The 1958 Kelowna Packers
(Team Category)
With tremendous community pride, the first team to be nominated and selected by the Sports Legacy Committee is the 1958 Kelowna Packers in the “Team” Category. During this dynamic year, this senior hockey team won the Western Canadian Championship and made it to the Allan Cup Finals placing runner up to the Belleville McFarlands. As a result of their great overall achievements that year, the Kelowna Packers were selected to bear Canada’s name in the International Hockey Exhibitions in Sweden and Russia in November 1958. They were the first Canadian team to play Canada’s national game in Russia.
During the Cold War, when no other hockey team had ever played in Russia- and Canada was being challenged as the premier hockey country- the Kelowna Packers were the first Canadian team to play behind the iron curtain in Russia and maintained hockey supremacy. With the late Jack O’Reilly as coach, the Packers won the tournament!
Congratulations to the 1958 Kelowna Packers, the first inductees into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame Museum.
