This team won an unprecedented six, back to back, senior men's B.C. Championships. The amazing run began with the Cec Fletchers Senior Men's softball team winning in '54 and '55 under Manager Bob Burrows Senior. The Fletchers became the Gorge Hotel team in 1956, and the legendary Joe Bryant then managed the team as they went on to win four more BC Championships.

Under his leadership, the Gorge Hotel Men continued their winning ways year after year as they provided their many fans with thrilling victories over the Arrow Furniture team, the Chinese Students, Duncan Mayo Lumber, and United Services, among others.

The team enjoyed great stability over those years, and the roster included Ken Gunter, Jim Morrison, Corky Bryant, Ben Price, Bernie Clarkson, Ed Foychuck, Don Paulin, Jim Nelson, Chick Newman, Ab Wiebe, Gordy Jones, Verne Evans, Marc Cunningham, Fiori Goegan, Les Wilson, Barry Jackson, Stan Stewart and Archie Sluggett. Sports writer Jim Taylor wrote in the Daily Times that "Joe Bryant, the fiery coach, whose frequent and sometimes vigorous disagreements with umpires, players and fans, added interest to the league last season, is returning for his sixth year as coach and his 20th in softball. He will have quite an array of talent from which to choose." Ironically, one of Joe's best friends, Gordie Perkins, was a professional baseball umpire.

The media of the day often noted that the team's pitching was their main strength. They had four of the best in the Province and it was Ed Foychuck, Barrie Jackson, Dave Prior and Ab Wiebe who provided the fire power. Wiebe was interesting for his unorthodox semi-overhand style, and he was tossed in the first inning of an important game as the umpires ruled his delivery illegal. Foychuck, who had joined the team in 1954 as their ace, came in to the game and the team won. Foychuk and Jackson could pitch three games in a day with little difficulty. Their athletic strength and endurance combined with their gift for pitching made them two of the most formidable pitchers that an opposing batter had to face. Ed Foychuk is often remembered as the well-dressed member of the team. Les Wilson, the excellent catcher, was also a leader as a jovial character on and off the field. Gordy Jones, the outstanding athlete, rounded out a tough line-up that was a serious hitting challenge for any pitcher.

Joe Politano, co-owner of the Gorge Hotel and co-sponsor of the team, was also the team's number one fan. He made sure there was always a place to celebrate team victories with a burger and a beer.

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Joe Iannarelli was in Victoria in January 1961 as he entertained a pair of job offers. One was in Newfoundland and the other in Esquimalt. He remembers calling his wife long distance from Victoria saying, "I'm at the Empress Hotel. The grass is green, the sun is shining. Which job should I take?" It was a no-brainer and Joe started his amazing run as the Manager of the Esquimalt Municipal Sports Centre in a career that had an impact on thousands of youngsters in Greater Victoria.

Joe came to the local sporting world after many years as a nomadic hockey player. He started the game as a youngster, taking turns sharing a pair of second-hand skates with his two brothers. Joe soon developed into a fine skater, known for his passing ability and his playmaking skill. At 18, he was invited to a tryout and he wound up with a junior team in Kitchener, where one of his teammates was a local boy by the name of Howie Meeker. For the next 20 seasons, he played for teams in Canada and the US and in 1946 he got close to the National Hockey League through an invitation to the Detroit Red Wings' training camp. One of the other prospects was a kid from Saskatchewan named Gordie Howe.

The next few years saw Joe combining his hockey career with management and coaching positions with a number of organizations back east before getting the plum job in Esquimalt. He would spend the following two decades as manager of the Municipal Sports Centre. Joe was so much more than a "sit at the desk" administrator, and his dynamic, hands-on approach created a rich environment for the parents and kids of his community.

During his tenure, Joe organized and directed the first Hockey Summer School on Vancouver Island and he grew the School from 20 to over 600 players. Notably, two of his young skaters, Rick LaPointe and Ron Grahame went on to successful NHL careers. Joe was also instrumental in creating a hockey league with teams from the army, navy and university, as well as a team sponsored by an auto dealer called the Pontiac Chiefs.

A newspaper article published just a few years after the opening of the Sports Centre extolled the accomplishments that Joe had initiated. The families of Esquimalt now had a place of common interest where mom and dad could curl, junior could play hockey, and his sister could go to a skating party. Tiny tots skating drew more than 700 parents and kids, and figure skating and curlinggrew in popularity.

There was so much more happening in the building. Joe oversaw fall fairs by the Victoria Kinsmen Club, Jaycees teenage driving rodeos, dog and cat shows, roller skating, a world championship badminton tournament, and teen dances in the summer, among thousands of other events.

Joe's tremendous efforts over the decades have left his mark in the development of so many sports including hockey, curling, figure skating, broomball and golf, and his positive impact on so many thousands of youngsters is impossible to calculate.

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