61 Celebration Kick Off, 15th Birthday

Betty Ann Marino of the Trail Promotions Committee

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This spring is the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters winning the World Championship. It is an accomplishment that fans across the hockey world still talk about today. As a result of that lasting legacy, the City of Trail is planning a number of different ways to celebrate the anniversary. That will start with a presentation at the Trail Memorial Center before the BCHL game today at 6:30pm. Click here for more details. It is also a chance for you to meet and get autographs from members of that historic club. You can also get a free insert on the 1961 team from the Trail Historical Society with the purchase of a Smokies program today. The Smokies program even got into the act with a special collectors edition featuring articles from the Trail Times in 1961.

Join the Smokies Facebook page to be part of the virtual reunion. Hope to see you at the game tonight as we start the celebration and kick off the 16th season of the BCHL Smoke Eaters. By the way, that also makes today the 15th birthday of this version of the club. One year at a time the volunteers that run this club are proving what is possible with the hockey spirit in this community. I hope to see even more support from the fans this year to reward all that hard work from the volunteers, the coaching staff and the players. Happy Birthday Smokies!