The Review’s own Sports Authority is now the very deserving owner of a piece of National Hockey League (NHL) and Canadian History.
Kerry Mullin recently presented Mackenzie “Mac” Hinton with a silver platter that formerly belonged to the late Fleming Mackell. The silver platter was presented to Mackell when he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs when they won the Stanley Cup in 1949.
Mackell was born in Montréal on April 30, 1929. The hockey forward began his career with the St. Michael’s Majors in Toronto before becoming a member of the Leafs in 1948. After Stanley Cup wins with Toronto in 1949 and 1951, Mackell was signed by the Boston Bruins where he remained until retirement from NHL play in 1960. Many years later, Mackell lived in Hawkesbury, where he died on October 19, 2015, at age 86. Fleming Mackell’s father Jack had also played for the original Ottawa Senators for two seasons from 1919 to 1921.
Mullin thought Hinton should have Mackell’s platter because of his love for hockey. Hinton is the “Stats Man” who keeps all of the statistics for the Jr. “C” Vankleek Hill Cougars and his column about the Cougars appears twice monthly in The Review during the hockey season. Shoppers at the Vankleek Hill Foodland will also recognize Hinton as he works there bagging groceries.
Mullin obtained the platter through his friendship with the late Mackell. The now retired mail carrier got to know Mackell when he lived in Hawkesbury. When Mackell died, his family gave him the platter. Mullin also attended Mackell’s funeral in Montréal and delivered one of the readings at the ceremony.
“This has to be given to someone who merits it,” Mullin said.
“He’s so good with the sports and the figures,” he said of Hinton.
Humility is one word that describes Hinton’s personality.
“It’s pretty cool,” was his reaction to receiving the silver Stanley Cup platter originally awarded to Fleming Mackell.
Surprisingly, Hinton said he does not have a large collection of hockey memorabilia beyond pictures and posters.
