McCrory, Romanuk among 2018 Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Come this May, the ranks of the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame will grow for the 33rd time.
The newest members include track athlete and coach Kevin Dillon, former Oshawa General Scott McCrory, NHL alumni Rob Pearson, sportscaster and writer Paul Romanuk, and Paul Theriault, former coach of the Generals.
Dillon, a 1978 graduate of Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School, captured gold medals and set records in numerous track events as a high school student, and also while attending Villanova University. He followed up his successful athletic career as a business and physical education teacher at his alma mater high school from 1986 to 2015. There he mentored and coached numerous local athletes, including Matt Hughes, who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in steeplechase. He also convened and directed the Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics track and field championships for 16 years.
McCrory, who played for the Generals between 1984 and 1987, is considered by many as one of the greatest players in franchise history. In the 1986-87 season alone, he was the league’s top scorer, most outstanding player and most sportsmanlike player. He still holds the team’s single-season records of 99 assists and is tied with Tony Tanti for the most points with 150. After being drafted by the Washington Capitals, McCrory played for 14 years professionally. Since returning to Oshawa, he has coached several local rep teams and served as the chairman of the Ontario Junior Hockey League since 2011.
A multi-sport athlete growing up in Oshawa, Pearson excelled most of all in hockey, winning numerous awards from peewee to bantam. After beginning his OHL career with the Belleville Bulls, Pearson was traded to the Generals in 1990 and racked up 57 goals and 109 points in just 41 games. In 1990, he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and would go on to play 269 NHL games with Toronto, Washington and St. Louis, scoring 56 goals and 54 assists. Since retirement, he has coached in minor hockey and with the UOIT Ridgebacks.
A graduate of G.L. Roberts CVI, Romanuk began his broadcasting career with the Oshawa Generals between 1982 and 1987, before moving to Canada’s first all-sports television network, TSN, as a reporter, commentator, and play-by-play announcer. There, he became the voice of Canada’s junior and international hockey between 1990 and 2001. Since leaving TSN, he has broadcasted at six Olympic Games, and written more than 25 children’s sports books. Joining Rogers Sportsnet in 2014, he serves as the play-by-play commentator for national and regional NHL coverage.
Paul Theriault began his OHL coaching career in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie before taking over in Oshawa before the 1978-79 season. Over the course of his nine seasons with the Generals, the team never finished below .500, amassing a 350-234-22 record. Under Theriault, the Generals reached the Memorial Cup finals in 1983 and 1987, both in a losing effort. Later, Theriault would coach in Italy and serve as an assistant coach for the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres before returning to the OHL between 1998 and 2001 with Sault Ste. Marie and the Erie Otters.
The five new members will be inducted during the 33rd annual Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame ceremony on Wed., May 30 at the Tribute Communities Centre.