Joseph R. Byrne
Joseph R. Byrne | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1921 Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | August 26, 1990 (aged 69) |
| Spouse | Patricia |
Joseph Richard "Joe" Byrne (March 22, 1921 – August 26, 1990) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Career
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 and worked as a scout in the early 1950s. 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
- In 1982 he was presented with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association Gordon Jukes Hockey Development Award which is an award for national achievement
- Inducted into the Sport NL Hall of Fame on November 4, 1989[1].
- Inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame on May 28, 1995[2].
Personal life
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.