As good as the 1947 St. Mary’s Juniors were in defending their Maritime hockey championship with a 19-0-5 regular season record, the 1948 club was better. Playing without benefit of a league, the 1948 team competed against the best junior hockey teams in Quebec and teams from the Maritime Senior Big Four League. St. Mary’s Juniors were affiliated with St. Mary’s Athletic Club, closely associated with St. Mary’s Boat Club, with no direct connection with Saint Mary’s College. Jim MacDonald, a 1984 builder inductee to the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame, was the major force in starting the organization, supported by men like Gerald Reardon, Frank Carroll and Bun Mulcahy. Coach Marty Barry, a Quebec native, had an outstanding NHL career with Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, remained a resident of Halifax for over twenty years and was inducted to the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in the original class of 1980. Broadcaster Danny Gallivan, a Sydney product, became the voice of the Montreal Canadiens for over thirty years, after being discovered in radio play-by- play while broadcasting St. Mary’s Juniors games on Halifax radio station CJCH. For their NHL achievements, both are honoured members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 15 young men on the roster carried the 1948 St. Mary’s team to a 27-5-3 record. There were four imports, but Ottawa’s Bill Franklin was the only regular. In front of super goaltender Ernie Yeadon, the defence was anchored by captain Douglas “Dugger” McNeil supported by Don “Peanuts” McLaughlin and Franklin. One of the great lines of any era, was made up of Cape Bretoners Elmer MacGillivray and Hugh Campbell, centered by the brilliant Bert Hirschfeld, a former NHLer. The second unit was playmaker Doug Burns between Harold “Red” Conrad and Gordon “Butter” Duggan. Robert “Pud” Reardon was the pivot on the third line with wingers Jack “Muckle” Hollett and Lou Mathieu. Art Stewart and Ed Rowett were reserve forwards. Ed Hagan, Ken Flynn and backup goalie Ron Cole were brought up for the Memorial Cup eastern semi-finals.

The major highlights of the ’48 campaign included contests against top-rated junior clubs Quebec Citadels with goalie Jacques Plante, Montreal Royals and Ottawa St. Pat’s. Others against top-ranked teams like Truro Bearcats and Glace Bay Miners, gave the Santamarians a province-wide fan base. The club won the Maritime junior championship and won against Halifax Crescents of the Maritime Senior Big Four League to win bragging rights and the Herald Trophy as best team in the city. St. Mary’s was the first Nova Scotia junior hockey team ever to advance past the first round of Memorial Cup playdowns. In the best-of-five eastern quarter-finals against Inkerman Rockets, the Juniors won the first two games at the Halifax Forum 9-1 and 9-3. St.Mary’s dropped game three in Ottawa 6-2 but use of an ineligible player cost Inkerman the win. St. Mary’s completed its sweep 8-5 before an Ottawa crowd of 7,384. A best-of-three semi-final at Montreal Forum against the Nationales was next. Before 9,000 fans, St.Mary’s lost 4-2 to the Nationales and star, Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion. The Nationales won game two 6-2, and the series before 10,000 people. St. Mary’s Juniors hockey team won seven consecutive Maritime crowns. More importantly, the skillful 1948 squad proved it could compete with the elite junior hockey teams in Canada.

Team members were: Marty Barry (coach), Doug Burns, Tim Burns, Hugh Campbell, Ron Cole, Harold (Red) Conrad, Gordon (Butter) Duggan, Ken Flynn, Bill Franklin, Gummy Gilfoy, Eddy Hagan, Bert Hirschfeld, Jack (Muckle) Hollett, Jimmy MacDonald (general manager), Elmer MacGillivray, Lou Mathieu, Don (Peanuts) McLaughlin, Dugger McNeil (playing coach), Jerry Reardon (manager), Robert (Puddy) Reardon, Ed Rowett, Art Stewart, Ernie Yeadon.

Bio courtesy of Bob Douglas