The Dalhousie Tigers - Dalhousie University

Throughout his impressive 35-year sports medicine career, Dr. Bill Stanish has been awarded many honours. With his induction to the Dalhousie University Sports Hall of Fame, this time it is not the doctor we are looking to honour, but the student-athlete and young man who was the base for all that was to come. This fiery athlete who developed on the campus, the gridiron and the ice, as a Dalhousie Tiger, is just as impressive as the prominent orthopedic surgeon who stands before you today.

Arriving in Halifax in 1963, Bill earned a spot on the varsity football team as a halfback. He played an important role in that squads’ first game, a season opening win, scoring a second half touchdown that ended an 18-game losing that streak dated back to 1960. This earned him a mention in the Gazette following the game, a notable feat for a rookie.

Over the next four seasons on the field Bill offered many special performances for Tiger fans. A backfield player, Bill was always a leader, often involved in orchestrating the few bright spots the football team enjoyed during those times. With few regulations around athlete “support”, the Tigers of the day were not competing on a level field with many of their opponents. Despite the disparity, the team always worked hard and with Bill as a captain in his last three years, and team MVP in 1964, there were some truly memorable moments. Included in these are playing as quarterback in the “Mud Bowl’ of 1964 where they narrowly lost to powerhouse UNB, and three touchdowns versus St. Dunstans in 1964 as a running back. Perhaps most notable was the five touchdown performance against Acadia in 1965 that earned him CIAU Athlete of the Week honours.

Bill Stanish seemed to shine for first impressions and fresh starts. Under new football coaches in the season opener of his final year versus the Dartmouth Vikings, a 62-0 romp, it was truly the Bill Stanish show as he earned five touchdowns and tossed a two point conversion. The October 6, 1966 Gazette heralded the teams’ performance with special mention of Bill Stanish and his “dynamic leadership and exciting ability”. Bill’s football career had an unfortunate ending in 1966 when a shoulder separation in his final football game, a controversial tie with Acadia, kept him out most of the second half. But in classic Stanish fashion he refused to leave the field and like a true leader stayed with the team until the end.

A two-sport athlete, at the conclusion of the football season each year, Bill would lace up the blades and patrol the ice for the Tigers during the winter months. Bill’s first game with the hockey team, similarly to his first with the football team, was also a win, a 4-3 decision over SMU in which he again displayed his talents, earning an assist and scoring a goal. Most hockey game reports of the day also had mention of Bill Stanish, scoring, assisting on goals, or being a bright spot for the Tigers. Always among the team leaders in scoring, Bill was as tenacious as they came. The fiery and competitive nature that drove Bill to score goals also led him to the top of the league’s leader board for penalty minutes. His ability to distract and compete with such hard-nosed intensity once earned him an escort from the ice to the dressing room in a match up against Acadia.

The venue was different, but Bill’s leadership abilities were still prominent. He was captain of the hockey team for three seasons, and was the first to captain both the football and hockey teams in the same season in 1965, duties he would again carry out in 1966.

As an inspiring team leader, it is no surprise that Bill received individual recognition. Twice he was selected as the top male athlete at Dalhousie, receiving the Climo Award in 1964-65 and again 1966-67, which was the first time there was a repeat award winner. In recognition of his achievements Bill was also recognized as Dalhousie’s Most Inspirational Athlete in 1967, a citation that merited a special page in the Pharos that year.

Having delved into the past, it is easy to see where the Bill Stanish of today developed out of Bill Stanish, the varsity athlete. His desire to be the best and to work hard to bounce back after adversity are attitudes and skills that were honed as a Dalhousie Tiger. When asked how much of his sporting experiences meant in laying the foundation for what was to come, he responded with a single word answer, “Everything!” A true Dalhousian, Bill can still be seen attending university competitions and is passionate about the student-athletes of today, who he sees as the leaders of tomorrow.