By Mel Tsuji
Hockey League Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary
Old time friendships and distant memories will be freshly renewed next fall when the Canadian Japanese Hockey League celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Hundreds of players, past and present, are expected to attend a celebratory dinner gathering being held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. It’s to commemorate the league’s founding on Oct. 22, 1961.
The big occasion will be held at the JC Centre on Sat Oct 22, 2011. A reception-social with a cash bar will be held from 4pm to 6pm in the Shoko Kai Court. Dinner is scheduled to begin at 6.30pm to about midnight in the large Kobayashi Hall. A buffet of all the old time Japanese Canadian delicacies is being planned.
Ticket can be purchased for $85 a couple or $50 for singles. Proceeds from the night are aimed at helping the Centre’s fund-raising efforts.A smaller portion is being designated to help the hockey league with its expenses.
An organizing committee of former players has been working since last year, trying to reach as many former and present players to come to the celebration.
“I think we can get 200 out from our group alone,” said Gary Kawaguchi, president of the JC Cultural Centre as well as a former player himself.
Kawaguchi says he stays in touch with his group, who mostly played in the 1980s. A select squad from league players of that era toured Japan in 1982. His team-mates included present CJHL president Wayne Yamashita.
It was the second select squad from the league to tour Japan. The first visit was made in 1971, organized by Gen Hamada, a former top university player with McMaster University.
Players on that team included stars from Double S. Tile, the Nisei dominated team that won a top city championship in 1956. They included team captain Roy Kobayashi, George Anzai and Satch Fujimoto, who are all on the 50th anniversary organizing committee
Organizers say they’ve received enthusiastic feedback about the celebration, with most former players saying they would attend. It’s because of that kind of reaction that people are urged to buy their tickets early to ensure their availability -- and to help organizers plan the dinner buffet.
Ticket registrations can be purchased by sending checks made out to “CJHL Reunion,” C/O Rick Matsumoto, 10 Dunmurray Blvd., Toronto, MiT 2J9. or rmast@rogers.com.
Additional information can be obtained by emailing Bob Miwa at amiwa9@yahoo.ca or 416-499-7087. You can also reach Mel Tsuji at meltsuji@yahoo.ca.
People thinking of attending the hockey celebration should note that a cutoff date of Sept 30, 2011 has been set for ticket purchases – in order to give organizers a solid estimate for caterers. (Mel Tsuji)
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