Chatham Sports Hall of Fame welcomes four in Class of 2026

Max Allin, Paul Allen, Jason Chickowski and the 1972-73 Chatham Jr. Maroons are the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame's latest honourees.

Article content Max Allin’s father, Dave, and grandfather, Doug, are in the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame as builders. He’ll soon join them in the shrine after being named to the Class of 2026 in the athlete-modern category. “My love for basketball started right here in Chatham,” Allin said.

“My dad was a basketball coach and the one who introduced me to the game and helped me fall in love with it at a young age. “Some of my earliest memories are of being in the gym at Indian Creek learning from him, developing a passion for basketball. I’m thankful for the foundation he gave me and the impact it had on my journey.”

Allin will be inducted with baseball player Paul Allen (athlete-legend), baseball executive Jason Chickowski (builder) and the 1972-73 Chatham Jr. Maroons (team) during the annual ceremony Thursday, Sept. 24, at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre. The four honourees were introduced during a reception Thursday at the Retro Suites. The Hall of Fame also presented its annual community sports volunteer recognition certificates to Brian Hall of the Kent Havoc, Aldo Gonzalez of the Chatham Tennis Club, Dee Meurkes and Dean Creechan of the Chatham-Kent Cougars, and Reg Johnson of the Chatham Granite Club.

MAX ALLIN Max Allin was a four-time OUA all-star during his five seasons at Laurier from 2009-14. The six-foot-four swingman graduated second on the Golden Hawks’ career scoring list and fifth all-time in the OUA with 1,745 points. He was also Laurier’s all-time leader in rebounds (799) and assists (434).

He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2020. Allin, an Ursuline graduate, was a second-team all-Canadian in 2012-13 after leading the country in scoring with 23.2 points per game. He averaged 17.6 points per game during two pro seasons in Australia’s Big V Division One with the Southern Peninsula Sharks.

After a three-year layoff, he played in 2019 for the University of Canterbury in New Zealand while attending teachers’ college, then retired to be an elementary school teacher. Allin paid tribute to his many coaches at the Hall of Fame reception. “Being recognized by your hometown is something really special,” he said.

“I truly appreciate everyone who played a part in making this happen.” PAUL ALLEN Paul Allen was a basketball and track star at Chatham Collegiate Institute before enrolling at the University of Windsor, where he was on the track and field team. He won three Ontario Baseball Association championships and five straight Western Counties titles with Chatham minor teams.

His teammates included legendary pitcher Fergie Jenkins. Allen played nine years in the Intercounty Baseball League: eight with the London Pontiacs and London Avcos, now known as the London Majors, from 1963-70 and one more with the Brantford Red Sox in 1972. The two-time IBL all-star was chosen one of the 30 best players in Majors history.

He also went to the 1997 Canada Summer Games as softball umpire. “Nobody gets into the Sports Hall of Fame in an individual category like this one . . . without riding on the shoulders of your teammates,” said Allen, a retired high school teacher.

“My teammates made me run faster, jump higher and don’t give up. When you’re down, they bring you along.” He thanked the Chatham recreation department and the local service clubs as well.

“I’m in this Hall of Fame because of Chatham, my coaches, my teachers and particularly my teammates,” he said. “I’m honoured to thank you so much.” JASON CHICKOWSKI Chickowski has spent more than two decades with the Chatham Minor Baseball Association as a coach and executive.

“Under his leadership as president for more than 15 years, Chatham Minor Baseball has experienced remarkable growth, expanded opportunities for young athletes and seen the development of one of the finest baseball facilities in Ontario,” Hall of Fame chairperson Tom Baker said. “Jason led nine major development projects at Rotary Park-Fergie Jenkins Field. His efforts helped pave the way for the arrival of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers and have left a lasting legacy that will benefit generations of players and fans.”

Chickowski, the Chatham-Kent police deputy chief, was the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce’s citizen of the year for 2007. He said it was “humbling” to join former CMBA president Casey Maynard and other alumni in the Hall of Fame. “As the current president of minor baseball, my role has always been to leave it in better shape than I found it,” he said.

“I hope that the things that I’ve done have made it a strong organization. . . . The people before me set the bar very high. I try to achieve their level every single day.”

1972-73 MAROONS The 1972-73 Maroons made history as the franchise’s first provincial junior champions. After winning the Southern Ontario Jr. A Hockey League, they beat the Wexford Raiders to claim the Buckland Cup as Ontario Hockey Association junior A champs.

Then, they lost to the Pembroke Lumber Kings in an Eastern Canadian semifinal series. The Maroons roster included future NHL players Ken Houston, Vern Stenlund and Randy MacGregor. “We had our share of ups and downs,” trainer Larry Keenan said.

“At one point in the mid-season, it even went sideways and nearly went off the tracks. Honest to God, it was not a happy moment for the team. But . . .

we came together as a stronger team.” They were blessed to have George Aitken and Elmer Skov behind the bench, Keenan said. “They weren’t just coaches,” he said.

“They were like second fathers. . . . They were two of the greatest men that ever were involved in junior hockey in the city of Chatham. And we were very fortunate to have strong ownership with Chuck Carson and his staff.”

The Maroons outlasted the Guelph Biltmores 9-7 in an eight-point SOJHL final. Their Game 8 win remains one of the most famous moments in Chatham sports history. The winner-take-all battle was played at Chatham Memorial Arena on a weekday afternoon, so schools and businesses closed early.

More than 3,000 fans packed the barn. “We had the best fans in junior hockey in all of Canada during that time,” Keenan said. Five players – Steve English, Rick Stickney, Rolly Middleton, Ken Lefaive and Ken Cobby – attended the Hall of Fame reception.

Middleton remembered his warm reception in Chatham after being traded by the Biltmores and then getting his revenge in the SOJHL final. “It was the best year of hockey I’ve ever had,” the goaltender said.