We were talking yesterday about the OHL Cup, the Minor Midget Showcase Tournament in the GTA.
The Championship Final in the tournament is set for Sunday afternoon at the Herb Carnegie Arena in North York.
Herb Carnegie, or as many called him here in Owen Sound, ” Herbie Carneggy “, died last week in his 90’s and is well remembered as a Senior Hockey legend in Quebec and Ontario from the 1940’s and 50’s.
Carnegie played for 4 seasons with the storied Quebec Aces where he was a teammate of the great Jean B+?liveau, maybe the most legendary Canadian Senior Hockey player of all time.
Beliveau left the Aces and went on to an equally great, maybe greater career with the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup 10 times.
And while Beliveau went on to the NHL, Herb Carnegie did not. Herb Carnegie was black.
Instead of the NHL, at age 34, Carnegie came to Owen Sound and played for the Mercury’s in 1953-54.
There are those who maintain the 53-54 Mercury’s were superior to the Mercury’s who won the Allan Cup in 19651, and Carnegie, with 20 goals and 55 points that year, was a significant factor in that belief.
By my count, there have been close to a dozen black players in Owen Sound with the Platers and the Attack of the OHL, five of whom who have gone onto play in the NHL, and a couple currently playing in Owen Sound who should be thankful they have a chance in the near future to go where Herbie Carnegie could not
I’m Fred Wallace