Who's Who in Canadian Sport

Theresa Paltzat is the Smart Search librarian at the Edmonton Public
Library.

In the 4th edition of Ferguson’s classic reference work, there are
biographies for close to 5,000 athletes and sports figures. Dozens of
contributors have written about individuals from virtually every sport,
professional and amateur. Ferguson’s goal is to “recognize
Canada’s glorious sports heritage”; he has done this admirably by
including sports figures from all levels of fame. Of course, Gretzky and
Howe and Schmirler are included, but there are also lesser-known
Aboriginal athletes and those whose moments in the spotlight were short
and quickly forgotten by most Canadians.

The usefulness of the book does not end after the individual
biographies. There is a list of abbreviations for various sports and
associations, and a cross-reference index by sport. If you have a
particular interest in curling, you can check which curlers have been
included. The final section may be the most useful; it can provide quick
answers when arguments break out over who won the 1985 Brier or the 1979
Stanley Cups. A complete list of Grey Cup scores is included for the
avid CFL fan. The list of Canadian champions, award winners, and
medallists covers amateur and professional levels of hockey, football,
and curling. In addition, there are award winners for national amateur
awards and Canadian Olympic and Paralympics medallists.

Who’s Who in Canadian Sport is a great reference work for any
library.