Allan Purvis
Encyclopedia
Allan Ruggles Purvis (January 9, 1929 – August 13, 2009) was a Canadian
ice hockey
player who played with the Edmonton Mercurys
, a team which represented Canada and won a gold medal at the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships
and also won a gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics
. He later became owner of Waterloo Ford, a local car dealership that had been the sponsor of his medal-winning hockey team.
Purvis was born in Trochu, Alberta
. He moved with his family to Calgary
and attended Western Canada High School
there.
He was invited to join the Edmonton Mercurys when he was 19 years old, having played junior hockey for the Calgary Buffaloes. The Mercurys were sponsored by Waterloo Mercury, a local car dealership whose owner hired some of the team's players to work for his firm. Purvis, a defenceman was the team's assistant captain. Though better known for his checking
skills, Purvis was a goal scorer.
The Mercurys won the Western Intermediate League championship and were selected to represent Canada at the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships held in London
, England
, where the Mercurys took the gold, winning all seven games they played in the tournament and outscoring their opponents by a margin of 88–5.
Two years later, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
selected the Mercurys from among seven teams that had applied to represent Canada at the 1952 Winter Olympics held in Oslo
, based on the strength of team's performance in the 1950 World Championships. Nine countries competed in Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics
, with each team playing each other once. The Canadians played fast, tough hockey and won their first seven games by a margin of 68–11. The final game for the team was against the United States, who had lost one game to Sweden, meaning that the Canadians would win the gold medal if they didn't lose their last game. After jumping out to a 2–0 lead, the Americans tied the score. Donald Gauf
scored to give the Canadians the lead, but the U.S. tied it again at 3–3 with minutes left in the game. A potential game winner for the U.S. ricocheted off the goal post and preserved the gold medal for Canada. Canada would not win another gold medal for another 50 years, when it won at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City.
Following the Olympic victory, Purvis went back to the dealership. He worked his way up the ladder in his 50 years at the firm, becoming sales manager and later the company's owner and chief executive. After Purvis retired in 2002, he was succeeded at the dealership by his son.
Purvis died at age 80 on August 13, 2009, at his home in the Vancouver
, British Columbia
area due to heart disease
. He had met his wife Jeanne while the two were in high school and they had two daughters and a son.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who played with the Edmonton Mercurys
Edmonton Mercurys
The Edmonton Mercurys were an intermediate senior-A ice hockey team that played in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1940s and 50s. Known as the Forgotten Team, the Mercurys won the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships in London, England, and the gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway —...
, a team which represented Canada and won a gold medal at the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships
1950 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 17th Ice Hockey World Championships and 28th European Hockey Championships were held from 13 to 22 March 1950 in London, England. In a format similar to the 1949 championships, in the initial round, the nine teams participating were divided into three groups with three teams each...
and also won a gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
. He later became owner of Waterloo Ford, a local car dealership that had been the sponsor of his medal-winning hockey team.
Purvis was born in Trochu, Alberta
Trochu, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Trochu according to its 2009 municipal census is 1,113.In 2006, Trochu had a population of 1,005 living in 450 dwellings, a 2.7% decrease from 2001...
. He moved with his family to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and attended Western Canada High School
Western Canada High School
Western Canada High School is a public senior high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has classes for grades 10 through 12. Western is located in the 17th Avenue business district of the Lower Mount Royal community, and is the most centrally located public high school in Calgary.-History:The...
there.
He was invited to join the Edmonton Mercurys when he was 19 years old, having played junior hockey for the Calgary Buffaloes. The Mercurys were sponsored by Waterloo Mercury, a local car dealership whose owner hired some of the team's players to work for his firm. Purvis, a defenceman was the team's assistant captain. Though better known for his checking
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
skills, Purvis was a goal scorer.
The Mercurys won the Western Intermediate League championship and were selected to represent Canada at the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships held in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where the Mercurys took the gold, winning all seven games they played in the tournament and outscoring their opponents by a margin of 88–5.
Two years later, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
selected the Mercurys from among seven teams that had applied to represent Canada at the 1952 Winter Olympics held in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, based on the strength of team's performance in the 1950 World Championships. Nine countries competed in Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics
The Ice hockey medalists at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. Games were mainly played at the Jordal Amfi Arena, as well as the stadiums at Dælenenga, Kadettangen, Marienlyst and Lillestrøm...
, with each team playing each other once. The Canadians played fast, tough hockey and won their first seven games by a margin of 68–11. The final game for the team was against the United States, who had lost one game to Sweden, meaning that the Canadians would win the gold medal if they didn't lose their last game. After jumping out to a 2–0 lead, the Americans tied the score. Donald Gauf
Donald Gauf
Donald Valentine Gauf is an Canadian ice hockey player. He won a gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics.-External links:*...
scored to give the Canadians the lead, but the U.S. tied it again at 3–3 with minutes left in the game. A potential game winner for the U.S. ricocheted off the goal post and preserved the gold medal for Canada. Canada would not win another gold medal for another 50 years, when it won at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City.
Following the Olympic victory, Purvis went back to the dealership. He worked his way up the ladder in his 50 years at the firm, becoming sales manager and later the company's owner and chief executive. After Purvis retired in 2002, he was succeeded at the dealership by his son.
Purvis died at age 80 on August 13, 2009, at his home in the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
area due to heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
. He had met his wife Jeanne while the two were in high school and they had two daughters and a son.