H

ow can you even describe the legendary Les Lilley? (who was born in Kimberley BC on March 10th, 1933.) Playing minor hockey at the old rink, and on the numerous outdoor rinks in town with his best friend Billy "Tick" Beattie, Les went to Notre Dame College in Wilcox Sask, playing hockey and baseball (what a ball player) for Father Athol Murray.

As a teenager, Les Lilley led the Saskatchewan Senior League in scoring for the Notre Dame Hounds.

Hello Montreal Junior Canadiens

The famed Montreal Hockey Club came scouting young Lilley and signed him to play for their Junior A team. Les was doing well in Montreal playing on their second line, and all was good until Lilley broke his leg in the Montreal Forum one night, and in the sometimes cold cruel world of hockey, Les was released from Montreal.

With a healed up leg, Les Lilley went to training camp in the fall of 1953 with his home town Kimberley Dynamiters. Les was a superb right winger that season, getting Rookie Of The Year in the W.I.H.L with 39 goals and capturing the league Scoring Championship to boot.

Some of the guys opted to go to Britain to play pro hockey in 54, and Les joined up with Harringay Racers of London for the 1954-55 season. The Vancouver Canucks came calling waving a contract , so Les skated with the Canucks for the 55 -56 season where he notched 25 goals and added 21 assists in the tough Western Hockey League.

Today's hockey is mostly about size and back in the day, Mr. Les Lilley certainly had that in spades, 6 feet 2 inches, and about 180 pounds. Son of Tick Beattie- Scott had a fabulous hockey career in US College Hockey and then Pro in Europe for 12 seasons, which included the Olympics for Italy ( thank you Momma Rose). Beattie also played World Championships where he was far and away Italy's best player.

But with all due respect to Scott Beattie, for my money Les Lilley was the best hockey player to come out of Kimberley BC. Call me "Old School" but when you check out what the Great Les Lilley did in his career its pretty astounding to say the least. I would like you to see what Lilley accomplished in his hockey career and the only way to do that is to list his Teams and Scoring statistics. 1954- Harringay London Racers Great Britain-70 goals , 63 assists (133 Points ) 1953-54 Kimberley Dynamiters WIHL 39 Goals. Won WIHL Scoring, as a Rookie, 1955 Vancouver Canucks W.H.L. 24 goals, 21 assists. 1956 Brandon Regals 27 Goals 31 assists, 1957 Buffalo Bisons 8 goals (injured most of year) 1958-59 Vancouver Canucks 25 goals, 27 assists, 1959 Spokane Comets- 10 goals, (played rest of season for Dynamiters.) 1960-61 Greensboro Generals E.H.L. 52 goals 59 assists, 1961 Greensboro Generals 51 Goals 54 assists, 1962-63 Long Island Ducks EHL 53 Gaols 33 assists.

Les Lilley came back to Kimberley for the 1964 - 65 season and played on the Nitro line with Ken McTeer and Walter Peacosh. Les greatly enjoyed playing for Coach Bill " Grizzly" Jones the season he came back from the pros. Lilley scored over 55 goals that season, and then retired from playing hockey with upwards of 350 goals notched in the pros.

There is an old saying in hockey "You cannot score if you are in the penalty box". ( Les averaged only 4 penalty minutes per season during his illustrious career).

Sir Lancelot had his Mighty Sword, Robin Hood had his magical Bow and Arrow, in modern times Luke SkyWalker had his "Light Sabre" and then there was Les Lilley who had his very famous hockey stick that barely came up to his chest. The blade was sanded off in a very unique way, enabling Lilley to snap off his wrist shot with the speed of a biting rattlesnake. The puck usually was never off of the ice more than one inch, and would go in off of the inside of either goal post, or between the goalers pads. That hockey stick was the talk of the League,and fans too.

Les knew what worked for him out on the ice, scoring goals (lots of goals) and he did not change his shooting style in his entire life. Why? Because the pucks kept going in the net and the red light would go on, and on.

Hence the Dynamiter Dressing room nick name "Lights" Lilley was well deserved. The goalies in the W.I.H.L. were not chopped liver then either - Seth Martin Trail, Reno Zanier Trail, Don Holmes Rossland, Jerry Fodey Spokane, Jim Letcher Nelson, Dave Cox Spokane, Gus Adams Nelson Maple Leafs, all superb goalies in their own right, all blitzed by Les Lilleys wrist shot most of the time.

By the time you got set, Lilley was about one hundreth of a second ahead of you, and there goes the red light signalling goal. It was quite the thing to see Les Lilley score a goal at the Kimberley Civic Centre back in the day. As Seth Martin said recently " When you faced Les Lilley of Kimberley , you were in for a long evening in the nets."

PERSONAL BIO.

Les Lilley was the son of Ab Lilley the Cominco Gardens Head Gardener. Talk about a green thumb, Mr Lilley had 10 green fingers. (I knew Ab, what a very nice man) Ab Lilley really enjoyed watching his kid play Senior Baseball in Kimberley.

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Les excelled at baseball playing outfield with Cowboy McTeer on the Dynamos Even though Lilley was a big fella he was the best base stealer in Senior Ball. Figure that one out. He hit well and had a great glove to boot. Just an all round stellar athlete.

ON TO THE FAMILY

Les Lilley married is high school sweet heart Carol Cotnoir here in Kimberley. They have three grown up children, daughter Robin lives here in Kimberley and works at the Royal Bank in Kimberley BC. Robin and her husband Dave Toffolo are competitive curlers by the way. Dave has just been competing in the BC Provincial championships this week. He curls with the Tom Buchy team, and is the ice maker in Marysville, Kimberley Civic Centre and the Curling Rink. As a point of interest I was friends with his Uncle Gary Toffolo in Spokane when he played hockey for Gonzaga U in the 1960s with Alan Fabro who was their goalie.

By the way Robin is on the same high level in Ladies Curling in BC. as her husband Dave. Who is the best curler in the family? Well that is a tough call. Robin and Dave have two daughters Arissa, and Dagne who go to school in Kimberley. Les and Carol Lilley's eldest son Jay resides in Kimberley. He and Kelly have three children, Kimberley, Jocelyn, and Michael while Mark lives in Canmore, Alberta with his daughter Jordan (where Mark is involved with the golfing Industry). By the way young Mark only got to see his dad Les Lilley play in one hockey game and that was just before Christmas 1969 when Les suited up with his Nitro Line (McTeer and Peacosh) one final time. I skated in that contest myself, and I can tell you it was a thrill to be on the ice with those great players.

Les had not even been on the ice for at least twi years, after coaching the 1966 Dynamiters. (That 1966 season Walt Peacosh had 119 points, Kenny McTeer had 112 points and Dick Vincent their right winger who replaced a retired Les Lilley topped the century mark himself with 104. That adds up to a cool 325 points for the Nitro Line.

"Lights" Lilley certainly lived up to his name on Dec. 22nd. 1969 scorching UBC Goalie Rod Silver for six goals in all, and two helpers. You had to see it to believe it. We won 8- 6 behind the heroic goaltending of Danny Sullivan (our local barber) who came up huge for us allowing one goal on 35 shots (which left Danny Spring shaking his head)

To be off of the blades for that long and do what Les did that night is quite remarkable, but then again that was the essence of Les Lilley, when you say he was the very best hockey player to ever come out of Kimberley BC is saying something. I realize Jason Wiemer played in the NHL, and of course there was the terrrific Scott Beattie, but in my estimation Les Lilley was Numero Uno.

Away from the rink Les was a very kind, genuine, gentle sincere fellow, who never had a big opinion of himself. (What a great smile) I knew him fairly well back in the day and to sum up Les Lilley, I will use the words my dad Tony used for Les " A Prince" and so he was.(Pictures of Les Lilley kindly supplied by the Lilley children.) Les and Carol Lilley sadly have both passed on (Les on May 22nd. 2006.) He left us with many memories, both at the rink and on the baseball field.

A lasting memory I have of Les is how he would always look you in the eye when speaking with you, giving you his complete attention. Bill Steenson , who played with and for "Lights" told me once that Les Lilley was a class act. Well said Steener.