Field of Fame monuments at WinSport honour seven remarkable Calgarians

On your next visit to WinSport, be sure to check out a new installation that honours some of the most influential figures in the history of our city, all with significant connections to the sport community.

Alberta Champions Society has unveiled its latest Field of Fame at WinSport. The steel monuments, each shaped like a sheaf of wheat, are located outside the west end of the newly reimagined Day Lodge. The plaques detail the remarkable list of contributions from each of the seven Champions — Gwen Davies, Dr. Dennis Kadatz, Frank King, The Honourable Norman (Normie) Kwong, Doug Mitchell, Bob Niven and Joan Snyder.

The monuments were unveiled during a special ceremony attended by family, friends and community leaders. Barry Heck, WinSport’s president and CEO, told the crowd that WinSport is incredibly proud to be home to the eighth Field of Fame in the Calgary area.

“This is a way of recognizing and honouring those individuals who made a real mark on our city, province, and country,” said Gordon Hoffman, the founder and chair of Alberta Champions Society. “These are all marvellous people who made such important contributions. I hope others will see these monuments and see what they did, and they will say, ‘Jeez, here’s what I can do. Here’s what we all could be doing.’

“It’s inspirational, it’s educational, and it’s about preserving their legacy and saying thanks.”

There is, as the Field of Fame plaques outline, a lot to be thankful for. Here is a short summary of the contributions of the seven Champions:

Gwen Davies

Davies, who had her left leg amputated shortly before her third birthday, excelled on the golf course, winning the Canadian Amputee Golf Championship a record 18 times. She was also victorious at the Ladies Amputee British Open and World Series of Amputee Golf. Davies founded and served for many years as president of the Canadian Amputee Golf Association and was also a longtime volunteer for the Alberta Amputee Sports and Recreation Association and Skate Canada.

Dr. Dennis Kadatz
Kadatz was the first football coach and first athletic director at the University of Calgary. A powerhouse in sport administration, he would later become president of the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA), an organization created to help preserve the legacy of the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympic Games. CODA is now operated as WinSport. In that role, Kadatz was the chief steward of funds and facilities, ensuring sites like Canada Olympic Park remained viable and accessible for all.

Frank King
While he would be first to stress it was a team effort, King is often credited as being the architect behind the 1988 Winter Olympics. King was chair of the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA), which spearheaded the successful bid, and then chairman and CEO of the host organizing committee. His leadership and can-do attitude inspired 10,000 volunteers to sign up in support. Among his numerous awards and accolades, King received the Olympic Order in Gold. A member of the Calgary Booster Club for nearly 50 years, his community efforts continued long after the torch was passed. (WinSport has plans to further honour King. Watch for details this fall.)

The Honourable Norman Kwong
Kwong was a trailblazer as the first Chinese Canadian to play professional football — first with the Calgary Stampeders and then in Edmonton. He was a four-time Grey Cup champion during his record-setting career and was honoured as Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1955. Kwong was later one of the original owners of the Calgary Flames, having his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 1989. He continued to make history, and make an impact, as Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor from 2005 to 2010.

Doug Mitchell
Mitchell was a respected lawyer and a difference-maker in both amateur and professional sport. He reinvigorated Canada’s national hockey program, served as a member of the NHL’s Board of Governors, was commissioner of the CFL from 1984 to 1989 and was later a part-owner of the Calgary Stampeders. Outside of the arena or field, he shared his time and skills with a wide range of organizations and was proud to serve as Honourary Lieutenant-Colonel of The King’s Own Calgary Regiment.

Bob Niven
Niven was another driving force behind Calgary ’88. He devoted countless volunteer hours to the Olympic movement, first as president of the bid committee and then as vice chairman of the Calgary Olympic Organizing Committee. When the world gathered in his city, Niven also served as mayor of the athlete’s village. After the Olympics, he became chairman of CODA, helping to further cement the lasting legacy of those Games. WinSport is now home to the Bob Niven Training Centre.

Joan Snyder
Although Snyder never wished to advertise her generosity, she will be remembered as one of Calgary’s impactful philanthropists. Among her countless contributions, she helped to fund the creation of both the Calvin, Phoebe, and Joan Snyder Chair in Critical Care Research and the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the University of Calgary. She was an ardent sports fan and major supporter of women’s hockey, including a substantial donation to WinSport, where one of the arenas is named in her honour.