Aurora Sports Hall of Fame welcomes a new class of inductees on November 18th.

One of Aurora’s annual premier events is back – the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame’s (ASHoF) Induction Celebration Dinner. To commemorate the festive event, the Hall will be welcoming four new inductees bringing the total number of Honoured Members to 38.

“We’re so excited to be able to host our event again, at a new location, with a new event experience, all under strict COVID-19 protocols to make sure our attendees celebrate within a safe environment” says Javed S. Khan, President & Chair of ASHoF.

The return of the dinner will be held at a new location, at the Royal Venetian Mansion located at 400 Industrial Parkway South, on November 18th, starting at 6:30 pm EST.

“Earlier in the year, our Board of Governors approved a COVID-19 policy around public gatherings. These efforts align with the provincial restrictions and further tighten the safety measures to protect volunteers, honoured members, inductees, and guests, at various functions organized and or participated by ASHoF’ added Khan.

The COVID-19 policy measures announced, recognize the policies implemented by various other organizations to address concerns over the evolving pandemic.

To be consistent with the policy, the organization has put in place the following protocols to make sure the dinner attendees remain healthy and safe:

• Vaccine passport required for entry;
• Masks worn unless eating/drinking;
• Food served by staff wherever possible;
• Contract tracing through ticketing web contacts;
• Spaced out seating for ceremony; and
• Separate spaces to encourage physical distancing.

You can read the entire policy by visiting https://aurorashof.ca/covid-19-policy/.

You can purchase tickets or tables online by visiting aurorashof.ca.

Information about the four inductees

Brendan Macken – Athlete (Tennis)

Brendan Hubert Macken was born on January 21, 1923, and raised in Montréal, Quebec. He was the son of two accomplished tennis players from Dublin, Ireland who had a myriad of trophies between them before marriage brought them to Canada. Brendan suffered through health issues in his early childhood including scarlet fever, quinsy, and rheumatic fever but that did not stop him from going on to become an accomplished tennis player with many accolades garnered over his extensive professional career.

Macken began learning tennis more formally on the Westmount public courts starting at age 14 which led him to ultimately joining the Mount Royal Tennis Club. Playing from the early days with his sister Patricia and brother Jim, one could tell this family of tennis enthusiasts really loved the game.

While singles and doubles tournaments are part of his repertoire from the earliest part of his professional career, his accomplishments as part of the Davis Cup team certainly stand out, playing from 1946-1952, with ties and wins throughout the years. Equally impressive was his significant title win in 1950 when he took the Canadian Open men’s singles trophy which he added to his doubles crowns won in 1946 and 1951.

With many awards over his decades-long professional and for-pleasure tennis career, it was not surprising that Brendan was one of the inaugural inductees into the Tennis Canada Hall of Fame in 1991.

Moving to York Region in 1966, Macken supported his family by the operation of an industrial cleaning supply company. Later settling down in Aurora in 2010, he continued to play tennis well into his 80s, only stopping when arthritis in his hands made it difficult to play.

Not too long after celebrating his 97th birthday, on March 12, 2020 Brendan Macken passed away. He leaves behind his daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a long legacy of professional tennis accolades. 
He will be missed but not be forgotten.

Colin Graham – Builder/Contributor (Girl’s Hockey & Lacrosse)

Colin Graham was born in Rudgwick, Sussex, England on October 30, 1944. Son of an English War Bride Pauline White, she and husband Frederick Graham moved to Canada in 1945. Colin did not play many league sports in his youth; however, sports did play a formative role. Into his adulthood, league sports became not only a passion, but important part of his everyday life stemming mostly from his dedication to his kids. He has been married to his wife Bernadette for 56 years with whom he had three children Jamie, Lynne, and Tracy.

Building women’s hockey in Aurora is one of Colin’s longstanding legacies. A tireless advocate for women’s hockey, Colin recognized the lack of organized girls’ hockey in Aurora and founded York Region Hawks Girls hockey team in 1991. Before this he started as a manager of the Aurora Minor Hockey Association Rep Team, serving in that role from 1984-1991 and being named a Lifetime Member in 1987. He brought the Panthers to the North Metro Women’s Hockey Association which could be said to be the catalyst to the growth of women’s hockey in Aurora. He spent 14 years as treasurer for the association.

Seeing kids out with lacrosse sticks throughout the Town, the community recognized the need to formalize lacrosse as there were no opportunities for organized games. With lack of volunteers Colin took up the role of president of the Aurora Minor Lacrosse Association (1983-1991) to help formalize lacrosse in Aurora. 

Looking back at his legacy of years of tireless service to sports in Aurora, Colin places special emphasis on the two points where he won awards for coaching: the first was winning Coach of the Year in 1985 from the Aurora Minor Hockey Association, and the second in 2008 for Girls Hockey. These accolades held extra special importance to Colin as he “didn’t win anything individually, so it was great to win something for myself” that was voted on by his peers.

Partnering with fellow Aurora Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, Lowell McClenny (class of 2015) Colin co-hosted the local Sportsbeat Aurora television show which aired on Aurora Cable Internet from 1988-2008. Thinking back on his time with Lowell, Colin recalled with fondness the hours of debates they would have. By providing commentary and space for the teams of the area to be promoted and celebrated, Sportsbeat was an important part of Aurora’s sporting history.

Lois Thompson – Builder/Contributor (Girl’s Softball)

Born on a farm in Wellington County, Ontario, Lois Thompson has been involved in Softball in Aurora for more than five decades. Stemming from her time playing on a team for the Royal Canadian Air Force in Trenton, Ontario and locally for Doane Hall Pharmacy, she began a renowned volunteer career in the 1970s when her own daughters began to play the game.

In 1977, one of her daughters joined the Aurora Diggers Bantam team, and Lois recognized the need for the team to expand its reach. She, along with some colleagues, founded the Aurora Diggers Girls Softball Association, which was able to promote the sport at a high level, aiding with equipment, coaching, and finances. As the first and to date only Treasurer of the Diggers Association, Lois has been an integral part of the institution’s success and in particular their growth into a House League in 2009.

Lois recognized when a role had to be filled and would undertake it herself, inspiring others to help along the way. Her role with the Diggers expanded with their success, and she began to attend the Provincial Women’s Softball Association (P.W.S.A.) meetings – eventually earning an appointment with them and beginning a 25-year term on their Board of Directors. Concurrently, Lois was a founding member of the North York Women’s Softball League, becoming the treasurer and remaining with them for nearly 20 years.

Lois’ influence in Softball expanded in geographic area from Aurora and the region to the entire province, not only with her involvement in the P.W.S.A, but also with Softball Ontario, where she was part of the committee overseeing the province’s team entry into the Canada Games. Her role grew here as well, and she was team Manager for 12 years, leading Ontario’s Women’s Softball team to silver in 1997, gold in 2001, and silver again in 2005.
Lois has been honoured time and again for her many years of dedicated service to a variety of Softball associations and institutions during her decades with the sport. She has received awards from the Town of Aurora, the P.W.S.A., and many certificates from the Province of Ontario for her volunteer efforts.

This is not Lois’ first entry into a Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2017 to the Softball Ontario Hall of Fame in Toronto in the Builder category.

The Town of Aurora again recognized Lois’ constant contribution to the community with a 40-year Volunteer Service Award, presented in 2018 by Mayor Geoffrey Dawe.

Steve Vickers – Athlete (Hockey)

Born in Toronto in 1951, Steve was enrolled into hockey by his parents and within two years was able to begin moving up through the junior leagues. Steve played on the Markham Seal-a-Wax “Waxers” in their Sutherland-cup winning season, and two years with Toronto Marlboros, scoring an amazing 43 goals in his final year.

Steve’s esteemed NHL career began when he was drafted in 1972 into the New York Rangers, the team with which he would spend his entire professional career. Before his official start with the team, he was invited to practice with them in preparation for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Once on the Rangers as a true NHL Rookie, he proved his worth, netting himself 30 goals and 23 assists. He also earned the nickname “Sarge” for an old army jacket he would wear to practice.

In November of his rookie year Steve made NHL history, scoring hat tricks in consecutive games – the first rookie as well as Ranger to do so. Steve’s accomplished first season is best remembered for him winning the coveted Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year, 1973.

Steve continued his success with the Rangers, earning 58, 89, and 83 points the next three years, securing a spot on the NHL All-Star Second Team for the 1974-75 season. Steve also played two years on the Campbell Conference team in the NHL All-Star games in 1975 and 1976.

February 18, 1976, Steve set a new Rangers record that remains to this day by earning seven points in one night: scoring a hat trick and making four assists at Madison Square Garden against the Washington Capitals.
Steve also held several annual records with the Rangers, including Goals leader, Assists leader, Power Play Goals Leader, and twice Playoffs Points Leader. His goal against Atlanta in the 1980 playoffs at 33 seconds into Overtime remains the fastest Playoff OT goal in Rangers history.

In 2009, the book “100 Ranger Greats” rightfully included Steve as #18 in their countdown.

After playing his final NHL game in April of 1982, he finished his contract by overseeing the New York Rangers Alumni Association, with which he has maintained a close relationship since. The next year he founded the annual New York Rangers Golf Outing, which continues to be a popular fundraising event for the team’s alumni. He moved to Aurora in 1987, and with his wife Joanna raised their three children here. He enjoys spending winters in Florida, and in 2010 became a grandfather.