There are less than two months before the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation’s second annual Wall of Honour induction dinner. . . . It’s all scheduled for July 29 in Okotoks, Alta., with tickets available at tickets.hockeyscoutsfoundation.com. . . . On that evening, we will be honouring 29 past and present-day scouts, all in the presence of members of the Sutter family. In fact, the whole thing is being billed as A Night With the Sutters. . . . In the lead-up to July 29, we are introducing the Class of 2025, one at a time. So say hello to Jeep George, whose nickname came out of the Second World War. . . .
ALBERT E. (JEEP) GEORGE
(May 1, 1925 — June 1, 1985)
Born in North Battleford, Sask., he worked with the New York Rangers, NHL Central Scouting and Hartford Whalers. . . . Rangers hired him in September 1969 as Western Canadian director of scouting, filling spot created when Denis Ball was promoted to assistant GM. . . . Moved to Central Scouting in 1975, then was with Hartford from 1981-84. . . . With his brother William (Moe), George founded Battlefords’ first junior hockey program, the Beaver Bruins, in 1954. . . . Was a prolific scorer in intermediate and senior ranks with the North Battleford Beavers in the late-1940s and into the ’50s. . . . Inducted into the SJHL Hall of Fame in 2024, along with his son, David, and David’s son, Michael. . . . Was working in Thunder Bay during Second World War, picking up cockpit parts and installing them. When doing the pickups, he always drove a Jeep, thus the nickname.
TAKING NOTE 