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Wednesday, February 7, 1973By Bob FergusonThe courtship between amateur sport and the Canadian business community has known a roller coaster existence for many years with probably a lot more downs than ups.Fortunately one need but attend an affair like the recent Air Canada awardB dinner at the Hotel Vancouver to realize' how happy and beneficial a full-fledged marriage between the two elements can beIndeed it serves as a perfect example of how well private enterprise can nurture the needs of non-professional sport.■Rie Air Canada awards program — designed to honor the contribution to amateur sport made by a volunteer executive annually — was conceived by Air Canada in 1966 and the first such award made to Dr. Paul Hauch of London. Ontario for his efforts on behalf of swimming in 1967.Since then the awards have grown in stature and in meaing to the recipients and the organizations they represent. .An eight-member selection committee, comprising chairman Andy O’Brien, sports editor of Weekend Magazine, Montreal; Jacques Beauchamp, sports editor, Le Journal de Montreal; Dorothy Forsyth, treasurer of the Sports Federation of Canada, Ottawa; John Esaw, sports director, CFTO-TV and CTV national network, Toronto; William Lumsden, member of the Manitoba Centennial Commission and 1968 winner of the Executive of the Year award, Winnipeg, Richard Jack, member of the B. C. Sports Advisory Council, Vancouver; Lou Lefaive, Director, Sport Canada, Ottawa and Maurice Macdonald, former sports editor, now managing editor of the Halifax Herald, cull through the array of nominees whittling the selections down to three finalists and finally to a single winner.“It’sno simple task,” observes Morley Ryder, Estevan-bom Montreal-based Air Canada representative who serves as the non-voting secretary of the selection committee and only liaison between the committee and the donor. “This year, for example, they had 34 applicants — the previous high was 22 — and they deliberated dose to 14 hours. And that was solid, in-depth discussion on all applicants.”When the deliberations had been made three finalists remained and then further deliberations resulted in the ultimate winner.This year’s award recipient was Joe Kryczka of Calgary, president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. Ihe runners-up were William C. “Bill” Leveridge of Toronto, treasurer of the Canadian Amateur Football Association and John R. Dick” Sharpe of Victoria, vice-president of the British Columbia Yachting Association.All applicants, chosen by their respective organizations and their names submitted in presentation form to the committee, came well-equipped with solid credentials and all were deserving of the honor.In addition to the plaque and scroll, each receives a block of Air Canada passes madejtvailabie to their organizations — 20 such passes to the ultimate winner’s sports body and 10to each of the runners-up••And that,” observed one veteran amateur sports executive, “represents a mighty substanital donation to amateur sport. For some of us it can mean the difference between competing in an event of great importance or sitting home merely wishing we could afford it.”As one who had the honor of being on hand in Vancouver for this event I can wily but echo the sentiments expressed by Father David Bauer when he observed: It’s this kind of rapport between amateur sport and industry which is so sorely needed in Canada and it’s my fondest hope that other organizations might follow the lead taken by Air Canada in contributing to the growth of Canadian sport in such atangible fashion.”To Air Canada and others of their foresight I echo thanks on behalf of amateur sport in Canada.
Newspaper Details
Dauphin Herald
Dauphin, Manitoba, CA
Wed, Feb 07, 1973
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Jason P.
USA 03 Dec 2018
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