Who are this year’s Canadian sports heroes?
Alex Rickman (he/him) // Contributor
Angelica Blanch (she/her) // Illustrator
On October 23rd, nine great Canadians will be receiving the Order of Sport, officially inducting them into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. From achievements in their respective sports to blazing a trail for other athletes to follow, all nine inductees bring their own unique stories to the table. Today, let’s take a look at a few of these stories to better get to know these important figures in Canadian sporting history.
Born in Ontario in 1923, Fred Thomas was a trailblazer for Black Canadian athletes, finding success in baseball, football and basketball. Additionally, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force after the colour barrier was broken in 1942.
In the face of immense adversity and prejudice, Fred rose to every challenge presented to him along the way, demonstrating incredible numbers playing basketball at the University of Windsor, breaking barriers for Black athletes in the Minor League Baseball’s Eastern League and becoming the first Black Canadian to play for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. He went on to become a mathematics and P.E. teacher following his retirement from sports, continuing his legacy of paving the way for the younger generation to do things that, without Fred Thomas, may not have seemed possible.
Vicky Sunohara represented Canada in Women’s Hockey from 1989 to 2008, winning seven world championship medals and Olympic Gold in 2002 and 2006 and overall posting 118 points in her 164 appearances for her country. Beyond what she did on the ice, Sunohara went through difficult circumstances in her early years, often being bullied for her Japanese heritage on the ice. This, however, did not stop her from carving out an incredible career in the sport, playing with incredible determination and doing whatever it took to secure the win for her team.
Since retiring, Sunohara has remained present in the sport, coaching at the University of Toronto and for the Canadian Women’s U18 program.
An Olympian and Canada’s flag bearer at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Angela Chalmers made history as the first Indigenous Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal, claiming a bronze at the 1992 games in Barcelona. Originally from Brandon, Manitoba, her family eventually settled on Vancouver Island, where she would race her siblings through the forests, foreshadowing her eventual successes as a distance runner.
Chalmers had an incredible mindset about her career, approaching races as an opportunity to prove something to herself rather than simply chasing recognition and accolades like many other athletes would. Chalmers has dedicated countless hours since retirement to helping improve the lives of Indigenous youth in Canada, promoting healthy living and volunteering with BC’s Department of Education to work to lower dropout rates in Indigenous communities.
In addition to these three incredible athletes, six more great Canadians will see their names enshrined in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Alex Nelson, Daniel Nestor, Debbie Brill, Dr Guylaine Demers, Kirby Cole, and Patrick Chan will also be awarded the Order of Sport on October 23rd, recognizing their incredible work in sports.
At the time of writing, the Order of Sport has been awarded to 679 Canadians, ranging from legendary athletes such as Wayne Gretzky, Gilles Villeneuve, and Hayley Wickenheiser, to figures like Terry Fox, Scotty Bowman, and Frank Calder, who have contributed greatly to Canada’s sporting landscape in their own right.
While many Canadians may not be familiar with some of this year’s inductees, people should take the time to learn more about these inspiring figures and their stories. From blazing trails to overcoming the odds on the way to greatness, there is a lot to learn from each one of this year’s new members of the Order of Sport.