ANTHONY DRANSFELD
George “Gibby ” Gibson had an interesting hockey path long before he came to play for the Cranbrook Royals of the very rough and tumble Western International Hockey League.
Hockey at that time was nothing like the “modern” game played locally at the Rec Plex ( Kootenay Ice) and Kimberley Civic Centre ( Kimberley Jr. Dynamiters ).
George Gibson was born and raised in Brandon, Manitoba, playing pond shinny and outdoor rink hockey as a young boy. Gibby showed enough promise to be invited to the Flin Flon Bombers training camp. At the time he was property of the Detroit Red Wings. George made the team, but in those days money was of paramount importance. The Melville Millionaires of the Saskatchewan League made a better offer to Gibby, so it was off to Melville for the 1956 season, where the Millionaires fighting was ably handled by Gibson and his good friend John Ferguson, who certainly put those concrete hands to good use, forging a career in Melville Sakatchewan and later on with the Montreal Canadiens.
Incidentally Gibby went to see his old pal Fergy in Winnipeg many years later. A two day reunion “bender” followed, with Mrs. Ferguson not at all pleased when she found George snuggled in on the family sofa. Fergy told his wife that his old room mate could stay “as long as he damn well wanted”. Loyalty runs deep with team mate pugilists.
I would be remiss if I did not tell you about all of the stops George Gibson made on his Hockey Journey. Beginning in Flin Flon, where young Gibson was late for curfew (seeing his first ever movie in a real theatre). That curfew infraction of 10 minutes and better money paved the way to the Millionaires. After Junior hockey Mr. Gibson went to Pro camp with the Seattle Totems. A late cut, he caught on with the New Westminster Bruins of the old Western Hockey League (ironically playing with my old Coach in Spokane, Blinky Boyce of the the Jr. B Americans). The Toledo Mercurys were in dire need of defense men. New West sold Gibson for an unspecified sum to Toledo, so it was off to the state of Ohio for Gibby, who was 20 years old at the time. A broken jaw in the second game against the Louisville Colonels ended his season there. Back then if you got hurt, you were released with no money. It was as simple as that.
HAVE HOCKEY BAG WILL TRAVEL
The next next stop was Clinton, New York. George recently told me that he was strolling downtown in New York City, dressed in a sharp suit and fedora, when at that moment, Anastasia, the top Mafia Boss, was gunned down in the barber shop where George was passing by.
The cops grabbed up Gibby, somehow thinking he was involved in the rival gang hit. Mr Gibson produced his Manitoba drivers license, and they let him go, driving Gib back to the team hotel., telling him in no uncertain terms, not to leave the Hotel. Back in those days, a pay check and a chance to play semi-pro hockey were of the utmost importance to the hockey players who did not hold coveted jobs in the National Hockey League and its six teams.
Bill Taylor, who later owned the Kimberley Daily Bulletin newspaper, was from Brandon. There was some connection with Gordon Juckes, President of the Saskatchewan Hockey League, who got Gibson and Taylor an invite to the camp of the Nelson Maple Leafs of the W. I . H. L. along with Marsh Severyn, Shorty Malacko, and Howie Hornby. All of the players had to go fund raising after practice to raise money, as the Maple Leafs were in severe financial straits, and in danger of folding.
Gibson was very fortunate in Nelson, to meet his future wife Lorraine. George and Lorraine Gibson have three daughters, Kristi, Carolee, who lives locally and works at the Cranbrook Hospital and Karen, who lives here in Cranbrook. Gibby and Lorraine have a son in law in California who in the Rock and Roll business. Bret Michaels is married to their daughter Kristi . A guitar player and singer, his band Poison has sold 40 million records and CDs. Who knew? Kristi and Brett have two children Raine and Jorja ( named after Grandpa George ).
HELLO TO THE EAST KOOTENAYS
Kootenay Petroleum offered George Gibson a job in Nelson. He took it, and then found out later the position was actually in Cranbrook, where his “office” was located in the Pub of the Mt Baker Hotel. No kidding. Luckily there was a hockey team in town, the East Kootenay Rams, Coached by Bill Hyrciuk and playing out of the Cranbrook Memorial Arena. The East Kootenay Rams of 1960 played mostly against U.S. A. teams. Teammates included Bill Steenson, Dick Vincent , Wally Souter and Johnny Palmer. When the Kimberley Dynamiters reconvened their hockey club, after the construction of the Kimberley Civic Centre in 1964, the Dynamiters signed George Gibson. One problem, George did not get along with coach Bill Jones.
The newly formed Cranbrook Royals and their President Frank Spring Sr. recruited Gibson and signed him. Gibby recalled Spring as a real “straight shooter”, a black and white kind of guy.
George’s favorite goaltender to play in front of was local Barry MacKay (MacKay Construction). “Diery like me,” Gibson recalled.
Old time hockey players like George Gibson really paved the way for future local players like Rob Niedermayer, Scott Niedermayer, Donnie Murdoch, Jon Klemm, Bob Murdoch, Steve Yzerman, Frank Spring Jr., Danny Spring, Brad Lukowich, Ryan Huska and many others.
Mr. George “Gibby” Gibson has a pretty much a photographic memory, which made this interview a piece of cake. I have known “Hoot” for 50 years and counting He is quite the guy.
The Cranbrook Royals players had a pool going of 100 dollars on how long Gibby would last up at Cominco. Ron Hutchinson won the 100 bucks guessing one day. It seems Gibby and his good pal Walt Peacosh made a” fishing pole” with a safety pin, a string and piece of cheese, throwing ” the bait “into a little pool behind the Pump house. They actually caught a fish, just when the Shift Boss showed up. Goodbye Cominco.
A free spirit with a bright mind, George ” Hoot” Gibson has always marched to his own drummer.