2013 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

http://www.smu.ca/newsreleases/2013/may/saint-marys-sport-hall-of-fame-inductees-announced.html

Sport Hall of Fame

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT GIFT?

Bestseller “HUSKIES: In Pursuit of Excellence - A Celebration of Varsity Sport at Saint Mary's University” is available for purchase at all home games, the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness Service Desk, the SMU Campus Bookstore or go to www.newworldpublishing.ca

Witness six decades of varsity sport and be treated to fascinating remembrances, stories and essays from over fifty writers, observers, players, coaches, friends and competitors. Experience the triumph and disappointment of thousands of student-athletes who competed under the banner of the Maroon & White - the individual stars, as well as the dedicated supporting casts whose combined efforts made it possible to compete and win - while earning a degree that helped them compete and win in life itself. Hundreds of photos and stories of fierce rivalry among Atlantic and Canadian universities. Follow the transformation of an all-male institution based on solid Jesuit principles to today’s vibrant coeducational centre for academics and athletics.

Book Cost: $29.95 +hst

Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame & Heritage Centre

2012 INDUCTION CEREMONY

Two legendary football players and an exceptional, all-round athlete from the Saint Mary’s College era were inducted into the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame and Heritage Centre September 22.

Two-time, All-Canadian football great Don Murphy, Saint Mary’s College sports sensation Robert “Puddy” Reardon, and All-Star Receiver and Football captain Bill Scollard were feted during an induction ceremony that included the presentation of certificates and the unveiling of portraits of the inductees that will hang in the Hall of Fame.

“This feels like this is my Olympic gold medal,” said Reardon, in a short speech following the unveiling of his portrait. “Saint Mary’s has been a huge part of my life and this is another moment to cherish.”

Art Donahoe, a former speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature, called Reardon the “best natural athlete ever produced in Nova Scotia” and praised him for his 50 year association with Saint Mary’s.

Bill Scollard, a five-year starter for the football Huskies from 1985 to 1989, said when he arrived at Saint Mary’s he was painfully shy and unsure whether he had the skills to play football.

He blossomed under the watchful eye of Coach Larry Uteck and today the Key Account Manager for Labatt says he owes much of the success he’s enjoyed to the grounding he received at the University.

“I do not know where I would be without Saint Mary’s. The skills I learned in class and on the field set the table for me socially, academically and in the corporate world,” he told the 150 in attendance at the induction ceremony.

“I am in awe of this honour. It is simply unbelievable to me that my name is now associated with the many greats that have been part of the Saint Mary’s tradition of sporting and academic excellence,” he said.

Don Murphy, a tenacious and intelligent linebacker who piled up intercollegiate honours and played briefly in the CFL, was modest when asked to speak about his accomplishments. He said he was “just part of a group of players who learned a lot by playing tough teams.”

Murphy said participation in sport – particularly rugby – has given him the opportunity to travel the world and meet incredible people. Then, drawing on his 25 years as a school principal, he urged everyone in the room to ensure young people are given the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities where they can build confidence and become better people.

Don Murphy

Football player, Christopher Donald Murphy, made an immediate impression in his freshman year. Intelligent, tenacious and virtually unstoppable, he was selected as an all-Canadian at the linebacker position, an Atlantic Conference All-Star and runner-up for League Rookie of the Year.

Murphy was a consistent player with an amazing ability to diagnose plays and break them up.  In his position as a rover, he was allowed to roam wherever he anticipated the play, and in his roaming, he was rarely wrong.

Known throughout the Maritimes as a fast and fierce competitor, Murphy enjoyed beginning a game with a solid hit on the opposing Quarterback---just as a reminder of things to come. Once his reputation as a hard hitter spread around the league, other teams began to avoid running or passing to his side of the field.

During his three seasons at Saint Mary’s, Murphy was a two-time All-Canadian and three-time League star. Lauded as the best defensive player in Canadian University football, he led the team by his intensity, both in practices and on game days.

In his senior year at Saint Mary’s, Murphy made the jump to professional football as a rookie for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. After a serious shoulder injury, he returned to school to complete his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Education, and later a Master’s degree.

Football’s loss was education’s gain. As a teacher, Murphy coached at the Junior ORFU and high school levels and personally sent many recruits to Saint Mary’s as student-athletes. A Principal in Peterborough, Ontario for 25 years, he retired in 1998. He still keeps his hand in the athletic arena by playing for the Master’s Division of the Ontario Provincial Rugby team.

Dr. David J. Murphy was a teammate of Don Murphy’s in the 1960’s. The former coach and Athletic Director says that Murphy was without a doubt the best linebacker of his time in Canada. For fellow teammate Paul Puma, Murphy epitomized what Saint Mary’s teams were to become: tough, proud champions.

Robert “Puddy” Reardon

Excellence in sports has been one of the hallmarks of Robert “Puddy” Reardon’s life. One of the best student-athletes at Saint Mary’s High School in the mid-1940s, he advanced to Saint Mary’s College where he excelled in curling, baseball, football and hockey, leading our legendary Junior Hockey team to three consecutive Maritime championships beginning in 1946.

“He didn’t have the advantages of modern day quarterbacks who have crowds of thousands to cheer them on,” says Don Joey Johnson, a classmate of Reardon’s at Saint Mary’s College in the mid-1940s and a long-time member of the Board of Governors of Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame. “He had only 150 students from the high school and 150 more from Saint Mary’s College to support his efforts at the rink or on the playing field, yet he gave every game his best.”

After a break from formal education, Reardon returned to Saint Mary’s in the late 1950’s to complete a degree in Commerce. He worked in the summers as a golf professional and manager and during the year as a high school and university football coach.

In 1961, Reardon joined the RCAF and was posted to Summerside, PEI. The following year he won the Summerside Golf Club’s championship. During his 15-year career in the Armed Forces, Reardon was involved in golf, curling, hockey and softball as a player and manager. After retiring, he took a Manager’s position at Ashburn Golf Club and headed up two National Golf Championships held in his area.

Over the years, Reardon has served on committees related to sporting activities and officiating. He refereed football in the AVAA for 25 years and was head ref for two Atlantic Bowls.

A unique athlete, official, administrator and manager, Reardon has followed Saint Mary’s athletics for more than 50 years. Each year he contributes to our hockey team and each year he purchases a season ticket. For Don Joey Johnson, who has faced many difficult decisions when casting his vote for inductees into Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame, there is no better candidate for Saint Mary’s honour than Robert “Puddy” Reardon.

Bill Scollard  

Hailed by Huskies’ Head Coach Larry Uteck as a coach’s dream, Burlington, Ontario native, Bill Scollard was a five-year starter for Uteck’s Huskies from 1985 to 1989 and captained the Huskies for four seasons.

A versatile All-Star receiver and punter, and a natural leader, Scollard played on three AUS Championship teams and three Atlantic Bowls, including a 1988 Bowl win over Bishop’s Gaiters. That win took the Huskies to the 24^th Vanier Cup game at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, where Scollard was awarded Most Outstanding Offensive Player. The following year, Hamilton selected him in the CFL Canadian College Draft.

Sports writer Hugh Townsend describes Scollard as a class act both on and off the field. “His greatest moment,” says Townsend, “was perhaps the 1988 Vanier Cup game in which he stepped in as quarterback for injured Chris Flynn and set Vanier Cup records for passing attempts and completions.”

Scollard graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1989 with a degree in commerce. In 1991, he started in sales with Labatt and has progressed with the company over the years to his current position as the Key Account Manager for Labatt Atlantic Canada.

A key corporate sponsor of Saint Mary’s Athletics Department, Huskies Football and Atlantic University Sport, Scollard was named Honorary Chair of the 2007 Uteck Bowl. He is a longtime member of the Atlantic Bowl/Uteck Bowl Committee and has supported it as a sponsor for two decades.

Scollard is also an involved member of his community, with contributions including a stint as Receiver’s Coach for the Saint Mary’s Huskies from 1991 to 1994, coach for the Bedford/Sackville Minor Football Team and Head Coach for the J.L.Ilsley High School team.

Bill Robinson, an offensive coordinator coach at Saint Mary’s during Bill Scollard’s playing days, says Scollard ran the best pass patterns of any player he saw at Saint Mary’s in 20 years. “He was a true leader with his competitive nature on the field, and he was looked upon as a mentor and role model by his teammates.”

Sport Hall of Fame & Heritage Centre

The Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame & Heritage Centre recognizes those individuals who have made a significant contribution to the athletic programmes at Saint Mary's, and who, as a result of this contribution, have enhanced the image and reputation of the institution.

In celebration of the rich tradition and heritage of sport and recreation at Saint Mary's University, the Sport Hall of Fame and Heritage Centre was founded in 1995.

For close to two hundred years, students, faculty and staff have shared a sport tradition as athletes, builders and teams. The Santamarians, the Times, and the Journal record vivid and exciting chapters of this aspect of university life.

The Hall of Fame's Policy Manual is available in .doc format.

2012 Inductees

Inductions took place on September 22, 2012 where the following Builder and Athletes were honored:

Builder: Robert "Puddy" Reardon
Athlete: Don Murphy (Football)
Athlete: Bill Scollard (Football)

View past Inductees >