“It’s been a long time coming,” said North Vancouver resident Terry Bingley.
Bingley, who was referring to the induction of his former senior men’s team into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, has been trying to get the 1980 Burnaby Lakers enshrined since 2016. After applying for three years in a row, the team will be inducted on July 20 at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
“I guess we just finally got it right this year,” said the longtime North Vancouver resident who played goalie for the team.
In 1980 the Lakers won the Canadian intermediate ‘A’ championship against the Fredericton Capitals, coached by former NHL player Danny Grant, in three straight games at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, claiming the Hardy Cup.
The Lakers are the only Lower Mainland team to win the Hardy Cup and have been inducted into the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame. Their win is also noted at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where all winners of the Hardy Cup are listed.
“It’s great, like I said the frustrating thing was they have a hall of champions in Toronto at the Hockey Hall of Fame which every Canadian champion is in there. ... We were in there but we were never in the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, so it’s nice to get inducted and get recognized,” said Bingley, who is one out of three North Shore residents who played on the team.
Now a retired Burnaby firefighter, Bingley never stopped playing hockey and still plays with former Lakers player and North Vancouver native Keith Tindle. Bingley claimed that the Lakers were the team with the best chemistry he’s ever been on. He described the team as a big family with a special bond.
“You always hear about team sports and getting the right mix, well we had the right mix,” he said.
Deep Cove resident and former right wing player for the Lakers, Derek Williams, said playing for the team was one of the best years of his life.
“I’ve played on a lot teams and that was the rare team where skill and heart and comradery, you know all came together,” said Williams, who is now a financial advisor. “Only the real good teams have chemistry and you know most people never played on a championship team because they never found the chemistry.”
Although the team flawlessly made its way to the championships, Bingley recalled the team’s first game as a turning point for the Lakers.
“Our first game in Vernon we got blown out 6-0, the other team just thought ‘Oh these guys aren’t so good.’ It really knocked us,” he said.
After that game, the team re-grouped and went on to take it all home. In addition to the Hardy Cup they also won the Coy Cup, BC Hockey’s senior AA amateur hockey championship.
For Bingley, it’s the team recognition that means the most to him. He looks forward to seeing his former teammates that he hasn’t seen in 35 years. He said everyone is excited for the induction ceremony, specifically their team coach, Gary Forbes.
“He had the vision I guess, all those years of trying to get the right mix of guys and it all came through right. When he found out (about the Hall of Fame induction) he just felt over the moon,” Bingley said with a laugh.
