Frontenacs 50th

The 1962-63 Kingston Frontenacs, EPHL champions, back row, from left: Dick Cherry, Jeannot Gilbert, Wayne Schultz, Billy Knibbs, Cliff Pennington, Ken Stephanson, Howie Dietrich; middle row: Bun Cook (trainer), Gerry (Red) Ouellette, Pete Panagabko, Jean-Paul Parise, Ron Willy, Randy Miller, Alf Treen, Tom Dickinson (asst. trainer); front row: Bob Goy, Wayne Connelly, Pat (Whitey) Stapleton, Jim Magee (president), Wren Blair (general manager-coach), Harry Sinden (asst. coach), Don Blackburn, Bruce Gamble.                                       — Wallace Berry photo

In the winter of 1962-63, the Eastern Professional Hockey League was in its fourth — and what would prove to be its final — season. What had been a six-team group in its first three years was by now a four-team league with three charter members, the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens, Kingston Frontenacs and Sudbury Wolves remaining. At the beginning of the season, the Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds were transplanted to Syracuse, N.Y., and then to St. Louis, where they became known as the Braves.

In that final season, many players skated in the EPHL who went on to distinguished, even Hall of Fame, careers: Phil Esposito and Roger Crozier of St. Louis; Pat Stapleton, Harry Sinden, Bruce Gamble and Jean-Paul Parise of Kingston; Gerry Cheevers of Sudbury and Terry Harper, Claude Larose, Jim Roberts and Jacques Laperriere of Hull-Ottawa.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the final year of the EPHL, from now until the end of the hockey season, we’ll take you, day by day, down the home stretch of what would be a championship season for the Frontenacs, the only one Kingston captured in its four seasons in the league.

Watch for each daily installment at https://cscilley.wordpress.com