| Notes |
- Occupation: Police Officer in Hamilton, ON -- Sergeant by 1967
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 10 Jan 1967
BERNIE ARBOUR HONORED
Hamilton's Citizen of the Year is a 45-year old policeman who has helped more than 18,000 boys through police minor baseball and hockey leagues. Sgt Bernard (Bernie) Arbour, honored last night by theAdvertising and Sales Blub of Hamilton, has been directing the Police Minor Sports Association since its inception in 1948. During that time, 18,164 boys have taken aprt in baseball and hockey leagues and 3,196 adults have beeninvolved as coaches and managers. Sgt Arbour has known each of them personally. Not one has been a statistic. When a city boy lost an eye in a baseball accident in 1965, Sgt Arbour arranged for hockey star GordieHowe to visit the boy at this home. It was typical of the interest SgtArbour took ineach of his boys. ManyBecame Professionals -- Many boyswho began in Hamilton minor police league went on to become professional athletes, among them National Hockey League stars Harry Howell, Murray Oliver, Ian Cushenan, and John Miszuk. Atleast 25 members of the Hamilton police force once played under Sgt Arbour on police minor teams. Of the present 19 police cadets, seven participated in the police minorprogram.
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 10 Jan 1967 -- by Joe Watkins
Nicest piece of news to come into the sports department in a long time was the first word that Bernie Arbour, who has spent most of his adult life working with kids, had been named Hamilton's Citizen-of-the-Year. The news was taken as a sortof "victory for our side," because Bernie is a familiar figure in the sports office, one of the most dedicated anddeeply-respected men anywhere in sport. Because the police minors havebeen a phase of my sports beat and because I've worked closely with Bernie on many of his athletic enterprises, Bob Hanley turned his space over to me today, for reflections and a round-up of tributes. In the long list of police men since Bill Friday, Sr., who have provided organized sport for boys in this community, none worked harder at the job, nonewas better lovedby the kids than Bernie Arbour. He was and is the father image to a lot of young fellows who didn't have fathers, and he was sports-father to a lot of young fellows whomade it big with the pros --Harry Howell, Murray Oliver, Ron Murphy, Frank Consentino, Russ Jackson, and so many more. Guided 18,000 -- Bernie has watched more than 18,000 youngsters pass through the police minors since the parent Hamilton Police Amateur Athletic Association sponsorship began 10 years ago. Some made it to the top in sports, others are trying to pass on to anothergeneration, as today's coaches, some of the things they learned in Bernie's vast set-up. Still othershave used the police minors' teachings of sportsmanship and teamwork as foundation for their business endeavors. If you were to ask Bernie what has been most gratifying for him, he would tell you that it has been the low incidence of crimeamong youngsters who played in the police minors. Bernie "A Giant" -- Following last night's announcement by the Ad and Sales Club, I contacted some of Bernie's superior officers, fellow-workers, and Police Minor graduates. Here are just a few of the tributes: Chief Constable Leonard G. Lawrence: "They say nobody stands taller than when he stoops to help a child. That makes Bernie Arbour a giant. The great work he has been doing is emphasized by the fact that very few of the policeminor graduates have everbeen in serious trouble." Murray Oliver: "He's one of the finest people I ever met. He and the other fellows in the police minors were very good to me." Ron Howell: "There aren't enough hoursin a day to suit Bernie Arbour. He had his heart aches in the early days because of interference by parents, but he refused to quit. I'm very thankful for what Bernie and the organization did for me.He never turned anyone aside." Bob Hanley: "Bernie is a guy who hasthe patience and dedication to do a lotof things for kids that the rest of us wish we were able to do." Art (Mr. Baseball) Mullen:"He's a dedicated man and he's certainly gone far beyond the line of duty. His work among the youngsters has earned theirrespect toward the police department." Fred Brewer, HPAAA president: "Hedoessuch a fine job that there's no reason for me to interfere with his operation." Sgt. Bill Friday, HPAAA past president and first chairman of the police minors: "Bernie and I worked together in the police minors when it was an off-duty operation. We worked 30 or 40 hours a weekwith the kids after we had completed our regular shifts. There's neverbeen such a thing as an eight-hour day withBernie." Eddie Bush: " A fitting tribute to a dedicated man. You'd be surprised at the number of hourshe spends with the kids at the Forum."
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 02 May 1967
ARBOUR, Bernard (Bernie) -- At St Joseph's Hospital on Monday, 1 May 1967, Bernard (Bernie) Arbour, aged 45 years, beloved husband of Edna Russell, dear father of Brian, Bernard, Allan, and Ronald, at home; brother of Edmund, Stanley, and Mrs. Chris Ward (Lavina), Hamilton; Mrs. Clare Leach (Eva), Mt Hope; and Mrs. Verdun Leach (Bernadine), Hamilton. Mr. Arbour was a sergeant of the Hamilton Police Department, member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 1454 and the Holy Name Society of StsPeter and Paul Church. Funeral on Friday morning at 8:30 am, from the P. X. Dermody Funeral Home, 7 East Ave. South to Sts Peter and Paul Church for Requiem Mass at 9 am. Interment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Recitation of the Parish Rosary Thursday evening at 8:15 pm. Knights of Columbus Council 1454 will recite the Rosary Thursday evening at 8:45 pm.In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Canadian Cancer Fund.
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 02 May 1967
Sports-minded Policeman, Bernie Arbour Dies at 46 -- Minor Sport Loses Leader, Sgt Bernie Arbour Dies
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 05 May 1967
1,200 Attend Arbour Funeral
Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- about 1968
MY FATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN ASHAMED
The Hamilton Redbirds' demands for a new baseball facility or extensiverenovations to Bernie Arbour Stadium received the usual negative support frm Hamilton city hall that minor baseball and hockey teams have received for years. Minor hockey teamsdesperately scrambled for out-of-town ice while Copps Coliseum sits virtually vacant awaiting the next tractor pull or chess tournament. Bernie ArbourStadium, like Copps Coliseum, is rarely used by the tens of thousands of children who play minor sports, even though their parents' taxes built and maintain both facilities. Bernie Arbour Stadium wasnamed after the man who helped found minorsports in Hamilton 20 years ago and dedicated his life to "keeping kids in sports and off the streets."Thousands of Hamilton athletes have spent their winters in hockey rinks and summers in ball diamonds, thanks to Bernie Arbour and hundreds of volunteers who felt our kids were worth spending time with. The sports facilities our kids use today are the same as police minor leagues used three decades ago. How ironic that facilities honoring Vic Copps and Bernie Arbour, legends in Hamilton sports for working with our youth, are not available for our young athletestoday while our politicians prefer to let them sit idle or run down. The Redbirds were a class organization, and my father would have been a Redbird fan, but first he would have been a Hamilton fan, working for our local kids and ashamed of how little support minor sports receivesatcity hall. Letter to the Editor -- Brian Arbour, Hamilton
Forum Facts: Bernard "Bernie" Arbour -- One of a group of outstanding Hamilton sportsmen honored in the naming of public facilities. A Hamilton Policemen. As secretary of the Hamilton Police Minor Athletic Association, he helped guide 18,000boys through minor baseball and hockey leagues. Father of four sons. Died in 1967 at the age of 46 of cancer.
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Hamilton Spectator (ON) -- 23 Nov 2012
NAMESAKES: BERNIE ARBOUR STADIUM -- STORIES BEHIND LOCAL PLACE NAMES
from file photo: Bernie Arbour and his fiancee Edna Russell, after an off-duty Arbour arrested a man trying to hold up a furniture store.
THE PLACE: Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium was built in 1970 on Upper Kenilworth Avenue in Hamilton and is used primarily for baseball.
THE NAME: Bernie Arbour was a Hamilton police sergeant and director of Hamilton youth baseball from 1948 until his death from cancer in 1967 at the age of 46.
THE STORY: Arbour was a Second World War veteran before he joined the Hamilton police in 1947. When Bernie Arbour Stadium opened, son Michael threw the first ball and was involved in coaching at the stadium for years after.
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1921 - 1967 (45 ans)
