Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame Unveils 2024 Class

THe Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame unveils seven inductees

The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame has revealed seven inductees, Including women's hockey legend and Sportsnet analyst Jennifer Botterill and NHL alumni Ted Irvine. 

The full list includes Botterill - women's hockey player and analyst, Irvine - NHL player, Brita Hall - Special Olympics athlete, Russ Horbal - builder in sport medicine, Dr. Sandra Kirby - Olympian and researcher, 1999-2003 University of Manitoba Bisons Volleyball team, Randy Turner - sports writer. 

Inductees involved in the Manitoba hockey scene include:

Botterill is one of two headliners in this year's Hall of Fame class. Born in Ottawa and Raised in Winnipeg, Botterill played on the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team from 1998-2011. Through those 13 years she won three gold medals (2002, 2006, 2010). She also appeared in eight IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning five gold and three silver medals, and was named MVP twice.

While at Harvard University, Botterill holds the record for the most points in a NCAA hockey career for both men and women (319 points). Also holding the record of an 80-game point streak she is the lone two-time winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top female college hockey player in the USA. 

Botterill capped off her international career in perfect fashion by assisting Marie-Philip Poulin’s game-winning goal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Botterill is now a hockey analyst for major sports outlets and a motivational keynote speaker.

Known mostly for his time with the New York Rangers, Winnipeg’s Ted Irvine was a feisty NHL hockey player. After playing his junior career with the St. Boniface Canadiens and Winnipeg Braves, Irvine played his first NHL game for the Boston Bruins in 1963 before playing three seasons in the CPHL, then returning to the big leagues for a great 10-year career. 

Called the “Baby-Faced Assassin, Irvine put together a solid career with 154 goals, 331 points, and earned the nickname with 657 PIMs across 724 games.

Russ Horbal – Builder – Sport Medicine

Horbal’s passion for athletics reached all three major sports teams in Winnipeg. Working for the Goldeyes, Blue Bombers and Jets through his professional career, Horbal was a part of three Olympics and several Pan Am and University Games as part of Canada’s medical team. Horbal continues to practice today and teaches at the University of Manitoba. 

The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg.