditional time of year to plug the sports scene with minor hockey tournaments many of which attract the at tention of teams from the Barrie Minor Hockey Association BMHA Oro Wasaga Beach Burlington Stayner and Penetanguishene are few centres within striking distance of the BMHA which held tournaments this week Lets not forget another mention of this weeks Flyers Czechs exhibition hockey series Flyers lost both games 32 and 83 but shouldnt feel too bad about it Prague Selects are proclass and did offer some exciting hockey to Barrie fans The two games finally achieved what Flyers have been unable to do all year and thats get the people out to their games total of 3552 spectators filed into the Barrie Arena Monday and Tuesday The year 1976 is going out with bang Its amazing just how fast year passes when covering city as pro sports as Barrie Theres really no break anymore between seasons One has started before the other has ended lcan remember number of oc casions early this fall leaving the chilly confines of the arena to take in fastball game at Queens Park The annual Yearender sports report is traditional time to sit back and reflect on just What transpired during the year As always it was grabbag type of year One of those mixed with measure of success and failure glory and disap pomtment frustration and hope bickering and co SPOETS WHEEL Hockey merger one prediction By ED HARPER Chayl Old Santa has come and gone hope he was good to you and that everyone has fully recovered from eating too much turkey This is the time of the year when make my predictions of what will happen in sport during the forthcoming year In 1976 did lot better than had in past years predicting Montreal would Win the Stanley Cup Russ Jackson would be replaced as coach of the Argos Ottawa would Win the Grey Cup Sandy Hawley would be the leading Jockey and that Toronto would get major league franchise and would be ready to go in 1977 The two predictions that am most proud of are the fir ing of Russ Jackson as there was no mention of Jackson being fired at the start of 1976 and Toronto getting major league franchise since it didnt look too good for them at the start of 1976 Of course made some bad Armstrong taking over the To from Red Kelly because was so wrong predictions too such as George ronto Maple Leaf coaching Job the Oakland Athletics Winning the World Series in baseball and few others that wont mention Well here are my predictions for 1977 and Will keep my fingers crossed all year HOCKEY The NHL and the WHA will merge George Armstrong coach of the Toronto Marlies of the Junior League Will become coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs These were both predictions that made last year which think will come to pass in 1977 Buffalo Sabres will Win the Stanley Cup Bobby Orr will have to retire as player during 1974 due to continuing knee problems FOOTBALL Argos will have another poor season Look for Joe lheismann back as the quarterback for Argos now that Leo Cahill is the coach The Saskatchewan Roughriders Will take the Grey Cup with Win over their Ottawa namesakes BICYCLE RACING lhe Huronia Bicycle Club of Barrie Will come into pro minence with some outstanding bicycle riders who Will bring some titles to the Barrie area BASEBALL Toronto Blue Jays will play to large crowds making them financially strong Cincmatti Reds Will Win another World Series and Montreal will finish no worse than third in their division BOXING Muhammad Ali Will stay retired His on again off again retirement is only publiCity to keep his name in front of the public until his mowes are shown George Foreman Will be the next champion of the world and it will be in 1977 IIORSE RACING Sandy Hawley will continue to ride in championship style leading the riders at Hollywood Park for the third year in row He Will ride again on the Ontario circmt next season and lead all theJockeys in North America GOLF Jack Nicklaus will once again return to Winning form and will Win both the Masters and the FGA also predict that this is theyearlwill break 100 SKIING Although there are no Nanc Canadian skiers will show bett Greenes on the skiing scene er this Winter in international competition Ken Read and Dave Irwin Will head the list of Canadian skiers SKATING Ronnie Shaver will finally hit his peak this year and Win in ternational gold Now that loller Cranston has turned profes sional lot of the pressure Will be off Shaver and he will reach new heights in figure skating SOCC The Barrie Optimist Minor than 1000 kids next season and fields to accommodate them Soccer League Will Sign more there wont be enough soccer The above are my predictions for 1977 1f do as well as last yearl will be pleased but dont last year was the best that had et on any of my predictions as ver done Soviets crush USA with 155 triumph PRAGUE CPI lhe SOViet Union scored six goals in each of the first two periods in cluding five goals during five minute span of the second pe riod to crush the United States 155 Thursday at the world Jun ior hockey tournament Minor Peewees lose overtime Cardinal Cash and Carry Minor Peewees were eli minated from the Brooklin Whitby tournament earlier this week With 32 loss to Kinston Township Barrie opened the tourna ment with convincing 60 shelling of Rochester New York Kingston took 20 lead in the first period With Barrie cutting into the margin with goal in the second period Kevin Roulston and Gary Bertram scored for Barrie Barrie got threeng game from Sean Kirkpatrick against Rochester Gary Bertram Kevin Roulston and David McAllister each had one goal Ricky Schaty was in net for Barrie The victory for the SoViets who got their goals from eight different players includingfivc from Vladmir Shvetsov gave them sole possession of first place in the eightnation tour nament With 50 record for It pomts St Catharines Fincups of the Ontario Hockey Assouafion Major Junior Series represen ting Canada are in second place With 401 record and nine pomts one pomt ahead of thirdplace Finland which edged Czechoslovakia 32 in the only other tournament game Thursday operation Barrie had its fair share of glory Most noteable and most recent are the awards to and Stables Jambo Dancer and Kent Baker of Barrie Without trying to beat it further into the rug having pacer acclaimed as the bar nesshorse of the year is nothing to sneeze at Its an honor to owners Bob Garner and Roger Giffen lt could well be oneina lifetime thing for the city Doubling the feat was the selection of Baker as non driviiig trainer of the year Pouring through clippings filed throughout 1976 con tinues to uncover tidbits of information worth recording Problem is theres JUSL not the time or space to mention all of them No national honors came to Barrie on the hockey scene this year There were few indiViduals stepping into the limelight on the national sports scene however as well as achievmg provmmal recognition ORO AIIAIN Larry Mc Cuaig right finds his pro gross slowed by Beaverton forward during lhursdays championship game of the GOOdbye 6an inte But it was in the county that Barrie flexed its muscles and came to life As always minor sports grew Some like lacrosse had record seasons inenrolment and achievements This is good to see Minor sports is an important and vital element in any com munity It has to be strong element varied and open to mass participation It is this mass par ticipation which eventually leads to woe when facilities already taxed to their limits are asked to stretch bit more The Barrie Minor Lacrosse Association is young hard working sports body 11 has shown initiative in getting out finding land and securing the necessary funds to con struct an outdoor lacrosse box quick peek into 1977 sees the minor soccer association hitting another bumper season and having to ask Do we have the fields to handle everybody Highlights of 1976 There Uro Silver Stick regional tournament for jlthllllt teams at the ro tIIiITitlllI entrc Oro lost 2H in Beaverton and the lf livi Flyers have four in top 10 scoring By THE ANAHIAN IRIZSS Centre laul Regan of Barrie llyers has sccurc hold on the Ontario Hockey Association Senior scoring lead this week Willi 12 pomts over his nearest rival Regan has 24 goals and 28 aSSlSIS for 32 pomts Russ Elliott of hunder Bay lwms is second With to points on It goals and 30 assists Barrios lhil Branston and Danny Lutes of Orillia lerriers share third spot With 37 points Branston on 13 goals and 22 assists and Lutes on 14 goals and 23 assists Stan Worosr of Brantlord Alexanders leads the goal tenders With average Bob Ilupms of Cambridge Hornets has had two shutouts to lead goaltenders in that aspect of thegame Defenceman Rick linti ol Hrantford is the penalty lindir With91niinutcs The top It scorers ff liar rie IB lhunder Buy Or Orillia Cambridge ltegan 24 32 ft Elliott 115 10 thi 40 Branston ll 15 22 37 Lutes 14 23 If Baird 21 15 36 Martel 20 16 3t Lutestl 17 19 36 Peace 11 25 34 Lyle Ill 17 35 fl Defictro IB ill 14 32 Group rule says leave helmets on for anthem Its group rule this year in the Ontario Hockey Assoc1a tion that helmets be left on for the playing of the national an them says Steve Cripps gen eralmanager of the Barrie Flyers Mr Cripps was responding to sports item published in Wednesdays edition of The Ex amincr which posed question by one fan why dont Flyers takeoff their helmets like other teams for the national an them This particular person thought it was disrespectful Cripps said the helmet is con Sidered part of the uniform and MEILUN thT DENTURE THERAPIST Complete Denture Service Hours im pm Mon thiu Sat 2th Durilop St Bar rie MtllllNI ltlllllltil Smitly 728 8l0 that it has been agreed upon by teams competing in the senior loop that they can stay on Cripps also brought to light an interesting note concerning the recent zcchshlycrs series He said he felt real down after the hit loss Wednesday but after meeting with the Prague Selects liiIIlltl this club had been put together in August Witfi the intention of playing National Hockey League teams This deal fell through but the team was kept together and is currently on North American tour haVing won four straight games were many These include INDIVIDUAL PER FORMERS IN 76 Mike Forgrave has to rate high The student at Barrie North Collegiate racked upian im pressive list of achievements this year in track and field He was first in the 400metre hurdles at the national junior track and field cham pionships in Sudbury and at the national senior cham pionships in Regina lhe lflryearold also set national record at Sudbury and just failed to qualify for the Olympic Games at Mori treal He has his Sights set on the 1980 lynipics 1f the City were to honor one amateur athlete of the year Forgrave would be hard pick to pass by Bob Baird led the HA Senior scoring last season loe Lawrence played against and beat some of the best snooker players in the coun try Lisa likkala was member of the goldmedal Winning team at the Canadian National Canoe sion lltlt which they Won for the first lllllt last StitSOIl filthy wii thi AA 1m Non ol Vtllllllxtl lli fcnr tilt Ilil lint ll guiim Ifnlisifriy lltlll cacti sptt litltIIh roiiif Motor Junior HtlltS restin SELE TS COME BA CK FOR ANOTHER WIN Itllflffl to score Win over llifiiittord Alexanders of the Utilnilti lltukiy tllll1tlllStllllllJ league in an exhibition lliaiitlord fed early in thr third period before the Siliit scornd lfilll goals in throt mlflllllS and 11 seconds 11 war thr lttllllll tiflillI1tklll for theCzechoslovakian ltillll Inch unbeaten lIl four games of North American Milos lxupcc corcd Iuo goals for the Selects Vladimir Vctti Mirosln L1iktosoii and lelr Brdicka scored one lirnntlorrl goals tiri scored by Stevi litid lofiii llllllll illltl lloli HostHe llit Selimts oiitsliot Hrantloril 3t 33 before crowd of 2074 fuach it nin had four niinor penalties Ilrnntlord lltl nltcr the first and 31 at the end of the ser lhi lrngui ttrrini vill play tonight in Sault Ste Marie against lllI IiItl1tIlllilIgt of the and Kayak Races in Toronto this summer John McIntyre of Barrie set Canadian record for the fastest Trans Canada crossing by motor cycle 81 hours 55 minutes Bep Guidolin going to the World Hockey Association as coach and general manager of the Edmonton Oilers Thats Just scratching the surface of individual per formers TOP TEAMS IN 1976 Barrie Flyers dominated the OHA Senior League before bowing out in the Allan Cup final in Spokane Wash lets not forget the Barrie Central Redskins senior football team and their third straight Georgian Bay Secondary School Association title on logame unbeaten string EastView Secondary School senior girls basketball team made it to the allOntario final PeterReino Hustlers womens volleyball team and their provincial and tour nament titles Hustlers are also losmg coach Ed Redden at the end of January Barrie taiiguishcnc edging Toll ingWood 54 to Win the llivision title Examiner ffiotof lraguc Selects came from lief iucrsc lim Ontario Hockey Association Midland wins four of five finals at own Silver Stick lfiNbIlANG It was Mid land all the way at the annual Silver Stick regional hockey tournament for midget atom and tennis hosch by the Midlnnd Minor Hockey Association No bad for community Without an ircanui The town lost its community centre to fire this summer and has been forced to seek oiitsidr arenas lorilstcainr Midland budgets are current ly on tour in Sweden filter Winn ing the midget linul Midland peewees humped lentang 51 while Midland atoms dumped Iollingwotxffrz Gravenhurst got another chance at ollingwood in the UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT The Clansman Manor Residential Home Big Bay Point Accommodation for seniors semiinvolids diets planned For further information please call Mrs Sheila Collins 4363252 The Ilansmiin Manor Big Bay Point Rd RR Barrie bantain final The two teams met during the course of four namciit With ollingwood Winn ing that particular game Gravenhurst refused to lose any more and earned right to meet follingwood in the final They won the first game 31 to force tiebreaker Gravenhurst had an eaSier time in this game defeating ollingwmd 02 Marshall lhompson had two goals in the deCiding game for Gravenhursl ORILLIA 93 Commerce Rd l705l 326 6485 JERRY SMITH TIEDEN RENTACAR AND TRUCK SERVICE RatesDaily Weekly Monthly Yearly FEATURING CHEVROLETS Rotary Major Peewees made it to the OMHA finals before losing in five hard fought games USW minor peewees became allCntario cham pions April 10 1976 by defeating Riverside 64 in fifth and deciding game NOTEABLE ACHIEVEME NIS IN 76 Successful start of the second Winter Games in Huronia more games on Jan completion of Barrie Community Recreation Con ference which outlined the need for more concerned approach to future recreation in Barrie by everyone involvement of Carling OKeefe in Senior Hockey Now the league has cup and cash prize to shoot for SOME SURPRISES IN 76 Flyers selling playing rights of longtime captain Corby Adams and Jim Thompson to Orillia Terriers The two players fought the move and eventually Joined Brantford Alexanders Barrie Colts Junior Hockey firing New champions crowne yer indeed coaching staff of Don Crowe and Don Martin Wayne Carleton actually playing with Flyers Jim Vanni of Brantlord charged with assault following Flyers Alexanders clash Vanni will have preliminary hearing in provincial court Jan 1977 SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS IN 76 Ease in which Flyers were eliminated by Spokane in the Allan Cup final four straight ease in which Barrie Colts faded out in the playoffs after second place finish in the MidOntario Junior Hockey League the way the struggle for ice time among minor hockey associations is allowed to go on Not getting to watch Barries Jim Corrigal star for the Argos this season The defensive end sat out the entire CFL season with an in jury Dan Maloney getting charged With assault causing bodily harm following NHL game between Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs This was last November but the issue was finally cleared with his acquittal this sum mer Then the Red Wings Winger breaking his shoulder last week There was some sadness in 1976 as well Oro Jets girls hockey team was shocked when 18yearold Wendy Raycroft died suddenly this September She died in hospital of meningitis She was stan dout with the lets hockey club as well as in the Orillia and District Ladies Softball League Wendy was regarded as one of most promising young pitchers in womens softball in Ontario As you can well see we have barely disturbed what took place during 1976 There are hundreds of items of in terst but as is occasionally thrown at us in this par ticular line of work Old news is dead news What counts is what youre doing now and what youre going to do for us tomorrow at Silver Stick final GUTIIRIE Staff Oro Partridge Juveniles JUSI never got it together and as result were defeated 20 by Beaverton in the 1iVi5ion championship of the annual Oro Minor Hockey Assocmtion Silver Stick Regional tournament lhur sday There are three new Winners this season fenctangmshene got break at the end of the game to edge out Colhngwood 65 for the Divrson title Whit by was an easy 72 Winner over Newmarket in the AA 1iVision Winners of the regional playoffs now advance to the provmcial Silver Stick finals in Mooretown Neither Beaverton or 0m had tasted defeat heading into the diVision final Oro was the defending tournament winners Third period aids Elmvale GUIHRIE IStalfi him vale scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat kastown 32 and Win the ff UlVlSlOIf consolation at the an nual Silver Stick elimination tournament for Juvenile teams at the Oro lownship oinmuno ty Centre lhursday Brampton blanked India to to claim the AA Division con solution Midland snuck by Canadian Forces Base Borden 65 to lake the consolation segment of the Division on Wednesday Each club had one loss heading into the finals of their respectivedmsions Brian Jaiiiieson had two goals for Elmvale With Danny Ritchie Steve Loftus and Paul Archer connecting for one goal Serge llristovski and John frince scored for tookstown Kevm Brown Randy Czech Gary Warhurton and Bob Legualf all scored for Brainp ton liin Merklcy rifled hat trick to pace Midland 0ro girls win title at Thornton tourney THORNTON Oro Junior Girls hockey team emerged With championship per formance at the recent lhorn ton hockey tournament Oro needed two Wins to in the onelay tournament for girls hockey teams Oro nipped Ihornton 32 on penalty shot in overtime Beeton fell 62 Iaiila Smith had two goals for Oro against lhornton The eventual Winner was scored by Linda Reavm Marsha Gourley had three goals to lead Oro over Bceton Bob Cats win 51 Fh BOIIIIICN Douglas Mercury Bob Cats defeated Canadian Forces Base Borden 51 in exhibition hockey here Thursday Kerry Berbeck led the Bob Cats With two Donny Potter had one as lid Cameron Macleod and Pete Byers Bob afs outshot FB Borden 3+2 including 1971 outpouring inthethird Three of the goals were in the second Within space of one minute and 20 seconds Next Friday the Bob Tats return to the York Simcoe Minor Hockey League schedule With game at EastView Arena against Sharon SPORTS CALENDAR HOCKEY SUNDAY pm Barrie Arena Sweden vs IoOps CXhlblIlOlH pm ColhngWood at Owen Sound SOJ HL 780 pm Mississauga at Whitby SeniorAI BARRIE 341 Hayfield St I705 7370800 JIM RAWN Smith Lenna happell and Dianne Mctfunig were the other Oro shooters contributing to the 0m Victory leams commting in the tour nament came from Stroud Beeton Oro Stayiicr and lhornton It was in the third period when Len Shier Finelly fired low Shot by Oro goaltender John Beer to open the scoring Gary Collins made good move in front of Beer to deposn the in surancr goal late in the period Oro pressed right to the end of the game but rash of penalties weakened their chan ces There were four players CJCClttl from the game as result of altercations Oros Mark Mctuaig and Beavcrtons Jon Stewart left early in the third With Bri lole of 10 and Beavertons Jim latroll going late in the period EEEHI1EI lohn St Ainnnf whistled low JIIVI from inside the red line at centre that tooled Collingwood goaltender Darryl Lougheed for the eventual Win ning goal in 1ivisionfma1 It was St Amants second goal of the game He had scored minutes into the game to give feiietang the lead Penetang lost 20 lead on three unan swered Collingwood goals in the second period The club came back to tie the game and move in front once again before powerplay goal gave olliiigwood the tie With Just over minute left in the third period St Amant long shot came 19 seconds later to prevent over time and maintain fenetangs undefeated string at the four nameiit Aime Gignac Grant Qtlcslitllo and Ken Cowan scored the other fenetang goals ollingwoki got goals from Fat Dillon Paul Calder II11I1 Wilson and oug Kerr MARTIN ONROT PRESENTS DAN HILL IN CONCERT AT GEORGIAN COLLEGE SAT JAN IS I977 830 PM TICKETS 500 ADVANCE 600 AT THE DOOR AVAILABLE AT SAMS AND RECORDS ON WHEELS They Come From All Over Simcoe County 43 Essa Rd Barrie 0m Us DRIVE CAR 7266474 was €$