Jan. 22: CFL's first commisioner; St. James Civic Centre; Minto Armouries burn.

January 22, 1956 - The deal to establish a single Canadian Football League is finalized at a meeting at the Royal Alexandra Hotel on Main Street. Winnipegger G. Sydney Halter is chosen to be the league's first commissioner. (Read more about Halter in my Winnipeg Free Press article.)

January 22, 1948 - William Coates died. A butcher by trade, he created a chain of meat shops that operated in the city from 1903 - 1925.

January 22, 1956 - At around 5:30 a.m. a fire started in the Minto Armouries on St. Matthews Ave. The $600,000 blaze injured two fireman and killed Battalion Chief Andrew Hebenton.(Image: Jan 23, 1956, Winnipeg Tribune.)

January 22, 1966 - The arena portion of the St. James Civic Centre opened. The rest of the facility opened in stages through the year. (Image: Oct. 13, 1964, Winnipeg Free Press.)

January 22, 1986 - St. Elijah Romanian Greek Orthodox Church, R.M. of Shellmouth, near Inglis was designated a Provincial Heritage Site.

January 22, 2004 - Sybil Shack died. She was a writer, teacher and principal of a number of Winnipeg's largest schools. Check out her digitized fonds at the U of M Archives.

© 2012 and 2020, Christian Cassidy