Longtime NHL official Stephen Walkom has been recognized and has been named an inductee into the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame.
The North Bay native joined the NHL officiating ranks in 1990 and was considered one of the NHL's top-ranked officials during his on-ice tenure.
The Current NHL director of officiating quit his duties as an on-ice referee in 2013.
He refereed a total of 965 regular-season and 139 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He worked the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2002, 2004, 2010 and 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Walkom served on the Executive Board of the NHL Officials’ Association from 1993 to 2005, including a term as president before joining the League's front office in 2005.
Walkom will be joined in the hall by triathlete Len Gushe, figure skater Sue Fisher and longtime curling official Claude Peloquin.
2019 North Bay Sports Award Winners:
Jack Burrows Memorial Award for Sports Achievement – Jaimee Bull / Rob Shaw
Dedication to Soccer (North Bay Youth Soccer) – Dan Kapitanchuk
James Kelly Memorial Award for Team of the Year – North Bay Major Midget AAA Trappers
Dominico Family Award for Contribution to Softball/Baseball – North Bay Blaze Novice Girls’ Select
George Martyn Memorial Trophy for Basketball – Rick Cowden
Judge Harry J Reynolds Memorial Trophy for Hockey – Rick Mitchell
Al Brennan Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year – Jim Forsyth
Jim Aspin Memorial Award for Executive of the Year – Mark Brown
Mort Fellman Memorial Award for Female Athlete of the Year – Emma Shea
Britt Jessup Memorial Award for Male Athlete of the Year – James Piper / Keon Wallingford
Pete Palangio Award for Contribution to Sport – Richard Lachance
Peter Handley Friend of Sport – Moe Bedard
Mike Mitchell-Larry Avery Memorial Award for Football – Mark Robertson
John Toswell Memorial Award for Curling – Mike Callahan
Special Olympics Award of Excellence – Hudson Booth
The Inductees and Award winners will be honoured at the 40th Annual North Bay Sports Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner on Saturday, May 2 at the Davedi Club on Airport Road.
Tickets are available from the following Executive Members: Larry Tougas (705-303-8104), Karen Cobb (705-493-7578), Karen Cook (705-494-5406), or the Davedi Club at 705-474-4190.
