Joseph R. Byrne
Joseph R. Byrne | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1921 Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | August 26, 1990 (aged 69) |
| Spouse | Patricia |
Joseph Richard Byrne (March 22, 1921 – August 26, 1990) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach.
Career[edit]
Joe Byrne learned the game of hockey from Hall of Famer Alex Connell. After leaving the service in 1946, he joined the New York Rangers organization. Joe was a scout for the Rangers farm system at Quebec in the early 1950s.[1] He was hired by the Grand Falls Athletic Association to coach their hockey team and arrived in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland on December 7, 1949. He was involved in Newfoundland hockey as either a coach, player or referee for the next 40 years until his retirement in the summer of 1989. Byrne operated a sports shop at Grand Falls beginning in the early 1950s.
Awards and honours[edit]
- Hockey NL Gold Stick Award in 1978.[2]
- In 1982 he was presented with the Gordon Juckes Award from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for national achievement
- Inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame on November 4, 1989[1].
- Awarded C.H.A Award by Hockey NL in 1989 for outstanding service to minor hockey.[3]
- Awarded the Hockey Canada Order of Merit in 1990.https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/corporate/awards/hc-awards/awards/order-merit
- Inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame on May 28, 1995[2].
Personal life[edit]
Byrne was born in Charlesbourg, Quebec. He had one brother and four sisters. His wife's name was Patricia (Pat). Joe Byrne died on August 26, 1990, in Grand Falls-Windsor. On Friday March 22, 1991, in a ceremony attended by his wife Pat, on what would have been Joe's 70th birthday, the Grand Falls Stadium was renamed Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium as a tribute to his contributions to hockey in the community and the province during his 40-year career.