Sports Hall of Fame

Wezer Bridle
Submitted by Mary Gigliotti

Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame 1988 Inductee as a Builder

Wezer Bridle didn’t just “participate” in the sport of volleyball.  Dare it be said that Wezer Bridle has been, and still is, to the sport of volleyball in Manitoba what the puck is to hockey.  Wezer has done it all…from playing and coaching, to officiating and being an administrator.

The 62-year -old Winnipeg native is credited with forming the Manitoba Volleyball Association, long before the Manitoba Sports Federation was a gleam in Guy Simonis’ eyes.  Wezer was the MVA’s first president, running it from his kitchen table at times and involving the resources of his entire family in the process.  Today’s MVA constitution and organization are based and operated on ideas from those humble beginnings some 30 years ago.

Wezer also worked tirelessly, and many times without appropriate recognition, to promote and influence a positive growth and image of volleyball to the youth of Manitoba and throughout Canada, realizing the future of the sport lay in the development of junior athletes.  It was in this wish to get kids to think of volleyball as more than just a school sport or a recreational game for the sands of Grand Beach that got it going.

In the late 1950’s Wezer took the best kids from the high school program and created the Central Y Kids.  He promoted and coached them, eventually to Manitoba’s first Junior National Championship in 1965.  The Central Y Kids allowed Wezer to eventually form Manitoba’s present day Age Class Development System. Wezer also coached at the University of Winnipeg, winning the first CIAU title ever in 1968…his first year at the helm.  Among his players that year was Dennis Nord, an original Kid, who went on to succeed Wezer as U of W coach and eventually move on to head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team. And, if that isn’t enough, Wezer has been recognized as one to Manitoba’s and Canada’s top volleyball officials over the past 20 years, taking part in the CIAU national Championships, Canadian National Championships, the 1967 Pan-Am games, the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the NORCECA Championships.

One of his strengths as an official has always been for his knowledge of national and international volleyball etiquette.  Wezer was also instrumental in helping form the Manitoba Volleyball Officials Association.

(From Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame Booklet)

Eddie “Spider” Mazur – 1929 – 1996 – Great southpaw hurler who excelled with Rosedales juveniles and juniors, St. Boniface Native Sons, Fort Whyte, and in Tribune All Star Games, played with Dauphin Redbirds (1950) in the Northern League (Neepawa, Roblin, Grandview, Gilbert Plains). Member of Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, and Hockey Hall of Fame.

Eddie Mazur was a versatile player who spent parts of six seasons in the NHL during the 1950s. He was a fine puck handler who could function effectively at left-wing as well as defence.

The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba played junior with the local Monarchs before turning pro with the USHL’s Dallas Texans in 1948-49. He then spent most of the next four seasons in the minors but was called up three times to help the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs. Mazur gained plenty of big game experience while helping the Habs reach the finals twice and claim the Stanley Cup in 1953. During the early ’50s he attained his greatest individual success in the PCHL with the Victoria Cougars where he was selected to the second all-star team twice.

The hard-working forward was a regular in 1953-54 playing on a line with Jean Beliveau and Bernie Geoffrion. He played eleven post-season games when Montreal lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Detroit Red Wings. The next year, Mazur split his playing time between the NHL and the Montreal Royals of the Quebec League. After scoring 34 goals for the WHL’s Winnipeg Warriors in 1955-56, he was acquired by the Chicago Black Hawks.

Mazur played 15 games for the Hawks in 1956-57 before spending eight years in the minors. During the late ’50s he was a top scorer for the AHL’s Rochester Americans and was a two-time selection to the league’s second all-star team. He spent the 1964-65 season with the WHL’s Victoria Maple Leafs and played a year of senior hockey with the Grand Forks Flyers before retiring.

His boys still play in the annual Riverview 4 on 4 hockey tournament which is named after Eddie Mazur.