University of Manitoba Bisons Men's Basketball Reunion (1955 – 1976) Set For This Weekend

This weekend, September 24 & 25, the University of Manitoba Bison Men’s basketball teams from 1955-1976 will be holding a reunion. Almost 100 former players, managers, coaches, fans and friends will be gathering to celebrate the most successful era in men’s university basketball. These years were marked by 1 CIAU/CIS national championship, 2 national finalists, 7 players selected as All-Canadians, 1 two-time national coach-of-the-year, 6 National Team members, who played in the Olympics, the World Championships, the World Student Games, and the Pan Am games, 4 members who have been inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, 14 players who have been inducted into the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame, 3 who were inducted as builders, and the players were the
foundation for 6 National Senior Men’s championships. Undoubtedly, this was the “golden era”, maybe the Brown and Gold(en) era, of Bison basketball.  For full details...

The weekend tips-off on Friday afternoon with golf, followed by a cocktail reception. On Saturday morning the players will be re-living their memories with a “shootaround” at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on the U. of M. campus wearing old uniforms and warm-ups, even though all of this group played at the old Bison East Gym – “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.

This will be followed by the unveiling of the plaque in the IGAC marking the newly created Jack A. Lewis Basketball Scholarship. Jack Lewis coached many of these players and, following his passing earlier this year, a group of former Bisons with the support of the Lewis family and Bison Sports, established this scholarship in his name. Some will be attending the Bison Homecoming football game in the afternoon and a gala dinner will end the festivities on Saturday night where the first recipient of the Jack Lewis scholarship will be announced and the award presented. The CanadInn Ft.Garry, on Pembina Hwy., is the hotel where the events will be taking place.

Further information can be obtained from Ross Wedlake at (204) 668-9494 or rwedlake@mts.net.