Jack Gatecliff
{{short description|Canadian sports journalist, ice hockey and lacrosse player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jack Gatecliff
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|04|20}}
| birth_place = St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|09|05|1926|04|20}}
| death_place =
| occupation = Journalist
| years_active = 1950–2000
| awards = Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award
}}
Jack Gatecliff (April 20, 1926 – September 5, 2000) was a Canadian sports journalist, ice hockey and lacrosse player. He was awarded the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995. He is also an inducted member of the St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. In 1996, the Garden City Arena was renamed to honour him.
Early life
Gatecliff was born in St. Catharines, Ontario on April 20, 1926.{{cite web |title=Jake Gatecliff |url=https://www.clhof.org/index.php/inductees/by-category/builder/120-jack-gatecliff |website=clhof.org |accessdate=May 16, 2019}} He attended Queen Alexandra Middle School growing up.{{cite news|url=https://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/sports-story/8188199-bill-buschlen-scored-first-goal-in-teepees-history/|title=Bill Buschlen scored first goal in Teepees history|work=Niagara Falls Review|date=June 2, 2016|accessdate=May 26, 2019}}
Career
Gatecliff played lacrosse and hockey growing up. He was a member of the St. Catharines Falcons Junior A hockey team as a youth{{cite web|title=JACK GATECLIFF |url=https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/house-documents/parliament-36/session-1/1995-11-02/hansard#P358_121508 |website=ola.org |accessdate=May 27, 2019}} and of the St. Catharines Athletics at the age of 18. As a member of the team, Gatecliff won the 1944 Mann Cup Championship. In 1947, Gatecliff moved to Scotland to play hockey for the Paisley Pirates. While in Scotland, Gatecliff decided to pursue a career in journalism and returned to Canada with a job at the St. Catharines Standard.{{cite web |title=Obituary of Alice Gatecliff |url=https://dartefuneralhome.com/tribute/details/6258/Alice-Gatecliff/obituary.html |website=Dartefuneralhome.com |date=December 4, 2017 |accessdate=May 16, 2019}}
In 1950, Gatecliff began a sports column titled "Through the Sports Gate" which focused on local sports.{{cite web |author1=Walt Lastewka |title=JACK GATECLIFF |url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/35-1/house/sitting-237/hansard#JACKGATECLIFF |website=ourcommons.ca |accessdate=May 26, 2019|date= October 4, 1995}} He was shortlythereafter promoted to executive sports editor, a position he stayed in until his retirement.{{cite news |title=Obituary --- Newsman Jack Gatecliff, sportswriting institution |publisher=Toronto Star |date=September 7, 2000 |page=GT05}} Beginning in the 1970s, Gatecliff focused sportswriting on the Buffalo Sabres organization.{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Rick |title=Hockey neighbors battle on, off the ice |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/1999/05/31/No-Topic-Name.aspx |website=sportsbusinessdaily.com |accessdate=May 26, 2019 |date=May 31, 1999}} In 1972, Gatecliff was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=EASTERN CANADA CLHOF INDUCTEES |url=https://ontariolacrossehalloffame.com/eastern-canada-clhof-inductees/ |website=ontariolacrossehalloffame.com |accessdate=May 16, 2019}} After the 1983–84 American Hockey League season, Gatecliff was awarded the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding media coverage of the American Hockey League.{{cite web |title=GUIDE & RECORD BOOK 2017-18 |url=http://kmdjr15omhn2w5r191hex041.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/2017-18_GRB.pdf |accessdate=May 16, 2019 |page=26}} Following this, he received the Bob Reinhart Memorial Award from the St. Catharines Chamber of Commerce for community service. Gatecliff was also a track announcer at the Merrittville Speedway after broadcaster Rex Stimers retired.{{cite web |title=Merrittville Speedway - "In the Beginning" |url=http://merrittvillespeedway.com/Memories/Merrittville.html |website=merrittvillespeedway.com |accessdate=May 27, 2019}}
In 1990, Gatecliff helped found the St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame along with Joe McCaffrey, Ellard O'Brien, Archie Katzman and Bill Stevenson.{{cite web |title=St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/experiencein/St-Catharines-Sports-Hall-of-Fame.asp |website=stcatharines.ca |accessdate=May 26, 2019}} At the time of his retirement in 1991, the St. Catharines Standard sports department unveiled the Jack Gatecliff Award which is presented to the area person judged to have demonstrated an especially high level of dedication to sports.
He was awarded the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.{{cite news|title=Berth in Hall caps|date=September 12, 1995|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=34|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-sep-12-1995-1184797/}}{{free access}} The following year, the Garden City Arena was renamed Jack Gatecliff Arena.{{cite news |author1=Dennis Gannon |title=Yesterday and Today: Keeping up with Thorold |url=https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/living-story/9212068-yesterday-and-today-keeping-up-with-thorold/ |accessdate=May 16, 2019 |publisher=St. Catharines Standard |date=March 8, 2019}} However, in 2007, the arena was renamed the Gatorade Garden City Complex.{{cite web |title=OHL hockey returns to the Garden City |url=http://ontariohockeyleague.com/ohl-hockey-returns-to-the-garden-city/ |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |accessdate=May 16, 2019 |date=September 28, 2007}} Prior to the opening of the Meridian Centre in 2014, the city of St. Catharines dedicated a chair in his honour.{{cite web |title=First seats in Meridian Centre already spoken for |url=https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/News/index.aspx?feedId=b0165e24-355d-46e4-8ce3-0fb066f4f843&newsId=36006c7d-fbf6-4603-bd78-03fbbbc9f95d |website=stcatharines.ca |accessdate=May 27, 2019 |date=October 23, 2014}}
Later, in 1998, Gatecliff was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=SABRES HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-hall-of-fame-inductees/c-438228 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=May 16, 2019 |date=November 7, 2008}} He continued to write for the St. Catharines Standard until his death on September 5, 2000, from cancer.{{cite news |title=Clarification |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-standard-st-catharines/20150912/281878707155374 |accessdate=May 27, 2019 |publisher=The Standard |date=September 12, 2015}}
Personal life
References
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Category:20th-century Canadian non-fiction writers
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Canadian sports journalists
Category:Canadian sportswriters
Category:Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award recipients
Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario
Category:Lacrosse people from Ontario