Gonzaga Athletic Hall of Fame
When a decision was made at Gonzaga to emphasize hockey in the years near the end of the Great Depression and young western Canadians learned a way to obtain an education, Thompson was among the first to respond. Thompson, from Fieldings, Saskatchewan, played left wing on teams that dominated regional college opponents. Thompson, who graduated in 1941 after serving as student body president, starred on a team that humiliated the University of Minnesota in a game billed as the “national championship.” The Bulldogs of that era also competed in the Kootenay-American League against some of Canada’s best. Following World War II service, Thompson coached Colorado College from 1945 to 1955. His teams won 153 games, lost only 74, won two Western Intercollegiate League championships and appeared in five National Collegiate Tournaments. His 1950 team won the NCAA title, beating Boston University 13-4 in the final.
