The story of Bob and Herman Kaplan is unique in Nova Scotia sport history. The brothers were close on and away from the athletic fields and they offered decades of enthusiastic sport building within their communities.
The Kaplans are most easily recognized as the management team behind the Halifax Arrows (and later the Dartmouth Arrows) of the H&D League and the Dartmouth Arrows of the Maritime Big Four Hockey League, but their involvement in sport goes back to the 1930s. At this time, they organized and played for the Halifax Blue Sox in the Peoples Baseball League and the Employed Boys League, names that reflect the depression years in Halifax. Back then, the athletes played for fun and it was fun to play with and for the Kaplans who were quick to share their talents and any available resources.
In 1946, Bob and Herm Kaplan returned to their favorite sport of baseball by launching the Dartmouth Arrows in the Halifax and District Baseball League. In 1947, the Arrows fielded a team with the likes of Buddy Condy, Donald (Chick) Charlton, Billy Hannon, John (Brother) MacDonald, Tommy Dulmage, and Neil Staples. That year they lost the first three games of the final series to the Halifax Shipyards, swept the next four and then went undefeated to the Maritime title.
Herman passed away on May 22nd, 2009.
• Organized and played for the Halifax Blue Sox
• 1946: Launched Dartmouth Arrows, Halifax Baseball
• 1947: Dartmouth Arrows are the Maritime Champions
• Management team for Halifax and Dartmouth Arrows