Daily News Sports Editor
Another hall of fame is soon to open its doors and welcome Andy Clovechok.
In the last few years, Clovechok, who is Mr. Hockey in these parts, has been part of induction ceremonies held by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in Vancouver. He also is a member of the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame and is a Blazer Legend.
Next month, the 1947-48 Edmonton Flyers, including Clovechok, will be inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in Red Deer.
“Oh yes, I do (appreciate it),” said Clovechok on Tuesday night, as he took a break from watching an NHL playoff game. “The first one we got into was here, and I appreciated that.
“And then into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame . . . we appreciated that.”
Clovechok, 90, and his wife, Molly, who is 88, aren’t planning on attending the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame ceremony in Red Deer on June 15. They were in Red Deer for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame ceremony in 2005.
“There were about eight or nine of us at that one,” Clovechok said. “There will be a couple there for this one.”
The Flyers won the Allan Cup in 1948. At the time, the Allan Cup, emblematic of senior hockey supremacy, was one of Canada’s most coveted hockey trophies.
Along the playoff trail, the Flyers took care of the Trail Smoke Eaters, Winnipeg Reo Flyers and the Ottawa Senators. Edmonton beat the Senators 4-1 in the best-of-seven Allan Cup final, winning the last three games 7-0, 5-3 and 5-3. Ottawa held a 3-0 lead at one point in Game 5.
It has been estimated that 60,000 people, half of Edmonton’s population at that time, showed up for a parade that was held to salute the Flyers.
Clovechok tied for the team lead in goals (35), with Maurice Rimstad, and his 63 points — Bill Mahar also had 63 — were second only to Rimstad’s 80.
The Clovechoks, who will celebrate their 66th anniversary this summer, went to Vancouver in September for the induction of the 1945-46 Vancouver Canucks into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. The Canucks won the Pacific Coast Hockey League championship.
Clovechok quite enjoyed the hoopla, but admits now that it was awfully tiring.
“Everybody was after me for interviews and stuff like that,” Clovechok said, before laughing and adding: “If they had of been interviewing my wife that would have been different because she can talk.”
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