THE list of gifted hockey players from the Thunder Bay is lengthy and boasts a plethora of talent.
One of the early local standouts that made his mark in the game was the late James (Bud) Jarvis.
Making his presence known as a 19-year-old forward, his skills earned him a place on roster of the Port Arthur Seniors side of 1927-28.
A year later, he was back with the club, who were dubbed the Ports, on a team with just one goaltender and 10 skaters, which featured smaller rosters that were the norm back in the day.
That 1928-29 campaign saw Jarvis and his teammates achieve great success.
The Ports began with a two-game series triumph over rival Fort William to claim the local crown before going on to sweep the defending Allan Cup-champion Manitoba Varsity to win the inter-provincial title.
From there, the senior side continued their winning ways by taking two straight against the Regina Vics.
Meeting the Trail Smoke Eaters from B.C., in the western final, their opponents won 6-1 in the opener, but the game was thrown out after it was ruled Trail had dressed an ineligible player.
Facing a one-game, winner-take-all, showdown for western supremacy, Port Arthur was all business as they went on to douse the Smoke Eaters by an impressive 6-0 count.
Taking on a squad from Montreal in the nationals, Jarvis and the Ports tied the opener 1-1 before winning 7-2 and 3-0 to give the locals their third Canadian senior championship in five years.
In the seven outings he played on the Allan Cup trail he produced at over a point-per-pace with eight, on four goals and as many assists.
The efforts of Jarvis caught the attention of professional clubs and the NHL’s version of the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him for the 1929-30 season.
A year later the Steel City-side moved across Pennsylvania and Jarvis became part of the Philadelphia Quakers.
Over his run of 15 pro seasons, the diminutive and speedy winger went on to win multiple titles.
He was on the Buffalo Bisons contingent that collected the International Hockey League trophy in 1932-33.
From there, Jarvis earned back-to-back American Hockey League Calder Cup crowns, starting with the Syracuse Stars in 1936-37, the first year the trophy was awarded.
The following season, he joined the Providence Reds and once again garnered hardware, helping lead his latest team to victory.
Playing nearly 500 games and registering close to 200 points in the pro ranks, including NHL 112 NHL contests with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jarvis wrapped up his playing career in 1943-44 with the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
Later turning to coaching, he guided the Fort Frances Canadians, where in 1951 his charges won the Western Canadian championship.
His side began by putting the broom to the Letellier Maple Leafs of Manitoba in a minimum three games.
They then needed just five match-ups to drop the Nanaimo Clippers from B.C., in a best-of-seven affair.
Heading to the 1951 Allan Cup final, Jarvis’ side met the Owen Sound Mercuries in a well-played affair that needed the full seven games to determine a winner.
In the end though, Fort Frances fell just short, falling 3-1 in the finale.
The Canadians did however learn from that experience by going on to win the 1952 Allan Cup, although Jarvis was not the coach.
From a player to serving behind the bench, Bud Jarvis remains one of the many talented individuals from the Lakehead that has done the city proud in the storied tenure of the game locally, all these many years.
He was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.