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Thursday, January 5, 1961 NORSHORE SENTINEL 9 SPORTS BIZ WITH DIZ BY PAUL "DIZZY" BAXTER The focus of all hockey fans in the North Shore is on the 'western division Red Rock and Nipigon, but for vastly different reasons . On one hand you have the success story of the Royals. On the other hand you have the plight of the Flyers as they try to regroup after a disastrous start in this North Shore Hockey league. First let's take the Royals and review their success and the reasons for it. At the start of the year there were doubters in every nook and cranny in the league who gave new coach Roger Harvey only a few months of life with a team that appeared to be weakened greatly from last year’s club. But what they didn’t figure is the 'attitude’ of this Royal club and all Royal clubs for that matter. The fact they had been picked for last place and that others didn’t have the confidence in their coach made them even more determined to prove Roger’s worth...and their own worth. Some of the players were a little shook up at Roger’s tirades about conditioning but they all admired his 100% attention and approach to his job. So they took it and came back for more. In short, the Royals have complete harmony. The second key to their success is a young fellow who finally grew up, forgot about playing chippy hockey and emerged as a new star---a suitable replacement for Dick Carpenter. Neil Seagris is 100% improved over his previous showing in the league and is providing the leadership that is needed on any club. In fact he’s more effective than Carpenter! Seagris’ ' arrival’ and the introduction of such new blood as the Pineau brothers, home-bred talent with plenty of hustle,has helped coach Harvey open a lot of eyes including yours truly. There’s no reason to believe that they will slow down and right now you have to pick them as the team to beat_ And now over to the Flyers The Flyers have the potential to be a front-running club, and, even without George Swan and Dean Jones, they showed it Sunday against Red Rock. But why the poor start and the trouble which seems to follow the Flyers? It must be remembered that at the beginning of this hockey war the Flyers were in dire straits for players. They finally induced most of the veterans out but two solid defencemen,- Bruce Tard and Pentti Korpi were lost and George Swan, the basher of the club, first didn’t come out and then broke a bone in his back during a recent fire at the Plywood Mill and still hasn’t had a chance to throw his weight around. This was bound to weaken the defence and, in the Flyer losses, and especially to Terrace Bay, that was the main weakness. New comers Jerry Carlisle and Ray Maki have been terrific additions here as has Ed Atwell but it’s tough to replace that one-two punch of Ward and Swanie completely. And the defence has been further weakened so far by the absence of Dean Jones for a number of games. This player trouble hurt and while Marshall Borsk tried hard, the players just wouldn’t co-operate with attendance at practice. Finally things snowballed into the situation which occurred on Boxing Day when the Flyers failed to show up for a game in Red Rockâ€"the first time this has happened in the league. The following evening, with four or five players missing they were blasted 12â€"4 by Terrace. The reasons Flyers had for not appearing against Red Rock are completely inexcusable. It was true that four players went home for Christmas and three others were injured but the Flyers could still have iced at least 10 men. The 12â€"4 loss was the stopping point and the turning point. It was obvious that the Flyers showing was a disgrace to the uniform and something had to be done. The executive called a meeting after the game and it was announced that former player Jack Staples had beer appointed coach relieving Marshall Borsk whom the executive felt was too soft. Staples is anything but soft. The Flyers practiced ever night this week. The players that don’t like it will sit it out. Jack made that clear when he took over. He wouldn’t be the goat for our poor showing he stated, and said that with co-operation and hard work the team could get back into shape and give the rest of the teams more than a good run. Now it’s up to the players. It’s no fun losing and especially the way the Flyers were at the start of die schedule. The boys are determined to work and make the town proud of them again even if they don’t win every game. Flyer Coach Tough, “Won’t Be Goaf -JACK STAPLES With new coach Jack Staples cracking a downright nasty, mean whip, Nipigon Flyers have started on the road to recovery with an exuberance that could spell trouble in this North Shore Hockey league. Taking over from Marshall Borsk, suspended for one year when the Flyers failed to show up for a Boxing Day engagement at Red Rock, Staples had the Flyers on the ice every night last week and again this week with few absentees at any practice. The players are so eager to get in shape and make up for their poor early-season showing that at least six players get in an extra practice every morning at the arena. The results showed early. Red Rock had their hands full Sunday in edging the Flyers 4-3- With another full weeks practice, the Flyers are aiming for Marathon Mercuries this weekend in Nipigon. It will be their first weekend series at home and good crowds are expected, especially after last Sunday’s game. Staples brings a short but impressive coaching record to the Flyers pointing with pride to Al Johnson, now with Detroit and many of the present Winnipeg Maroons now in Europe whom he coached at Souris in the Manitoba senior league, the Big Six. Jack was tied with famous Brian Hex tall, for coach of the year honors in one of the two years that he coached-. A former player with the Flyers, Jack came to Nipigon in 1959 and played two seasons with the Flyers. He was no stranger to Northwestern Ontario however, having played with the Port Arthur Bruins from 50-52 in junior hockey. Jack is married with two children. He resides on Duluth St. GALS HOST MEN CURLERS The Ladies’ Curling Club, Beard more, entertained the Men’s Curling Club and guests at a Christmas Holiday Party on Wed. Dec 28. Mrs. Wm. Sinclair was in charge of lunch, assisted by Mrs. N. Kozak Mrs. F. Budinsky, Miss. 8. Goodman and Miss. G. Melnychuk. Mrs. D. Lake was in charge of decorating and had the curling club decorated gaily with decorations loaned through the courtesy of the T. Eaton Co., Port Arthur. The ladies were assisted by Chas Mclnnis, J. Auger, T. Oyakawa, and S. Anderson. Music for Dancing was provided by Tremblay’s Orchestra. Jack’s philosophy is simple: "I have the confidence in these fellows. They’re proud boys and that’s why I know I can push them. They’ll squawk, sure. But it makes them win hockey games, they’ll listen and work. There’ll be no favorites. If someone doesn’t want to work or come out for practices I don’t want to have any tiling to do with him. A coach doesn’t have to bo tough , as they call. it. He just has to be firm. I intend to be firm. I won’t be the goat for them and they know it. You can expect a big difference in the Flyers from here on. Once that attitude changes they’ll have a new coach!” FLYERS FORFEIT , LEAGUE MEETING TO SET PENALTY Nipigon Flyers failure to show up for their Boxing Day game at Red Rock has brought up a new problem in the North Shore Hockey legacy. Here is how the situation stands at the moment. The forfeited game, the first in the history of the league, calls for an automatic $50 fine, a one year’s suspension for the coach or person responsible. There is nothing covering the lost gate for the team awarded the two points however and there was the catch. Red Rock wanted compensation for the lost holiday gate and by a telephone vote of league governors they were given just that. The Flyers thus had to give up their New Year’s Day game but, according to president Frank Zayette, this was done only after being assured by president Bob Abbott that the schedule would be so altered that the Flyers would be given another extra weekday game to make up for this. The problem will go before a meeting of the league this weekend. S AME AIM QUEBEC, (CP) - Pierre Tremblay, administrator of Quebec’s winter carnival, has the same aim as the first oneâ€"to draw tourist and provide winter employment. The carnival was first held in 1894. TRAVELLING TO EUROPE ? NOW is the time to arrange for your European trip. Write or drop in and see us for all the latest travel information. Let our experts arrange and plan your holiday or business trip and enjoy trouble free travel ling, AGENTS FOR ALL MAJOR AIRLINES AND STEAMSHIP COMPANIES THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE FOR OUR SERVICES SUPERIOR IN THE LOBBY OF THE PRINCE ARTHUR HOTEL PHONE DI 4-9282