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Air crash survivor'Punch' has had it toughKITC11KNKR. Out (CP) — Lilt* has not boon t*;is% tor Krnie ( Punoh ) McLean, and that's probably why he can t stand people who whine and complainThe coach of New Westminster Bruins, now involved in the Memorial Cup round-robm playoffs, was born in a coal mine,because his parents' house was too cold, and since then has faced more than his share of problems andtroubles.Today a 1)11ml left eyeand a scarred face are constant reminders of his worst ordealLour years ago. after InsKstevan Bruins had been eliminated in the Saskatchewan junior finals. McLean, a constructionman. had to fly north on a job.On the return flight, on a cold foggy evening, his single engine plane iced up and crashed into a stand of pine trees near the small northern Saskatchewan town of KamsackTaking a breather theother da\ from hockev.• •McLean recalled the accident• «My jaw was nearlypulled off. and my eye washanging on my cheek, he said. I packed snow around my eye and tied it up with a tee shirt and yellowshorts and started off thenext afternoon.I climbed this lull tosee where I was and got lost So 1 started walking It's ama/ing how much endurance a man has. The pain was unbearable. I'd walk about 100 yards andhave to rustI n c red i b Iy. M cLean remained alert enough to realize lie had to walk in a westerly direction to findhelp“It took me about tliree hours to cover about amile.IB* was a fearful sight when he finalB knocked on the farm house doorThe farmer had no telephone but hand pumped some gasoline into his car and set off with McLean for Kamsack. about 2lt;t miles a wayThe doctor at the little hospital there was unable to do much since major surgery was necessary Ittook three operations within a week in Kegma to♦McLEANremove 27 wood splintersfrom around Ins left eye.Live more operations worefinally necessaryI guess they took out about 50 splinters, and there is still one there lit* said as he rubbed some lumpy scar tissue under Ins eye and explained that he still gets severe pain from time to time.It was while he was inhospital in Kogina hedecided to move tlx* hockey club from Kstevan.where he had crown tin toa bigger place, lit* and co-owner Bill Shinske arranged to move to New Westminster.McLean got his firstpair of skates at 12. and at 14 played midget, juvenile and intermediate hockey all in one season He had atrvout at a New York%Ranger camp when he was17 and wound up in Humboldt. Sask.. playing junior for Scotty Munro. He eventuallv became assis-taut coach to Munro and took over later as head coach Then, with Shinske. he became co-owner. The team had since moved to KstevanMcLean likes tough kids who don't complain He'sstrict about such things as long hair, saying if hisplayers don't like it theycan go elsewhere.He says one of the toughest players he everhad was Jim Harrison, now with (’leveled Crusaders of the World Hockey AssociationOther well know nMcLean products include. (Ireg Shepherd, Dallas Smith, Ross Lonsbury. Joe Watson. Barry (iibbs and dreg Polls
Newspaper Details
Brandon Sun
Brandon, Manitoba, CA
Thu, May 08, 1975
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 06 Jan 2020
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