The 2021 Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame Award recipients have been announced, and will be given posthumously to Carey (The Bear) Bock and Joseph Klukay, a news release issued by the City of Sault Ste. Marie states.
Bock has represented Sault Ste. Marie at the provincial championships for darts, and has represented Canada at the world championships in London, England. Bock is also skilled in 10-pin bowling, and has played for Saginaw State University at the NCAA level.
Joseph Klukay played for the Soo Greyhounds and Toronto Maple Leafs, achieving four Stanley Cup victories during his time with the Maple Leafs. Klukay is included in the list of the top 100 Toronto Maple Leafs players of all time, the release states.
Full text of the news release follows:
The Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Walk of Fame Award. This year’s award is given posthumously to Carey (The Bear) Bock, an outstanding athlete in the sport of darts and 10 pin bowling, and Joseph Klukay (The Duke of Padocah), professional hockey player and four time Stanley Cup and Allen Cup winner.
At the age of 15, Carey Bock represented Sault Ste. Marie at the provincial championship for darts in Ontario. After winning and earning the MVP award as a Junior participant, he headed to Calgary where he received the Canadian National Darts Championship. He later won the World Cup qualifier, representing Canada at the World Championships in London, England. As well as his interest in darts, he was a skilled 10- pin bowling athlete. In 1996, he won NCAA team championship in bowling representing Saginaw State University and in 2003, won TSN pins championship in Canada becoming the first bowler from Sault Ste. Marie to receive this recognition.
A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Joseph Klukay played for the Soo Greyhounds from 1941 to 1942. He then played for the Stratford Kroehlers from 1942 to 1943. During the Second World War, Joseph served in the Canadian Navy and continued to play hockey for the Toronto and Cornwall Detachments. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1942 to 1943, 1946 to 1952, and 1954 to 1956 (NHL), Toronto Navy from 1943 to 1944 (OHA-Sr.) and Cornwallis Navy from 1944 to 1945 (NSDHL). During the 1945 to 1946 hockey season, Joseph joined the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League.
During his time with the Maple Leafs, Joseph played an instrumental part in achieving four Stanley Cup victories. He also played in the NHL All-Star Games of 1947, 1948, and 1949, and won the Allan Cup before retiring in 1964. Klukay’s inclusion in the list of the top 100 Toronto Maple Leaf players of all time is a testament to his accomplishments on the ice that continue to be recognized by fans and insider experts today.
The Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame Award recognizes individuals who have achieved a provincial, national or international excellence in a competitive athletic endeavour or cultural, academic or humanitarian field. Nominees must have been born in Sault Ste. Marie or lived in the city or surrounding area during their lifetime.
The Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame is a joint project of the City of Sault Ste. Marie and the Downtown Association.