{"id":33130,"date":"2023-06-08T22:22:30","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T02:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=33130"},"modified":"2023-06-15T19:32:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T23:32:18","slug":"tigers-governor-lacrosse-pioneer-named-to-aurora-sports-hall-of-fames-class-of-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/tigers-governor-lacrosse-pioneer-named-to-aurora-sports-hall-of-fames-class-of-23\/","title":{"rendered":"Tigers\u2019 governor, lacrosse pioneer named to Aurora Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s Class of \u201823"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pioneers and capacity builders in Canada\u2019s two national sports are among the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s Class of 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Announced by the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) before Mayor and Council at Tuesday\u2019s General Committee, this year\u2019s honourees include golf builder Laurie Buckland, hockey player Charles Leeming, lacrosse player Frank \u201cPete\u201d Machell, and NHL player and Aurora Tigers owner Jim Thomson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Aurora Sports Hall of Fame is thrilled to unveil the highly-anticipated 2023 Class of Inductees, showcasing exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to the world of sports and brought immense pride to our community,\u201d said the ASHOF. \u201cThis esteemed group of honourees represents a diverse range of sports and embodies the values of excellence, dedication and sportsmanship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurie Buckland was described a \u201crenowned figure\u201d in the sports community. Born in Whitchurch-Stouffville, he moved to Aurora in 1965 and immediately became involved in the world of golf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith an illustrious career spanning 21 years, Laurie excelled as a professional golfer, showcasing his talent and dedication to the sport,\u201d said ASHOF of the late Buckland. \u201cBeyond his achievements on the golf course, Laurie made significant contributions off the fairways. He co-purchased the Aurora Tigers Junior A team, demonstrating his commitment to fostering the development of young athletes. As the director of sports for Highlands, Laurie took on the responsibility of overseeing various sports disciplines, including golf, tennis, squash, fitness, and aquatics. His mentorship and guidance impacted the lives of many aspiring athletes, leaving an enduring legacy within the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buckland was also hailed for his work with Thomas McBroom collaborating on the design and construction of King\u2019s Riding golf course in 1984, one of the many \u201ctestaments to Laurie\u2019s visionary approach and dedication to advancing the sport of golf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another owner of the Aurora Tigers, incumbent team governor Jim Thomson is being honoured both for his leadership with the Tigers and for his years on the ice in the NHL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJim’s illustrious career as a professional hockey player spanned across renowned leagues such as the NHL, IHL, OHL, and AHL, where he showcased his exceptional skills and dedication,\u201d said ASHOF.  \u201cIn addition to his achievements on the ice, Jim is the current proud owner of The Aurora Tigers Junior A Team, a team that has brought joy and excitement to the local community. Furthermore, he serves as a motivational speaker at Dreams Do Come True, inspiring others with his powerful message of perseverance, respect, fair play, and courage. Jim’s emphasis on these values is a testament to his character and his desire to uplift and empower individuals both on and off the ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThrough his unwavering commitment and dedication to the sport and the community, Jim Thomson has left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire generations of athletes and dreamers. His contributions serve as a shining example of the profound impact that passion, hard work, and strong values can have on shaping lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kettleby native Charles Leeming made his mark in provincial hockey before bringing his passion for the game home to Aurora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith a lifelong connection to Aurora spanning over seven decades, he has become an integral part of the community,\u201d said ASHOF. \u201cCharles\u2019 athletic prowess shines brightest on the hockey rink, where he achieved remarkable success, earning several Provincial Championships throughout his career. His sporting endeavours extended beyond hockey, as he actively participated in fastball, baseball and softball from 1957-1977, showcasing his versatility and passion for multiple sports. In 1963, Charles and his team emerged victorious as All Ontario Champions, a testament to their exceptional skills and dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis achievements and dedication serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes, embodying the values of perseverance, sportsmanship and excellence. His remarkable journey is etched into the sporting history of Aurora, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 75 years after his death, Frank \u201cPete\u201d Machell is being recognized for his pioneering work on the lacrosse field, having been \u201crecognized as one of Eastern Canada\u2019s greatest lacrosse players.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom 1913 to 1921, he led the Aurora Lacrosse Club to consecutive victories, securing the championship title in the Metropolitan Cup Series,\u201d said ASHOF. \u201cHis exceptional talent as a lacrosse player continued to shine, as he consistently ranked among the top ten league scorers in 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, and 1927, solidifying his status as a force to be reckoned with. In 1932, Frank achieved the pinnacle of success by becoming a Mann Cup Champion with the Brampton Excelsiors Senior A team. This prestigious accomplishment further solidified his position as a distinguished figure in the world of lacrosse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Class of 2023 will be honoured at an Induction Dinner set for Thursday, November 2, at the Royal Venetian Mansion at 400 Industrial Parkway South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more on this year\u2019s inductees, those honoured in previous years, and for this fall\u2019s dinner, visit aurorashof.ca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\r\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pioneers and capacity builders in Canada\u2019s two national sports are among the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s Class of 2023. Announced by the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) before Mayor and Council at Tuesday\u2019s General Committee, this year\u2019s honourees include golf builder Laurie Buckland, hockey player Charles Leeming, lacrosse player Frank \u201cPete\u201d Machell, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":33128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,5,24,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general_news","category-news","category-news-sports","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2023-06-08-06.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3D2k4-8Cm","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-10 13:14:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}