The Halifax Mooseheads had a pregame ceremony to honour long-time Metro Centre/Scotiabank Centre timekeeper Ron Beard with a Lifetime Achievement Award last night.
Ron stepped away from the clock this season after a 42 year run.
He’s been there since the then Metro Centre opened on February 17th, 1978.
He has been the on the clock for the American Hockey League teams here in the 1970’s and 1980’s: the Nova Scotia Voyageurs and Nova Scotia Oilers as well as NHL games that came here.
And later the Halifax Citadels between 1988 to 1993 and most recently with the Halifax Mooseheads starting in 1994 including 1,148 Mooseheads games.
(Ron and Mooseheads President Brian Urquhart above.)
Ron has also worked the clock for many other teams including the Halifax Windjammers, Halifax Rainmen and Halifax Hurricanes, plus Atlantic University Sport events like basketball and lacrosse and has covered over 5000 sporting events over the years from Pee Wee to Beer League Hockey, he’s been there for 5,285 games and continues to work a few recreational games.
(Above: Ian and Ron.)
I was lucky to work with Ron from 1997 to now, we shared many laughs in the booth at ice level with our partner in crime Dave Hunt the Official Scorer pictured below.
(Still following the action in the booth at 87!)
(The boys in the box: Ian, Ron, new Timekeeper Francis Lefort and Dave Hunt.)
To cap it all off, the Halifax Mooseheads beat the Quebec Ramparts 2-1 in front of 7,295 fans in a shootout here in Moose Country! The Valley’s Cam Whynot scoring the winner in what was like a playoff game atmosphere with the top two teams in the QMJHL facing off.
A perfect script for Ron’s night.
Congratulations Ron and happy retirement!
-Ian (Halifax Mooseheads Public Address Announcer since 1997.)
Credits: Ian Robinson photos and @HFXMooseheads
