50th Anniversary of Scotts Colonels Midget A Championship

The 1974-1975 Paris Scotts Colonels who brought the cup to Paris, reaffirming our town as a hockey town to reckon with 50 years ago. 

By Scoop Stewart

Sports Columnist 

The Championship team that proved the third time is the charm, the 1974-1975 Paris Scotts Colonels, were a team that earned their right to be heroes of Paris hockey history. After losing in the ’72-73 Midget A Finals to Bowmanville and losing to Gananoque the following year, this team went on a historic run that brought victory and made Paris a hockey town again.

Coached by Tom Jensen, quite an athlete in his own right, was a part of the 55-56 Guelph Sr A Biltmores and with the AHL’s Philadelphia Ramblers before an eye injury cut his promising playing career short. The team was also coached by Barry Jordan, having his own distinction playing Jr B in Woodstock and Sarnia, and managed the team as well.

Speaking with coach Tom Jensen’s son Dave, his dad knew he had “a bunch of thoroughbreds, that he had to be hard but fair with them.” He went the extra mile with these boys having practice Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 am before school. Tom also was the president of the hometown famous Mary Maxim Co., where him, his buddies and some townsfolk ponied up enough money so the boys could take a coach, not school bus to the semis and finals.

During regular season and playoff games, the Paris Scotts Colonels won a whopping 60 out of 70 games. At a Guelph AAA midget tournament, the boys played impressively, holding their own against those bigger centres, population teams and came away with a 3-1-1 record for second place. In playdowns prior to reaching the Ontario finals against Bowmanville, Paris eliminated Ingersoll, Tillsonburg, South London, Merritton and Leamington - losing only one game of 14. 

A team made up of returnees Ken Kirby, Mike Beechey, Brook Tinkess, Randy Novak, Chris Watling, Robb Wilson and Andy Stryker. Joining that year’s Dan Beechey, Jim Amy, Ken Lane, Craig Smith, Carey Cline, John Clarke, Ray Miller, Rob Cruickshank and Steve Smith. They were regarded as a team distinguished as most sportsmanlike in conduct and ability. They also breezed through their midget southern counties to win their division. Even the infamous owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Harland Sanders himself was rooting for the hometown boys, as seen in the telegraph below. 

After losing the last two finals, the boys were motivated to bring the championship home for Paris. After a 6-game battle these boys captured the town, there was a buzz in the air, and the whole town rallied around them. The games were packed to the rafters, blowing the doors off the capacity of the old Syl Apps barn with 1100 fans packing in the building. I was one of them, fortunate to witness the local hero’s triumph. Scotts Colonels won the hard-fought, scrappy affair 4-2 of the series, winning the last home game 6-3. 

After the final buzzer, the roof blew off the arena and pandemonium broke out. Three trips to the finals, and they finally achieved the elusive title of Ontario Midget A champions. Paris had not had a winner in 45 years. 

This team had several guys drafted to the OHA Junior A; Kenny Kirby for the Sudbury Wolves, Robb Wilson captained the tier two A Pembroke Lumber Kings, Randy Novak, Andy Stryker, Kenny Lane, and Captain Mike Beechey all ended up playing Junior B for Brantford.

To everyone I spoke to for this article, they all said this was an awesome team effort. They fought hard for each other, and every man knew his job; whether it was grinding, protecting, playmaking, or scoring - it was a total team effort. The boys declared that this championship was not getting away.

Thanks to Carey Cline, John Clarke, Robb Wilson, Dave Jensen, and Captain Mike Beechey for taking the time to speak with me and share the memories of the 50th anniversary. I hope I captured the spirit of this championship run, as it meant a lot to this town and to me as an avid young hockey fan. It gave the town something to rally around, which they did big time, and put Paris on the map.

Thank you, 1974-1975 Scotts Colonels, for bringing the cup home and making us a hockey town once more.

Always a pleasure, Scoop Stewart signing off.