Jack Steele

Jack Steele... married wife Myrna... he was nine years old when he moved from Victoria to Vancouver after the sudden death of his mother (Loyal Protestant Home)... he was a teenager when he started playing soccer... suffered from dementia...

represented Canada in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1957, of note the first-ever Canadian team to feature in the competition... represented Canada on the four-week tour to the Soviet Union and United Kingdom in 1960... made three international “A” appearances in 1957 with Canada Soccer's National Team… was part of the All Canada side selected to face touring side Lokomotiv Moscow in 1956... was part of British Columbia and Vancouver all-star teams selected to face international touring teams from 1956 to 1961...

with Vancouver Hale-Co FC, a Canada Soccer Football Championship winner (Carling’s Red Cap Trophy and Challenge Trophy in 1956)... a three-time Pacific Coast League winner (1958, 1959-60, 1964-65)... a six-time all-star selection over six successive seasons from 1956 to 1961 (including All Canada selections in 1956, 1957 and 1960)...

wrote the Vancouver Sun in 1956, “although classed a better than average left fullback two years ago, Jackie couldn’t feature himself displacing either Buster Cairns or Jackie Cowan on any all-star team. He did the next best thing: switch to the half line. Today, he’s rated on par with the best in the Coast League”... as noted in a 1956 all-star program, “one of the most improved players in the Pacific Coast League... has been outstanding”... as noted in a 1957 all-star program, “one of the standouts in the three-game exhibition series against Russian Lokomotivs last year: he played for BC, Alberta and Canadian all-stars”... as noted in a 1958 all-star game program, he was “an outstanding playmaker” and “one of the game’s top defensive halfbacks”...

said Jim Blundell in 2019, “he was a tough guy... He would go after you and he would get you. He wasn’t mean, but he was tough”...