Millionaires Flashback

By Kelly Sharp

 Al Manderson calling game at PG Coliseum

Want to know a little history of hockey in Quesnel just ask Al Manderson. He has been associated with the junior Quesnel Millionaires in one capacity or another for twenty years. Manderson was the radio play-by-play announcer in Quesnel who described the games of the junior B juggernaut from the Gold Pan City. The Quesnel Millonaires won the 1977, 1978 and 1979 provincial junior B hockey championships.

“That team had so much depth and they were all Quesnel kids,” Manderson said.

The success of the senior Quesnel Kangaroos in the 1980s can be attributed to many of the junior B Mills who had no desire to leave Quesnel.

“There was quite a combination of brothers on the Roos, the 3 Gassoff, 2 Marsh and 3 Festerling brothers,” Manderson said.

The Quesnel Kangaroos hoisted the Coy Cup, emblematic of the BC Senior AA hockey championship from 1982-1988, seven consecutive provincial titles.

“If we could ever get back to that winning tradition we would fill the house,” he said, noting the last place BCHL Millionaires must stay the course in building with a young team.

The 49 year-old Manderson , the Mills marketing director, values the many memories of watching highly skilled teenagers impact the BC Hockey League. Travis Zajac, Scott Gomez, Kris Chuko were names he quickly recalled when asked about players who impressed him in the BC Hockey League. The long-time play-by-play voice of the Millionaires admired the scoring touch of 15 year-old Gilbert Brule who skated for the Quesnel juniors. Brule possessed the natural ability to score goals even as an underager in the BCHL.

Microphone in hand, Al Manderson describes the Mills-Spruce Kings BC Hockey League game to the internet listeners. His love for the sport has not waned since watching the Quesnel kids rule BC junior B hockey in the late 1970’s.

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