Rogers Hometown Hockey brings back memories of game’s local history

By Matthew Morgan

BELLEVILLE – As Belleville hosts the Rogers Hometown Hockey on Feb. 25, there is a chance to honour the rich history of the game in the city.

The Hometown tour is a two-day event involving a celebration of hockey and will have Hockey Night in Canada’s host Ron MacLean and Tara Sloan as the hosts of the event. The NHL alumni will be on hand with a meet-and-greet opportunity as well as live entertainment and other activities.

The McFarlands are a huge part of the city’s rich hockey history winning the 1958 Allan Cup and 1959 World Cup Championship in hockey.

The McFarlands were named after the team’s owner, Harvey J. McFarland, a wealthy industrialist and hockey enthusiast who came from Picton. The team was based out of Belleville and played their home games at the Belleville Memorial Arena.

Belleville Sports Hall of Famer Wayne”Weiner” Brown who played for both the Allan Cup-winning team and was a part of the team that won the 1959 World Cup hockey championship.

Brown said he was given the nickname “Weiner” by his peers due to his height. He played six years of minor professional hockey for the Western Hockey League, a hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Brown talked about his best year as a pro before breaking his leg where he scored 49 goals while playing for the Seattle Bombers back in the 1953-54 season.

“I played pro six years then I broke my leg in the fourth year my leg never came back,” he said. “They started a senior team and I got my amateur card. When I came, my centreman and my right winger from the west coast league came, Ike Hildebrand and Barton Bradley all came at the same time.”

“By winning the Allen Cup in 58 that qualified us for the following year’s Ice Hockey World Championships in Czechoslovakia”

He speaks about becoming a member of the Belleville McFarlands and reminisced about his past times playing with his teammates over the years.

“They were not just great players, they’re extraordinary men,” he said.

Brown said even though he doesn’t watch a lot of hockey these days that he understands that its a far different game that when he played.

He has a beautiful display of his most cherished hockey memorabilia in his basement that he decided to share.

QNet News also spoke to Pete Conacher the son of Hockey Hall of Famer and National Hockey Leauge great’s Charlie Conacher. He also played with the McFarlands but said that he was a late addition to the team and didn’t join them until just before they went off to play for the World Championships in Prague.

“I was not really comfortable knowing that I was probably bumping someone out of the line up more or less,” he said.

He says that he remains in contact with his fellow teammates of the McFarlands and that he truly feels proud to be a part of Belleville’s rich hockey history.

“I believe that its great that Belleville has an AHL team it should be great for the city.”