Phat Wilson
| Gordon Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1895 Port Arthur |
| Died | 1970 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1895–1921; 1922–at least 1952 |
Gordon Allan "Phat" Wilson (December 29, 1895 – July 26, 1970) was a Canadian amateur ice hockey forward who won the Allan Cup three times as a member of the Port Arthur Bearcats. Regarded as one of the top amateur players of his time, Wilson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.[1]
Thunder Bay connections
Gordon Allan "Phat" Wilson was born December 29, 1895, in Port Arthur and died July 26, 1970, in Thunder Bay. A native of Port Arthur, he learned to skate after joining the town's church league in 1914, played junior hockey and joined the Port Arthur War Veterans senior team, and apart from one season in Iroquois Falls played for the Port Arthur Bearcats, with whom he won three Allan Cups and later served as coach and manager, declining professional offers to remain in his hometown. Off the ice he played baseball, was named the first president of Port Arthur's little league when it was founded in 1952, and helped found the community's girls hockey league as a coach and referee. His son Gord Wilson also played hockey.
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Gordon Wilson was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 as an athlete (ceremony date given as 25 September 1982), for hockey and baseball.[2]
Born in Port Arthur in 1895, Wilson began his Hockey career playing in local church leagues. Despite not knowing how to skate when he first tried out for St. Andrew's in 1914, he quickly developed his skills. By 1918, he had joined the Port Arthur Seniors and later moved to Iroquois Falls to play in the N.O.H.A. League for the 1921-22 season. During that year, he reached the Allan Cup play downs for the first time, though his team lost the national title to the Toronto Granites.[2]
Wilson returned to the Port Arthur Seniors the following season and became a central figure in the team's success. As a defenseman known for carrying the puck the length of the rink, he captained the squad to the first Allan Cup championship for the region in the 1924-25 season. He repeated this achievement by leading the team to national titles again in 1926 and 1929. Despite receiving numerous offers to play professionally, he chose to remain an amateur throughout his career.[2]
In the final three years of his playing career, Wilson secured the scoring title for the Thunder Bay Senior Hockey Championship. He retired from active play in 1933 at the age of 37 while serving as a playing coach. He later returned to the bench to coach Port Arthur teams during the 1938 and 1940 seasons. His contributions to the sport were recognized nationally in 1962 when he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, a rare distinction for an amateur player.[2]
Beyond his hockey career, Wilson was a prominent Baseball player and executive. When Little League Baseball was established in the region in 1952, he was appointed the inaugural President of the Port Arthur National League. Following the expansion of the league into Fort William, he took on the role of the first Little League District Commissioner for the area.[2]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1895–1921; 1922–at least 1952) rests on the following dated evidence. Born in Port Arthur in 1895, he played locally from 1914 until moving to Iroquois Falls for the 1921-22 season, returning home the next season and remaining active as a player, coach, and baseball official until at least 1952.[2]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Captained the Port Arthur Seniors to Allan Cup championships in 1925, 1926, and 1929
- Won the Thunder Bay Senior Hockey Championship scoring title for three consecutive years at the end of his career
- Inducted into the national Sports Hall of Fame in 1962 as an amateur athlete
- Served as the first President of the Port Arthur National League in Little League baseball
- Acted as the first Little League District Commissioner for the Thunder Bay area[2]
References
- ↑ This article incorporates text from the Wikipedia article on Phat Wilson, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Gordon 'Phat' Wilson", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/d30f9b47-7978-43c7-898c-d37509cf513e (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.