A REGAL AFFAIR, Part 4: Competitive camp shows team has promise

The first full training camp for the Brandon Regals began with promise.

The New York Rangers sent two dozen players to the Regals, although many were freshly out of the junior ranks. The good news was that six had previous WHL experience, including Les Colwill, Earl (Ching) Johnson and Les Lilley.

“This does not mean that these players will be all that we will be receiving from the Rangers,” general manager Frank Boucher said in the Sept. 5 edition of The Brandon Sun. “New York will have a training camp in Providence and it is possible that players may be sent from that to Brandon.”

Five players who were owned by the Regals — Ray Manson, Billy Bucyk, Lucien Dechene, George Senick and Norm Johnson — were also coming back, along with six players acquired from the Saskatoon Quakers.

In addition, former Brandon juniors Bob Chrystal and Walk (Chuck) Pawlyshyn were expected.

“I am satisfied we will have enough forward strength with the players we already have,” Boucher said, “but I feel that we may need another strong defenceman. If we can obtain the services of Chrystal he should fill the bill.”

More importantly, Elliot Chorley was expected to be given permission by the American Hockey League’s Springfield Indians to report to Brandon.

Like every season, there were losses.

Forwards Pat Lundy and Bill Kyle wouldn’t be returning, and former NHL greats Max and Doug Bentley were both invited to camp, but were still in the fields at their farm near Delisle, Sask., and never reported.

Sadly, Boucher discounted rumours the Rangers were sending the wonderfully named Ivan (The Terrible) Irwin to Brandon.

A brief concern before camp stemmed from a promised shipment of sticks not arriving in time, which forced some quick hunting by Boucher and trainer Les Kellett.

It later came out that not everyone was happy with the result. The team was using the Eddie Shore model, which some players apparently didn’t like because the blade was too short.

Happily for Kellett, there was some good news. The main dressing room at the Wheat City Arena has been enlarged, gobbling up the old referee’s room to allow him to install a washing machine and skate sharpener.

That was a cheaper option because the team was being charged the princely sum of 11 cents per towel by a laundry.

Camp began on Monday, Sept. 24, one day after check-in. In all, 48 of the 54 players arrived on Sunday, with others coming later in the week.

The Rangers had their four of their top scouts in attendance — Dennis Ball, Al Ritchie, Johnny Walker and Ed Bruchet — with general manager Muzz Patrick also making an appearance.

It took just half an hour for the first injury, with Len (Comet) Haley taking a puck to the face that broke his cheekbone, bruised his nose and required stitches for a cut under his left eye.

The players were put up at the Prince Edward Hotel, with a wakeup call at 7 a.m., and breakfast 30 minutes later. The players could find their own lunch, but had to be back at the hotel at 5:45 for supper.

They had to be in bed by 11:30 at the very latest.

The cost of camp for the team was estimated at $5,000, with $375 a day spent just on food and lodgings for the players.

On Sept. 27, forward Lyle Willey became the first player to sign.

Admission for the intrasquad game on Sept. 28 was 50 cents, with team owner Jim Piggott making his first appearance at camp for the game. He brought Norm Couch, who managed the Saskatoon Quakers the year before and still looked after the Saskatoon arena, which might not have been a great sign for the Regals.

The intrasquad game featured 35 players, with Team White coached by Ken Ullyot and wearing Brandon’s home uniforms. Team Blue was guided by Regals player-coach Don Raleigh, and they wore the road uniforms of the defunct Saskatoon Quakers.

The team also borrowed 18 sets of uniforms from the junior Winnipeg Rangers for training camp.

The game started at 8:30 and was reffed by Andy Gurba and Monty Montgomery, with WHL president Al Leader an interested observer.

The first cuts were made on Sept. 30, with 20 players released, most of whom were either still in junior or freshly graduated.

That still left the Regals with 33 players, including Les Lilley and rookie Willie Voss, who were flying out to join the club and were the final players supplied by the Rangers.

Voss later received conflicting instructions from the Vancouver Canucks, and stayed in B.C.

The team continued to take shape on Oct. 1, with Dechene, Raleigh, Earl (Ching) Johnson, Murray Wilkie and Bill Bucyk all putting pen to paper. None of the terms were released but league salaries were $3,000 to $5,000 per player.

On Oct. 1, 10 more players were released, including three members of last year’s team, Gord Stratton, Gord Cowan and Clare Melanchuk. The team could carry as many players as it wanted for the season opener, but only 15 could dress, including the goalie.

The new crests and numbers arrived that day — the team was wearing a special arm crest to commemorate Brandon’s 75th anniversary — but the sweaters and stockings weren’t expected until later in the week.

The team continued to take shape on Oct. 3, with Bob Chrystal, Len Haley and Howie Yanosik putting pen to paper to boost the total signings to nine.

The bad news out of practice on Oct. 4 was that starting goalie Lucien Dechene took a puck to the forehead, suffering a cut that took three stitches to close. In the era before goal masks, Dechene was apparently considered a “bleeder.”

Raleigh and Chrystal did double duty at camp, with both men selling ads for the team program in their free time.

When Lilley finally showed up, he was immediately signed, with six other players approached with contracts. Everyone had put pen to paper by the season opener on Oct. 8.

Finally, season ticket sales were picking up but could still be acquired by calling 5409.

» This is the fourth instalment in a 10-part series chronicling the unlikely story of Brandon’s only professional hockey team, their mid-season move to the city, their brief stay and why the Regals eventually left after the 1956-57 season. Tomorrow, the 1956-57 season proves to be a good one.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com