Sam Stevenson devoted more than half a century to the game of ice hockey and can justifiably be called the Grand Old Man of British, and especially Scottish ice hockey.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland on 20th July 1903, Samuel Barrie Stevenson played as a centreman in the thirties being associated with the leading clubs of the day – Kelvingrove, Dennistoun Eagles and the Glasgow Mohawks from as early as 1929. His played his final game for the Glasgow Lions of the Scottish League in 1938 and then went onto play an active role as manager/coach of the Glasgow Dynamos, upto and including his 82nd year when with the Dynamos in the British League, his grandson Doug played under him.
A joiner by trade, during the Second World War he served in Lord Lovatt’s Scouts, the forerunners of the Commandos, and when peacetime came again, he returned to Crossmyloof to act as team manager to the Mustangs, an amateur team, and later as coach to the Mohawks.
Following a short spell in Paisley Sam, together with his good friend Ellis Firestone, returned to Glasgow in 1965 to form the Dynamos. Sam Stevenson may have had the title of team manager, but such was his enthusiasm for the sport, he would do anything from fund-raising to stick taping. During the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with Sam in charge, the Dynamos won the Icy Smith Cup, reached the Northern League playoffs and finished as runners up in the Autumn Cup.
All of his fifty-plus years involved in ice hockey were based in the now demolished Crossmyloof rink in Glasgow. After the huge rink closed, he moved with the team to the Summit Centre and continued to coach youngsters on Saturday mornings.
Stevenson was a good all-round sportsman in his own right, excelling at boxing, high diving and tennis.
His elder son Robert, before emigrating to Australia, was one of British ice hockey's top forwards, throughout the 1960s, with Paisley Mohawks and Glasgow Dynamos, and represented Great Britain in four World Championships between 1963 and 1971, captaining the side in his final tournament. Sam's younger son, Barrie, who passed away in July 2005, also had a long playing career with Dynamos.
A third Stevenson generation, in the form of Robert's sons Dougie and Allen, continued the family's hockey tradition. Dougie Stevenson represented Australia in the 1979 Pool 'C' World Championships in Barcelona and went on to play in the Heineken League of the mid-1980s with Glasgow Dynamos, Ayr Bruins and Dundee Rockets. Allen Stevenson played for Great Britain Under-19s at the 1983 European Junior Championships in Sarajevo.
Sam Stevenson died in Glasgow on August 4th 1995 at the age of 92 years.
Compiled with research, provided by Martin C.Harris and Nancy Chisholm – April 1996 and David Gordon 2005
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