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Garry Allison

Bell Memorial — Inducted 1979

Born in Lethbridge on December 10, 1941, Garry Allison devoted more than four decades to promoting amateur sport and community athletics in southern Alberta through journalism, coaching, and volunteer leadership. His work as a writer and editor with the Lethbridge Herald made him one of the region’s strongest advocates for grassroots sport participation.

Allison’s reporting consistently highlighted amateur athletes, from young competitors beginning their careers to senior participants continuing their involvement in sport. His weekly Memorable Moments in Sports series celebrated achievements across a wide variety of amateur disciplines, reflecting his belief that sport belonged to the entire community.

In recognition of his outstanding coverage of high school athletics, Allison received the Canadian Federation of School Athletic Associations Media Award in 1977. His commitment to rodeo journalism was also recognized in 1974 when he received the Canadian Cutting Horse Association Trophy.

Known for his accuracy and dedication, Allison personally attended the events he covered, ensuring detailed and informed reporting. Throughout his career, he provided strong support for amateur athletes throughout southern Alberta.

After Induction

Allison worked for the Lethbridge Herald for more than forty-three years, beginning as a printer in 1957 before moving into the sports department full time in 1974. During his journalism career, he served as Sports Editor, City Editor, and District Editor.

He extensively covered amateur and professional rodeo, attending the first ten Canadian Finals Rodeos, numerous Calgary Stampedes, and events throughout the United States. From 1970 to 2001, he regularly reported on the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

A strong advocate for equality in sport coverage, Allison ensured women’s athletics received equal media attention alongside men’s sport. He also introduced a phone-in reporting system for high school scores and helped establish provincial rankings for high school basketball teams.

Following retirement in 2002, Allison continued writing as Outdoors Editor and author of the weekly historical feature The Way We Were. He published several books documenting regional history and sport, including 100 Years of History: The Lethbridge and District Exhibition (1999), The People of the Mines (2005), The Prairie Boys (2006), Reg Kesler: Cowboy, Sporting Legends of the South (2014), and Southern Hoofprints: A History of Horse Racing in Southern Alberta (2015).

Beyond journalism, Allison coached high school girls’ basketball for ten years and senior girls’ soccer for eight years, winning a city championship with his Coalhurst team. He later served as chairman of the Rocky Mountain Turf Club Chuckwagon Committee beginning in 2006.

He was honoured by the Kainai Nation and received the Blackfoot name “Eagle Wing” during a naming ceremony at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre in 1996. In 2000, he was recognized during National Aboriginal Day celebrations at Fort Whoop-Up.

Garry Allison passed away on January 20, 2019.

Awards and Honours

  • 1974 — Canadian Cutting Horse Association Trophy (Rodeo Coverage)
  • 1977 — Canadian Federation of School Athletic Associations Media Award
  • 1979 — Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Bell Memorial Inductee
  • 1996 — Blackfoot Name “Eagle Wing,” Kainai Nation
  • 2000 — Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 2003 — Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 2005 — Ducks Unlimited Canada — Lethbridge Chapter Hall of Fame

Professional Awards and Recognition

  • Canadian Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association — Jimmy Brown Award (Media Coverage)
  • Thomson Newspaper National and Regional Editorial Awards
  • Ducks Unlimited Canada Recognition Awards
  • Chinook Tourism Award
  • Lethbridge Fish and Game Association Award
  • Alberta Fish and Game Association Award
  • Trout Unlimited Canada — Lethbridge Chapter Recognition

Community Recognition

  • Honourary Whoop-Up Days Parade Marshal (2003)
  • Parent of the Year — Coalhurst High School (1984)
  • Member — Headdress Society of the Kainai Nation
  • Honoured at National Aboriginal Day — Fort Whoop-Up (2000)
  • Member — Royal Canadian Legion (General Stewart Branch)
  • Member — Lethbridge Historical Society
  • Member — Great Canadian Plains Railway Society