Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “, brought to you by Hal Wright Chevrolet-Cadillac-GMC-Buick on the Sunset Strip in Owen Sound.
How’s your weekend shaping up ?
We’re off to King Kamemameha’s Kona Beach Hotel for the final weekend of this unforgettable journey.
Visiting the volcano’s this morning and then going on a cross island tour
With the beautiful weather and scenery, I’m looking forward to Golf season in Grey-Bruce
Among the annual events is the Crimestoppers Tournament at Chippewa Golf Club in Southampton.
Last year, I had a great chat with Les Binkley who celebrates his birthday in early June each year.
How old ?
Well let’s put it this way, every time Bink breaks 80 on a golf course he’ll be shooting his age.
While his knees are a little crooked from surgery and wear and tear through decades of playing goal, the memories are sharp.
Les Binkley’s hockey career doesn’t carry the potential for a Disney movie; but it’s still a great story.
He was a backup for the Allan Cup Champion Owen Sound Mercury’s at age 16, he was beat out for a position at Kitchener by Martin Brodeur’s father, he played Intermediate at Walkerton, for 15 years he played in the minor pros, most notably with the Cleveland Barons and then he got his break.
The NHL expanded and Binkley played 54 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins recording 6 shutouts in their expansion season.
He played 5 years at Pittsburgh before joining Ottawa of the WHA and moved to Toronto with the moving vans in the middle of the night when they became the Toros.
He faced Evel Knievel in a penalty shot, concluded his playing days with Buffalo in the Slap Shot League and then went on to get Stanley Cup rings as a scout with Pittsburgh.
Les Binkley’s story is a remarkable story that would take more than 18 holes to tell
Have a great Po aono & Lapule
I’m Fred Wallace