Bill Salonen (born 1935)
| Bill Salonen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1935-08-04 Port Arthur |
| Years in Thunder Bay | by 1955 |
| Occupation | Ice hockey player |
Bill Salonen (4 August 1935) is a Canadian ice hockey player from Port Arthur.
Career
Bill Salonen played the position of F, shooting -. They were listed at 5'7" (171 cm) and 174 lb (79 kg). Their most recent or summary team experience is recorded as 1953-1954 | Port Arthur Flyers (TBJHL).[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Bill Salonen was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 as a builder (ceremony date given as 27 September 2014), for hockey, baseball and football.[2]
Raised in Port Arthur, Salonen began his hockey career in the Hilda’s Pee Wee hockey league. He advanced through the minor systems as a high-scoring player for the Port Arthur Flyers. During his youth, he also played football as a quarterback for Port Arthur Collegiate Institute and was a pitcher for the Port Arthur Red Sox baseball team. After graduating from high school in 1955, he moved to North Bay to attend Teacher's College.[2]
Upon moving to Dryden for a teaching career, Salonen continued playing Baseball and competed in intermediate and senior Hockey with the Dryden Rockets. He later returned to the Dryden Rockets to play Oldtimers hockey. By the late 1950s, he transitioned into administrative and coaching roles, leading teams in Little League Baseball, football, and minor league hockey. He achieved high-level certifications as an official, including Level 4 National Referees and Level 5 National Coaches status, and acted as an instructor for these programs.[2]
Salonen was a central figure in the Dryden sporting community, assisting in the organization of provincial high school championships, regional Hockey tournaments, and various district events. His civic involvement included serving as the Chair of the Dryden Athletic & Recreation Commission and spending fourteen years on the Dryden City Council, which included a six-year tenure as the Mayor of Dryden.[2]
In 1979, Salonen became the President of the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association, making history as the first individual from outside Thunder Bay to hold the position, which he maintained until 1982. His administrative reach extended to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and Hockey Ontario development committees. Additionally, he contributed to the Northwestern Ontario Regional Sports Council and served on the Board of Directors and Selection Committee for the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (by 1955) rests on the following dated evidence. He grew up in Port Arthur and played minor hockey, football, and baseball there until graduating from high school in 1955.[2]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Named the 1974 Dryden Sportsman of the Year
- Received the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association Meritorious Award in 1987
- Granted Life Membership by the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association in 1988
- Awarded the Hockey Canada Order of Merit in 1993
- Received the Golden Jubilee Medal from the Government of Canada in 2002
- Had the Superior International Junior Hockey League championship trophy named the Bill Salonen Cup in his honour in 2002
- Served as the first President of the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association from outside the city of Thunder Bay[2]
References
- ↑ Elite Prospects profile: https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/784406
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Bill Salonen", builder profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/builder-profile/aa673e0d-b05a-48d6-bb90-8d5bb06b804f (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.