Breen inducted to Sport NL Hall of Fame

One-time Challenge Trophy winner John Breen will be inducted into the Sport Newfoundland Labrador Hall of Fame this April 2010. Mr. Breen will join softball players Bill Barron and Pat Kelly, curler Patricia Dyer, a hockey player Art Hamlyn at the Induction Gala next month.



The Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame is designed to “recognize, honour and pay tribute to all individuals, groups, associations, families or teams on the basis of playing ability, sportsmanship and character and who have achieved extra-ordinary distinction in any sport, whether that distinction be achieved in amateur and/or professional athletics.”



Mr. Breen won the 1988 Challenge Trophy with Holy Cross, the first Newfoundland Labrador team to win the senior men’s national championship. He served as team captain at that 1988 championship in Saskatoon, SK, a championship that concluded with a 1:0 victory over Edmonton Italo-Canadians in the final. Mr. Breen is one of six players from that 1988 championship team that has already been inducted to the Newfoundland Labrador Sports Hall of Fame, a group that includes brother Bill.



At the provincial level, Mr. Breen won four league Most Valuable Player awards and won 11 provincial championships between 1974 and 1992. Alongside his soccer career, Mr. Breen also played hockey for 15 years and won two provincial championships.