The Greater Sudbury sporting community is reeling after the loss of Gerry McCrory, better known as the city's Mr. Hockey.
McCrory died Tuesday night at Laurentian Hospital at the age of 74. He had been battling cancer for the last four-and-a-half years.
McCrory is best known for playing the lead role in establishing and growing the Big Nickel Hockey Tournament, which has run successfully in Sudbury for the last 27 years.
McCrory, among other titles over the years, was also an executive director for the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association (SMHA), a Northern Ontario Hockey Association council director and chair of the Big Nickel Hockey Tournament for 27 years.
Sudbury Wolves vice-president Blaine Smith first met McCrory in 1981. Smith had just joined the SMHA and McCrory took him under his wing and helped develop him into the man he is today.
“Gerry meant a lot to me,” Smith said. “I learned a lot from him. He was one of the most respected and dedicated hockey people...I respected him a lot. He was just a great person.”
Recently, McCrory was honoured by being named the winner of a Community Builders Award of Excellence in the Sports and Recreation category.
Athletic adminstrator for the Rainbow District School Board Dave Makela knew McCrory for many years, as well. For 10 years, McCrory was Makela's landlord. Makela got to see McCrory, first-hand, working his magic day after day.
“Every single day of his life, Gerry did something to promote minor hockey,” Makela said. “Gerry helped put Sudbury on the map as far as minor hockey goes. He was also well known throughout the province and was a real promoter of the City of Greater Sudbury.”
McCrory had a habit of making people around him better.
“Personally, Gerry was a mentor of mine,” Makela said. “He set the tone to inspire me to do bigger and better things over the years.”
Sudbury and minor hockey will have a tough time replacing McCrory.
“His passing is a loss that will reverberate for years to come,” Makela said. “Gerry filled a huge void in this community for leadership and expertise in minor hockey. His loss will be felt by many different people for many years to come. It's a sad time.”
McCrory was respected in all walks of life, not just hockey circles across Ontario, and really prided himself on helping youth get the most out of their hockey experience.
“His dedication to the kids was unmatched by anyone,” Smith said. “When he talked, everyone listened...he always had great things to say and they were always right. He was a great person and Sudbury has lost a fine individual.”
McCrory was born in Campbellford and moved to Sudbury in 1970.
He is survived by his wife Florence and four children, Susan, Barry, Brian and Scott, as well as 11 grandchildren.
