90 James 'Tiny' Syme

James ‘Tiny’ Syme was born on 1st October 1926, Blairhall, Fife, Scotland he was an outstanding Scottish player in the Forties and Fifties with Dunfermline Vikings and Paisley Pirates of the Scottish National League.

He was a 23-year-old coalminer in 1950 when he and his younger brother 'Tuck' - who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year - became the heart and soul of the British national team that came fourth in the World Championships, behind only Canada, the USA and Switzerland.

Tiny – an ironic nickname, he was 6ft 2in – was unique in the game at that time as he was the only British born and trained player to be selected to the All-Star 'A' team in the six seasons of the Canadian-dominated British National League (1954-60). His selection came in 1955-56, when he was captain of Paisley.

Tiny first played at the comparatively advanced age of 19 for Dunfermline Royals who won the Scottish Junior League in 1945-46. With the encouragement of his coach, Keith Kewley, he soon made up for lost time, stepping up to the senior Vikings in early 1948.

Tiny emigrated to Canada in 1957, where he was good enough to play senior A in the Ontario Hockey Association with Strathroy Rockets and St Thomas under Kewley, his old coach.

A well-educated and intelligent man, which completely belied his rugged on-ice image, he had a senior management role with the Vicks chemical company in Toronto for a number of years.

He died at home in London, Ontario on 22nd August 1973, aged only 46.

Former GB captain Bill Crawford, who played alongside Tiny with the successful Paisley side of the mid-Fifties, recalled: “Tiny was a good egg, a helluva player, and a good captain. ‘He imparted so much knowledge to young players, he would have made a good coach."

Career Stats

Compiled with research,provided by David Gordon April 2006.