Tom McBroom

Tom McBroom was raised in the Credit Valley area of Mississauga. He has loved golf since he was a youngster, and even then wanted to design his own golf courses. When he set out to achieve his dream, it was a path almost untrodden in Canada.

He studied at the University of Guelph, graduating with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and establishing his own firm – a one-man operation to start – in the 1980’s.

Since then, he has designed and built some of the most strikingly beautiful and challenging golf courses anywhere. Rather than being imposed on the terrain, his golf courses grow out of the landscape on which they are built, and are noted for their craftsmanship and harmonious integration with the landscape they occupy.

Underlying his creative vision are his knowledge and appreciation of the history and the traditions of the game. He takes full advantage of modern technology, but always stays faithful to the spirit of early golf courses.

As a result, he creates conditions that demand and evoke the highest skills of the players, making him one of Canada’s great contributors to the game.

His courses have won numerous awards. A Tom McBroom course has five times been named the Best New Canadian Course by Golf Digest, from the Links at Crowbush Cove in 1994 to The Ridge at Manitou in 2006. Twelve of his designs are listed in the Top 100 Golf Courses in Canada.

In addition to his work here, he has designed and built courses in the U.S., the West Indies, and a set of courses of striking beauty in Finland.

Tom McBroom is a longtime member of the St. George’s Golf and Country Club. He and his wife Wendy live in the South Kingsway in Etobicoke, and have two children, Devon and Conor.

Molly Killingbeck

Molly Killingbeck is a world-renowned sprinter who has brought honour, medals and glory to Canada, even though she has claimed, with self-deprecating humour, that she only took up running to avoid after-school chores, because “anyone could join the track team.”

A four-time national sprint champion, she competed in the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988, bringing home a silver medal, as well as winning gold twice at the Commonwealth Games, silver at the Pan Am Games and the World University Games. In international competition she has won 16 golds, 13 silvers and 7 bronzes at the 200 and 400 metre distances.

Far from hanging up her track shoes after the Olympics, she continued her passionate involvement in her sport as a sprint/relay coach, including coaching the Canadian Men’s Gold Medal relay team (4x100m) at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Her dedication and her abilities have earned her more awards than can be listed here: among others, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award in 2002, York University’s athlete of the year, and athlete of the year of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union; and the International Amateur Athletic Federation Merit Award. She has also been an inductee to the York University Sport Hall of Fame.

Her involvement with Etobicoke and its surrounding communities goes back to her childhood. As a school athlete from York District, she competed with Etobicoke schools; later she moved with her own family into south Etobicoke.

In addition to the work she does for all Canadian athletes, Molly has continued to enrich the life of the community of Etobicoke through generous gifts of her time, knowledge and skills – everything from an ongoing commitment to the James S. Bell Community School Advisory Board to participation in programs at Christ the King Catholic Church, which she, her husband Liam O’Connor and son Quinn still attend, and taking part in volunteer programs in the schools aimed at helping kids enjoy an active lifestyle.

Doug McNichol

Doug McNichol, who had a long and stellar career as a football player, began participating in organized sports in his home town of Merritton, near St. Catharines. He played more basketball than football – he was on the Senior Intercollegiate basketball championship team in 1949-1950 – because his school’s football team played only one game a year, against Ridley.

His basketball coach, Angelo Pastore, recognizing his outstanding ability, looked for ways to get him on a college team. As a result Johnny Metras, Western’s renowned coach, offered him a place there, playing basketball. Doug asked if he could try out for football as well – and the rest, as they say, is history.

From 1950 to 1952 he was a lineman for the Western Mustangs, a member of 1950 and 1952 Yates Cup championship team. In 1952, he won the George McCullough Trophy as the team’s MVP. He was also an outstanding basketball player – team captain in 1951 and 1952, on the Ontario-Quebec Athletic Association Basketball Championship team in 1951, and on the All-Star team all three seasons.

In 1953 he was first-round draft choice of the Montreal Alouettes. That season, he was named the Eastern Rookie-of-the-Year, and in 1954 was offered a contract with the New York Giants. That set off a bidding war for his services as a player, won, in the end, by the Alouettes. He stayed with the team for eight seasons, and was named to the Eastern All-Star team six times. In 1958 and 1959, he was selected for the All-Canadian Team.

In 1961, he was traded to the Toronto Argonauts, doubling as a defensive end and tackle for three seasons. After retirement, he coached the East York Argonauts in 1966 and the Bramalea Satellites in 1967, helping each team win the Canadian Senior Championship.

Doug McNichol married his high school sweetheart, Betty McFarlane. They had three children, Scott, Cameron, and Clara. Betty passed away in 1996, and son Scott passed away 1998. Doug still lives in Etobicoke and has 2 grandchildren.

Colin Patterson

Colin Patterson, although most people know him as a truly remarkable hockey player, was equally skilled at lacrosse. He represented Canada in the world championships in Baltimore, winning a bronze medal. Lacrosse made him, he says, “a better hockey player”, since the game requires similar skills, hand/eye coordination and conditioning. But when the lacrosse season ended, he turned to hockey.

Colin was born in Rexdale, and played his minor hockey with the MTHL. He left organized hockey to play for his high school, Thistletown Collegiate Institute (T.C.I.) – the year of the teachers’ strike. Sports programs were suspended. While sitting at home with nothing to do, he was visited by the coach and the manager of the Etobicoke Canucks Midget A team, who talked him into playing with them. The best decision he made, he claims. The Etobicoke Hockey Association pulled him back into the game.

During his second year with the Royal York Royals Provincial Jr. A team, he was scouted by Clarkson University. In spite of offers from many other American universities, he chose Clarkson, a small and appealing school with interesting programs and excellent coaching. There he sharpened his skills and was welcomed by the town with open arms.

At Clarkson he was spotted by scouts from the Calgary Flames, who had come over to recruit a teammate. The Flames wanted him to sign with them, foregoing his final year of university, but he was reluctant to do that. They finally worked an agreement – he signed for the coming season, and they would pay for his final year. He completed it over three summers, earning a degree in marketing and management. At Calgary, the skills he perfected in lacrosse made him a superb defensive forward.

In 1989, Colin played on a line with Doug Gilmore and Joe Mullen, and won the Stanley Cup. That same year, he was a finalist for the Selke Trophy. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 1991, and played with them for two seasons, followed by a year with HK Olimpija in Ljubjana, Slovenia, before retiring from hockey.

He was inducted into the Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Colin is president of Just-In Case Ltd, a firm that designs and manufactures eco-friendly portable fire suppression equipment, to safeguard people who live or work more than ten minutes from emergency response. He lives in Calgary with his wife Sherri, daughters Stephanie and Michelle, and son Derek.

Clarke Pulford

Clarke Pulford was born in Newton Robinson and grew up in Weston, a talented and skilled all-round athlete from a family of athletes. He played football and hockey for Weston Collegiate, junior lacrosse for his local league and Junior B hockey for Woodbridge, winning the Ontario Hockey Association Junior B Championship in 1954.

At the University of Western Ontario, where he studied Physical and Health Education, he played football and hockey for the varsity teams.

On graduation, he was drafted – ninth overall – by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but he had always wanted to teach high school, and went to the Ontario College of Education instead. He started at Northern Secondary School the next year and remained there until his retirement, teaching physical education and math, and coaching senior football, junior and senior hockey, swimming, and track and field.

During his thirty-five year career he coached eleven TSSAA Senior football championship teams. One of those teams went on to win the Metro Bowl, and one of his hockey teams won the Toronto District Catholic Athletic Association Junior Championship. In 1970, he coached the Lakeshore Maple Leafs Junior Minto Cup champions.

Several of the players he coached and taught went on to pursue successful professional football careers. He himself continued playing and coaching lacrosse outside of school – he played (forward) for the Brampton Excelsiors and coached the Toronto Maple Leafs professional lacrosse team, as well as junior lacrosse.

In honour of his personal accomplishments in sport and the outstanding contribution he made to young athletes, the new sports field at Northern Secondary School has been named the Clarke Pulford Field, after him.

Clarke and his wife Joan now live in Stouffville. They have two children, Sandi and Jill and 5 grandchildren.

Bob Pulford

Bob Pulford has excelled at every aspect of hockey: Player, Coach, and General Manager.

Growing up in Weston he played a variety of sports – football for Weston Collegiate, lacrosse and hockey, as part of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. He also found time to graduate from McMaster University. From 1956 on when his playing career began, he collected 643 points (281 goals, 362 assists) in 1,079 games. During the Leaf’s glory-days in the sixties, Pulford earned four Stanley Cup rings. He was an outstanding penalty killer, registered four 20-or-more goal seasons and was an NHL All-Star six times. He ranks in the Maple Leafs’ Top Ten in goals, assists, points, and games played.

When he retired as a player, Pulford became Head Coach with the Los Angeles Kings. The team developed rapidly under his direction, and in the 1974-1975 season, posted a 42-17-21 record for 105 points. Pulford was named NHL “Coach of the Year.”

After five successful seasons in L.A., Pulford joined the Chicago Blackhawks as Head Coach and General Manager. He led the Blackhawks to a first place finish in the Division and was again named “Coach of the Year.” Twice he relinquished his coaching position to concentrate on management, only to assume it again in mid-season to revive a struggling Hawk team. Under Pulford the Blackhawks won eight division titles and made the Playoffs in 20 consecutive seasons. He posted a 361-325-136 record as an NHL Coach.

In 1990 the Blackhawks’ President, William Wirtz, appointed Bob Pulford Senior Vice President, giving him more input into the crucial areas of team business and marketing. Noted for his meticulous attention to detail, he has said that if he hadn’t had a hockey career, “I probably would have been a lawyer.” Then two seasons later, Pulford was once more called on to take over as General Manager.

Pulford played an extensive role in developing the National Hockey League’s early collective bargaining agreements. In 1967, he became the NHL’s first Player Union President. Today, he plays a key role as Alternate Governor for the team and sitting on the advisory committee to league ownership.

His accomplishments earned him election into the Hockey Hall of Fame on June 21, 1991.

Pulford is also credited with bringing more respect to hockey in the United States as Head Coach of Team USA during the 1976 Canada Cup.

In 1997, after 20 successful seasons in which the Blackhawks always made the playoffs, Pulford stepped down as General Manager. He stepped back twice more, however, between then and June, 2005, always returning to his role as Senior Vice President.

“Pully,” as he is often called, and his wife Roslyn have four children – Wanda, Rob, Lindsay and Jennifer and eight grandchildren. When he’s not involved with hockey, he can be found restoring old automobiles, a long-time hobby, playing golf or fishing.