ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim Vantour
is a native of Fort
William,
Ontario
(now Thunder Bay).
He moved with his parents to
Edmonton
at the age of seven. His love for the game goes back to his pre-teen
years. He began playing on Saturday mornings at the
Edmonton
Gardens
in Tiger Goldstick’s six-team Mite league, and later played on the
city’s outdoor rinks with the Maple Leaf Athletic Club. Countless hours
were spent in the Knothole Gang at the
Edmonton
Gardens
cheering on the Edmonton Flyers of the Western Hockey League. He remains
a big fan of the “Original Six” era and the minor pro hockey of that
time.
Jim earned
a Ph.D. in Sociology from the
University
of Alberta
and went on to teach Sociology and Criminology at
Carleton
University
in Ottawa
and eventually enjoyed another career as a federal public servant.
Jim is now
retired. He and his wife, Denise, live in
Ottawa
where he plays oldtimers’ hockey and is an enthusiastic spectator at
grandson Ben’s PeeWee games.