History of the Metro Basketball League
This is the Metro Basketball League's 50th season. The league got its start in the early 1970's when some baseball players were looking for some sort of recreation to pass the winter months. The driving forces behind its inception were Gordon Breen (Mr. Baseball), Mike Martin & Robin Short Sr., from its meager beginning to the finely tuned league that exists today. The league owes its existence to Gordon Breen. Mr. Breen put an extraordinary amount of dedication into the league. This is not an easy task for an individual to commit to. From running the everyday duties of the league, which included the high points and some low points, Mr. Breen endured all!!
Gordon Breen was inducted into the N.L.B.A. Hall of Fame, in the builder category in April of 1999.The Executive of the Metro League nominated him. He was quite deserving of this honor of induction.
For several years the Metro Basketball League was not affiliated with the Provincial Basketball Association. The league was known as a renegade league. Several players wanted to play in provincial tournaments so the league became affiliated with the N.L.B.A. about twenty-four years ago. Hundreds of players have played in the league, which has operated for two/three nights per week from September to May for the past 45 years!
The league provides the opportunity for players to participate in an enjoyable but competitive basketball environment, where playing is more important than winning. Originally, the league catered to players in the 30-35 plus age group, but as the league expanded it was necessary to let some "younger players" get involved.
The league uses a draft system to ensure that all teams are fairly competitive. Sponsors are a very important part of any organization. The Metro Basketball League has been very fortunate over the years. Most all teams have had sponsors & some, like Molson Brewery, have been around since the league started.
Twenty-four years ago the league started its own annual tournament. This tournament is called "The Margaret Breen Memorial ". This tournament is named after the late wife of Gordon Breen. We felt that it was fitting that we call the tournament after Gordon's wife, because of his efforts & devotion to the league & his wife's commitment to him.
The Metro Basketball League has a strong executive with a President, Treasurer/Convener & one representative from each team. With the efforts and devotion of these individuals & a strong history, it is safe to say that the Metro Basketball League will be around for many years to come.
Player History
The Metro Basketball League has been providing the game of Basketball to hundreds of people for four decades in the St. John’s area. As we enter our 45th year of play, we would like to show our gratitude to those players who have been a part of our league for all these years. You are all part of the History of Metro and the main reason why so many can still enjoy the game of Basketball today. On behalf of the executive and all the players in Metro today, Thank you for the Heritage you have given to us.
>We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Graham Goobie to the Metro Basketball League.
Graham was the official scorekeeper and statistician from the mid 70's to late in the 80's......
Thanks Graham.
A
Peter Abbott, Bill Abbott, Derek Andrews, Joe Ashley, Tom Al,
Paul Alcok, Trevor Avery, Gerry Allen, Mike Anstey, Don Ash
B
Gordon Breen, Chris Bailey, Pat Barron, Bob Benson, Paul Bennett, Lance Barney, Roger Bill, Tony Biles
Eric Best, Noel Breen, Randy Bishop, Paul Baird, Frank Butler, Al Ballard, Rick Barrett, Larry Breen, Aubrey Brenton
Len Baker, Keith Benoit, Pat Boland, Ian Bailey, Neil Benson, Scott Brett, Gord Breen, Rod Budgell, Richard Blackmore
Daryl Budgell, Tom Brewer, Sean Barry, George Bishop, Kevin Baldwin, Frank Berkshire, Steve Benson, Bruce Brenton
Chris Bunleon, Charles Barker, Wayne Bartlett, Dean Branton, Matt Bramwell, Mike Bannister, Ray Bennett
C
Eric Carroll, Jeff Clarke, Hugh Connolly, Dave Colbert, Carl Crowley, Gus Crotty, Lloyd Clarke, Gordon Carew, Allan Carew, Wayne Churchill,
Keith Churchill, Nels Carter, Reg Carson, Keith Clarke, Tom Clift, Don Castle, Galen Campbell, Jan Cowan, Jerome Collins, Rob Chow, Dave Chow,
Bob Clouter, Sean Conroy, Darren Colombe, Dave Cobb, Tim Cobb, Clyde Clarke, Ross Crocker, Mike Carew, Bruce Chislett, Charles Barker
Boyd Chislett, Dave Colford, Dave Chafe, Bob Clouter, Rick Coombs, Shawn Churchill, Tom Callahan, Garth Campbell, Roger Crane
D
Ted Dawe, Rob Dornan, John Dinn, Paul Dinn, Derek Daniels, Al Duncombe, Ed Donnovan,
Roland Dawe, Ben Dunn, Wish Downey, Ed Denief, Norm Dimmel, Kevin Donahue, Greg Drost,
Craig Dawe, Roy Daley, John Dawe, Sean Dawe, Alf Dyck, Kerry Donovan, Jason Dalton, John Doody, Brad Drover
E
Alex English (deceased), Mike Emberly, Rick Eddy, Ed Evans, Dennis English, Terry Ennis, Joe Earles
F
Richard Fuchs, Paul Fitzgerald, Larry Felt, Paul Facey, Bill Fitzgerald, James Friel, John Fahey,
John Fisher, Rick Fifield, Colin Forward, Rick Forrestal, Ed Fancy, Sean Fitzgerald, Ken Forward, Kevin Fitzpatrick
Leo Fitzpatrick, Doug Furlong, Ron Fahey, Mark Fahey, Conrad Freake, Terry Follett, Andrew Facey
G
Peter Gulliver, Bren Galway, Bob Gulliver, Chris Griffin {deceased}, Bill Gillespie, Jim Gaultos, Tony Griffits, Graham Goobie {scorekeeper},
Mike Gallivan, Phil Griffits, Jim Gaulton(deceased), Phil Grey, Mike Gough, Phil Graham, Mike Gould, Dexter Gillard, Bob Gosse, Wally Guerra, Steve Gosse
H
Gerard Horan, Bill Hudson, Harry Husk, Bill Hryniw, Roy Howell, Keith Hunt, Brian Hedderson, Dave Hanrahan, Jim Hodder,
Tom Healey, Bob Healey, Marshall Hewitt, John Hamilton, Gerry (Dick) Humby(deceased), Ray Hawco, Paul Hickey
Gary Halleran, Tom Hughes, Paul Heffernan, Darryl Hodder, Andrew Hickey, Bill Hurley Jr., Darcy Hallett, Brad Hutton, Bruce Helm
I
Charlie Innes
J
Cecil Joy, Joe Jansen, Doug Jewer, Larry Jones, Randy Jones, Ron Johnson
K
George Kirkland, Dave Kirkland, Dave Kirby, John Kavanagh, Doug King, Greg Kealey, Brother Derm King,
Rick Kirby, Paul Kelly, Roy Knoechel, Doug Kirby, Darryl Kenny, Lee Kenny, Brian Kielly, Dave Kielly
L
Dave Lane, Dave Lively, Sam Lee, Lorne Legrow, Doug Lewis, Doug Lilly, Justin Lane, Tom Lester
M
Ed Martin, Ed Manning, Mike Martin, Mike Martin jr, Paul Myrden, Neil Moores, Paul Moores, John Murphy, Gord Moffat,
Dan McInnis, Al Miller, Roger Melendy, Gary Moore, Randy Mcniven, Bill Murphy, Bren Mcnamara, Brother K Murphy,
Kevin Mullaly, Dave Martin, Kent Manderville, Tom Molloy, Ian Mercer, Jim MacInnis, John Mate, Frank March, Denis Martin,
Rob Menchenton, John McEvoy, Jason Morris, Paul Morgan, Craig Manning, Charlie McCarthy, Jason Mitchell, Wayne Muise
N
Glen Nolan, Paul Nolan, Dave Noseworthy, Rick Noseworthy, Bruce Nolan, Barry Noonan, Neil Norman, Jason Noel, Rhodie Nichol
O
Bren O’Brien, Kevin O’Leary, Shannon O’Keefe, Ed O’Brien, John Oates, Terry O'Reilly,
Dave O'Reilly, Dave Osmond
P
Pat Perry, Paul Power (Deceased), Ignatius Parsons, Jan Peddle, Mike Power, John Pye(deceased), John Penney, Kent Pilgrim,
Craig Parsons, Glenn Pennman, Jason Power, Tony Pretty, Dan Philpott, Don Peters, Don Pike, Kevin Power, John Pitman,
Gerry Puddister, Johnny Power, Mike Provencher, Leon Peddle, Steve Philips (deceased), Jason Power, Andy Pyne, Bob Parsons, Trevor Puddister
R
Rudy Rumsey, Bernarnd Reddy, Gerry Reddy, John Rympka, Tony Re, Wayne Randell, Doug Rex, Bruce Reid,
Joe Ryan, Andy Rowe, Bob Ryan, Randy Royle, Paul Roberts, Paul Rowe, Jim Reid, Clay Reimer,
Todd Ricketts, Keith Ryan, Ed Reddick, Jim Ross, John Rowe, Jason Ryan, Randy Ryan, Jon Rose
S
Duffy Sorenson, Dave Sorenson, Robin Short (Deceased), Kevin Sullivan, John Simms(deceased), Dennis Smith, Kevin Sharpe,
Wayne Sharpe, Jim Sweeney, Tom Syster, Doug Simms, Roger Samson, Glenn Stacey, Keith Sheppard, Kent Smedbol,
Dan Squires, George Sorensen, Jack Sargent, Keith Storey, Greg Stamp, Dwight Sparkes, Raj Sharan, Bill Sharpe,
Ray Sutton, Paul Simmons, Shawn Searle, Paul Stanford, Brent Snook, Chris Smith, Jake Stanford, John Saunders,
Art Sullivan, Bill Skanes, Todd Smith, Dave Smith, Dave Shears, Jeff Slaney
T
Bob Tilley, Fred Thorne, Bill Tucker,Barry Tucker, Norm Tobin, Les Thistle, Cal Tobin, Max Tobin
V
Nick Vinnicombe, Kris Veins
W
Herb White, Jerome Walters, Rod White, John Williams, Bob Walsh, Mike Walsh, Mike Wilson, George Woolgar
C.P. Williams, Dave Wall sr., Dave Wall jr, Fred Wood, Dan Wadland, Doug Woolgar, Ken White, Gerard White
Soon Wong, Sean Wong, John Whitten, Scott Waddleton, Bob Winter, Barry White, Paul Whittle (deceased)
Bob Whelan, Jason White, Albert Woodford, Bob Winsor, Jason Wickham, Jeremy Whittle, Frank Walsh
Y
Harold Young, Craig Young
Z
Ed Zwicker, Andy Zarins
A further list of names will be added shortly. If you know of anyone we have missed, please contact us, or if some of the spellings are not correct.
Thank You/// Kevin Fitzpatrick– Ig Parsons
Presidents
Mr. Robin Short, Sr. Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 2001 as a “Builder” Dating back to the 1950’s, Robin Short has had a long association with basketball whether it was as a player or as a coach. While his records as a player would be enough to name him as a Hall of Famer, he is recognized especially for his commitment and poise as a coach. Robin has coached basketball from the late 1950’s and his influence on the basketball stage is second to none. In 1987 – 88, the Government of Canada recognized Robin’s leadership abilities when he was appointed to the Coaching Council of Canada. By the early 70’s, Robin and long time friend, Gordon Breen, formed the St. John’s Metro League, which today is one of the oldest leagues in the province. They created the league after determining that there was not a place for the “mature” players in St. John’s to have a game of basketball. In the early years it was definitely their league… it would be nothing for one of them, if they saw some unruly behavior on the court, to walk on the floor in the middle of the game and ask a fellow to leave, there wasn’t any room for that kind of play in the Metro League… Robin’s organizational skills and his large sense of fair play is a legacy in the Metro League even today…. It is still a great place guys of plus years and sizes to “Get a play game of ball”.
2. Gord Breen - President - 1980-1990
Mr. Gordon Breen Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 1999 as a “Builder” Gordon Breen was the co-founder of the St. John’s Metro Basketball League. Along with Robin Short, they started the league in 1970 so that the guys in the “Gentlemen’s age group” could get a game of ball. A draft system kept teams recreational and competitive. With his right hand man, Graham Goobie, for 20 years Gordon was convener, time keeper, floor sweeper, referee, finance man, director and extra man for any team that needed a body. He did it all!!! The highlights of his time with the Metro League are of all the friends he had made and knowing that he helped provide an avenue for men to share the camaraderie of belonging to and participating in a great basketball league. Gordon Breen was inducted into the Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame (November 2, 1985), the St. John’s Amateur Baseball Association Hall of Fame, is one of VOCM’s great names in sport, and had received The Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister of Canada for his contribution to Sport (November 11, 1987). Gordon’s fondest memory of the Metro Basketball League was the establishment of the Margaret Breen Memorial Tournament by the Players of the League in appreciation to his late wife for all the time he spent at basketball.
3. Kevin Fitzpatrick - Co-President 1990-1992 President - 1992-2009, 2012-2015
Kevin Fitzpatrick Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 2013 as a “Builder” Kevin Francis Joseph Fitzpatrick better known as “Fitz” has been a part of the Basketball Community in Newfoundland for over 40 years. His dedication, love of the game and desire to give back to the sport of Basketball has made him one of the most respected persons in the sport! He started playing basketball in 1969 at the age of 12. He played for three years with Holy Cross from 1969-1971 as Point Guard and was known for his shot and his ability to handle the ball. He celebrated many City Championships with that team! Kevin has and always will be a Crusader and still remembers the day the team was told to get out the gym because the school was on fire. In 1972 he went on to play with the Senior Team at Brother Rice High School. After that season Kevin left the sport until one night in 1980 when he was approached by Gordon Breen in the bowling alley of St. Pat’s. He asked Kev if he played ball because the team playing upstairs was in need of some extra players. The rest is history. From that day forward, Kevin became a member of the Metro League. A dominant player from the start Kevin won his first Metro Championship on 1982 and was selected Best defensive player for the season. Besides playing, Kevin could be found refereeing, score keeping or keeping the peace when tempers flared. Kevin was selected 3 times in the 1980’s to represent Metro in the Russell tournament that ran in those years. In 1990 Gordon Breen retired from the Metro League he had no hesitation passing the torch on to Kevin and George Bishop to run the league. He knew the league would be in good hands! In the 1990-91 seasons, under Kevin’s guidance, the Metro Basketball League became a member of the NLBA for the first time bringing insurance coverage to all of its players and the opportunity to play in Provincial Tournaments. He also turned over refereeing duties of the league to the St. John’s association of basketballs officials, bringing the Metro League into the fullness of the Basketball Community. In 1992 Kevin took over full control of the league. Throughout the years Kevin has given his heart and soul to the Metro League. His devotion and decisions brought the league from a 6 team league playing 2 nights per week to an 8 team league playing 3 nights per week with a call up list of 30 plus players waiting to play in the league. Some of his other accomplishments through the years have been: He set up the league with an executive, consisting of a President, Treasurer/Convenor and a team Rep from each team all having vote on league matters. Developed a constitution to govern the league. He restarted the Metro Outdoor Tournament He promoted it as family day Tournament and encourages players to bring along their spouses and kids. This tournament is the highlight of the Metro League and celebrated its 18th consecutive year this past season. He one of the co-founders of the Annual Margaret Breen Memorial Tournament He helped develop a web site for the league opening the league up to anyone who was interested. Created the History page to honor the hundreds of players who had played in the league through the years. Along with all his devotion to the Metro League Kevin has been an active member of the NLBA since 1996. For the next 16 years Kevin has been involved with the organization on many levels starting with being elected as Regional Director for St. John’s North. He also was a member of the Hall of Fame Induction committee, Hall of Fame Cup committee, Senior Tournament Director and Policy Director. In 2007 Kevin received the President’s award for his work with the NLBA and his contribution to the sport throughout the Province. Kevin has been a tireless worker on behalf of the NLBA. Although retired from the executive part of the association, he continues to serve several committees.
4. Soon Wong - President - 2010-2011
Mr. Soon W. Wong Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 2007 as a “Builder” Soon Wong has been and still is today a great ambassador for the game of basketball in NL. His commitment to the sport speaks for itself. His tireless devotion to the kids he has helped developed to the senior teams he has kept together over the years shows the respect he has from his players and his peers. His coaching and developing of players to do their best and play as a team is shown in the championships he has won. Soon Wong is a gentlemen and a true sportsman who loves the game of basketball. - 1986 – 87 coached Harvey‟s Offshore – Division 3 Champions - Hosted three provincial Division 4 tournaments / convenor – Host and coached two teams in each tournament. - Coached and won three Division 4 championships. - Coached and won two masters „B‟ tournaments. - Winner of the „Reg Soaper Award” in 1995 - Solicitor of sponsors for teams. Have led countless numbers of fundraisers for teams to travel to competitions and have proper uniforms. And has enjoyed all of it. He has been a convenor, coach, father to some, intervener to many, and would do it all over again. - 1975 – 76 coached Venice Pizzeria – Intermediate “B” - 1976 – 77 coached 76ers‟, Intermediate “B” - 1977 – 78 coached Tower Maintenance Intermediate “B” - 1978 – 79 coached Beothuck Paving Intermediate “B” - 1980 – 85 coached Sedco 76 Intermediate “B” - 1986 – 87 coached Harvey‟s Offshore Division 3 champions - 1986 – 87 coached Regis Development - 1988 – 89 coached Lakeshore Homes – Division 4 champions - 1989 – 90 coached McGrath‟s Pipeline Division 4 champions - 1990 – 91 coached Stoyles Insurance Division 3 champions - 1991 – 92 coached Stoyles Insurance Division 3 champions - 1993 – 94 coached Stoyles Insurance Division 3 champions - 1994 – 95 coached NTV Division 3 - 1995 – 98 coached Discovery Springs Division 3 championship - 1998 – 2003 coached Discovery Springs Division 3 - 2003 – 04 coached Instant Replay Metro League champions - 2004 – 05 coached Patterson Palmer Metro League. - Have coached teams in Carbonear Invitational, many Chris Griffen tournaments, Marine Institute Tournaments, Metro League – Margaret Breen Tournament for last 15 years with six championships. - Served as convenor of Division 3 and Division 4 1987 – 1995 coached YBC basketball teams in initial start up years. - Coached Bishop‟s College senior team 1986 – 1989. - Coached women‟s intermediate “B” league – 1986 – 88
Metro Hall Of Fame
Robin Short
- Founder of The Metro Basketball League
- Inducted into the Newfoundland Basketball Hall of Fame in June, 2001 in the Builder category.
Gordon Breen
- Co-Founder of the Metro Basketball League
- Inducted in the Newfoundland Basketball Hall of Fame in April, 1999 in the Builder category
Raymond Hawco
- Active player in the Metro Basketball League
- Inducted in the Newfoundland Basketball Hall of Fame in April, 1999 in the Player category.
Wayne (Peter) Abbott
- Inducted in the Newfoundland Basketball Hall of Fame in June, 2003 in the Referee category
William (Bill) Brophy
- Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 2005 in the Builder category.
John Walsh
- Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in June, 2007 in the Referee category.
Soon Wong
- Inducted into the NLBA Hall of Fame in 2007 in the Builder Category
Kevin Fitzpatrick
- Inducted in the NLBA Hall of Fame in June 2013 in the Builder Category