There is symmetry in life, especially in sporting circles.
Take two seemingly unrelated hockey events from last week; referee Stephen Walkom was involved in a controversial call in the NHL at Chicago…… and Ray McKelvie of the Owen Sound Attack was selected as the winner of the Bill Long Award in the Ontario Hockey League.
Walkom and McKelvie, for me, will forever be linked to an incident that took place at the JD McArthur Arena on Friday February 27th, 1987.
On that night, Walkom, who was an up & comer in the world of referees was assigned to officiate an Ontario Junior A game between the Aurora Eagles and the Owen Sound Greys who were managed by…………………………. Ray McKelvie.
This wasn’t just any game; this was a showdown for first place and it’s no understatement that tension between the two clubs was exceptionally high heading into that game.
Not only that, the Bayshore had a larger than normal turnout as it was Safety Patroller Night with hundreds of impressionable youngsters in the seats as a reward for their community service.
Near the end of the first period, prior to a faceoff in front of the Aurora bench, Paul Reynolds of the Greys and Randy Smith of Aurora got jawing and threatened each other.
Before anything happened there, Ray Edwards for the Greys and Mark Dunning of the Eagles got at it and in a split second all 40 players dressed were on the ice in a huge battle.
Dave Thomas of the Greys who was scratched, ended up on the Aurora bench in a fracas.
Coaches John Lumley for the Greys and Norm McCauley of the Eagles traded blows and for 10 minutes, it was the wildest scene I’ve ever witnessed live at hockey game.
More than 26 years later, Stephen Walkom is officiating crucial NHL playoff games and Ray McKelvie is scheduled to receive an Ontario Hockey League award today.
I wonder if either of them remembers February 27th, 1987.
I’m Fred Wallace