ANTHONY DRANSFELD For the Bulletin
The best hockey player I ever saw play in Kimberley? Well, that would be the truly amazing Walt Peacosh, who has passed away recently at the age of 81.
Walter came to the Kimberley Dynamiters with a serious hockey pedigree — 229 points in three seasons with the Mighty Flin Flon Bombers Junior Club. Then it was on to the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League. Turning pro just before his 21st birthday, Peacosh played on the first line with Phil Maloney and Bernie Bathgate (brother of Andy and an excellent hockey player in his own right)
My friends Harvey Greenwood and Lin Kelly were stick boys for the Canucks back in 1957-58 and they remember Walt fondly — the unique way he carried the puck up the ice with that jitterbug style.
Walter Peacosh and his young bride Alice took an offer from the Trail Smoke Eaters, who were gearing up for a run at the World Hockey Championships in 1961. The Smoke Eaters defeated Russia 5-1 in Geneva to win the Gold Medal. I listened to that game on the radio on our farm with my father Tony.
Walt Peacosh’s name was prominent on the air waves that night. Little did I know that I was destined to meet Walter Peacosh three years later in a town in British Columbia called Kimberley.
Walt played with Trail Smoke Eaters through the 1963 season, before taking a job with Consolidated Mining and Smelting and a position on the Kimberley Dynamiters. The “ Nitro Line “ came into being when Ken Cowboy McTeer came in from Calgary, and Les Lilley returned to Kimberley after many years in Pro hockey in the U.S.A. Voila, the Nitro Line was born.
When Les retired, Dickie Vincent stepped up to play with McTeer and Peacosh. Vincent became the second all time leading goalscorer in the W.I.H.L. with 424 goals, in no small part due to the efforts of Walt Peacosh and Cowboy McTeer.
The Nitro Line certainly .left us lots of hockey memories.
The Man Had Nicknames
Walt Peacosh was called Mex, (due to the fact he really really did look Mexican), Pico Peacosh by the Dynamiter fans, Chi Chi , by his Dynamiter team mates, Mexii by Kimberley Dynamiter Trainer John Stone, defenseman Art Bryant, and Bobby Puffer Muir. Most nights Mex Peacosh was worth the price of admission by himself. He was an artist on the ice — astounding. Pico Peacosh never really tied up his skates ( I played with him at the Nitro Line retirement game in 1969, dressing next to him and observed this first hand). Les Lilley fired in six goals that evening when the temp was minus 30 on December 22nd. Peacosh, Lilley, McTeer and Steenson were so beloved in town we drew 2650 at the Kimberley Civic Centre. By the way, Walt has a younger brother Gene Peacosh who scored over 400 goals playing Professional hockey in the United States, Eastern league and the World Hockey Association. Gene and his wife live in Cranbrook.
On the ice Walter Peacosh was “Mex the Magician”. Off of it he was a husband, family man and father to Debra, Carrie, Yvonne, Robert, Rick and David.Walter and Alice Peacosh are grandparents and great grandparents. After retiring from Cominco Walt became the good Samaritan Maintenance Man at the Kimbrook and Western Lodge, fixing anything and everything for the resident Seniors ( never taking a penny), well perhaps the odd case of cold beer. Walt Mex Peacosh will be missed my many here in town. It was a privilege to know him for 53 years. A celebration of Walters life will be held at Bootleg Gap Golf Course on Oct 5th at noon. A Superstar in the Western International Hockey League, we in Kimberley were blessed to have watched Walt Peacosh and the Nitro Line play hockey here.
Keep the memories. Last but not least. never ever play pool for money with the Mexican.