He’s the only player to have played on seven Jr. A Minto Cup winning teams: a record that may never be broken.
Huntsville’s Don Stinson accomplished that playing for Jim Bishop’s Oshawa Green Gaels from 1963 to 1969. He also played for Bishop’s Detroit Olympics of the professional National Lacrosse League and Sr. A lacrosse with Huntsville and Windsor in 1970 and 1972.
In his first year with the Green Gaels, Stinson scored 31 goals as a 14-year old rookie. He went on to score 144 goals and 291 points during his career.
He also coached the 1970 Huntsville peewee team to the National title without losing a game.
His success will be recognized in November when Stinson will be officially inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in New Westminster B.C. He will join six other players who are on the 2016 list of inductees.
Stinson died suddenly July 16, 2007 when he was only 59. His wife Sharon says there was never a cause of death given. He was driving on Centre Street in Huntsville, talking with a friend, when his heart stopped beating. “They said he was the healthiest man that they had ever done an autopsy on,” she recalled. “His heart just stopped. No cause was ever recorded.”
“Don loved sports,” she continued. “Besides lacrosse, he enjoyed hockey, baseball, fishing and snowmobiling. As well as playing he also found time to coach and referee.
“Don enjoyed meeting people. From his days owning a shoe store and joking with customers to later in life being the trail boss for the Du Ya Wanna snowmobile club, he always made it fun.
“Don was very proud of his two children Sorrelle and Josh and would brag about their accomplishments to anyone who would listen.
“Don would have been very proud to know he was being inducted into the Canadian lacrosse Hall of Fame.”
Those he played with over the years hold a great deal of respect for his attitude and approach to the game.
Neil Armstrong said, “Don was only 14 when he joined the Gaels but was playing against 21-year olds. When challenged, he never backed down and was a force to be reckoned with.”
Joe Krasnaj agreed. “Don hit a practice as hard as he hit a game. Nobody wanted to practice against Don. He practiced like he played, 100 per cent. He was a great “draw man”. One night in an overtime game in B.C. when Don won the draw, he ragged the ball for the next three minutes while taking a beating. He never gave up.”
Ross Jones said, “Don played for Jim Bishop for 13 years which included his minor lacrosse in Huntsville. This alone made him special. I remember in 1963 when Don was 14, the Gaels lost their first game of the season. Don had tears running down his face. When asked what was wrong, he said it was the first game he had ever lost. He had played pee wee, bantam, and midget without a loss. He was a winner.”
One of my favourite memories was playing on a line with Don and Phil Clayton in the 1976 Minto Cup in New Westminster when in overtime I passed the ball to Donnie and he scored at the three minute mark. We ragged the ball for the next seven minutes until the final buzzer. That was before the 30-second clock came into the game. I’m glad I played with him and not against him. He did play with an edge. Teammate Brian Thompson
Don Stinson’s approach to the game will be honoured in November, not far from where he created those lasting memories in New Westminster.
His family will get to celebrate his many accomplishments and there will be more than one glass raised for the way he played the game.
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Was at Laurentian University with Don. Don was never one to even mention accomplishments in lacrosse. We only knew that he played junior A lacrosse with the Green Gaels. I was sorry to hear of his passing. | always considered Don a close friend.