Jules Swick
Builder (2001)
Multiple Sports
Jules Swick played hockey, baseball and softball in Saskatoon before embarking on a 22-year career as a hockey referee and contributing to Saskatchewan golf significantly as an administrator and interprovincial team captain.
Jules was born in Wakaw on May 3, 1927, played minor hockey in Wakaw and Prince Albert before settling in Saskatoon. His first hockey experience in Saskatoon was with the Army and Navy Vets team. He also played with the Northern Distributors team in the Saskatoon Commercial League where his teammates included Glenn Richardson and Gerry Webster. After playing with the Saskatoon Wesleys, Jules went to the New York Rovers, then to the Troy, Ohio, Bruins where he was voted most valuable player, and later to the Indianapolis Chiefs.
In softball, he played on the Saskatoon Royals, who won the provincial title in 1952, as well as the Olympics, then coached Burnells and later was commissioner of the Saskatoon men's league.
In baseball, he played on Ralph Mabee's Saskatoon 55s where one of his teammates was Gordon Howe and he also had a turn with the Saskatoon Legion.
Jules started to referee in 1957, spent 22 years in the Western Canada Junior League, some years in the Western Senior League, and worked one Allan Cup senior final and one Memorial Cup junior final. He was referee-in-chief was in Saskatchewan leagues, conducted clinics on behalf of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, and as a director and president of the Saskatchewan Referees Association.
In the summer months, Jules was usually active in golf circles, running tournaments, coordinating the junior golf program for nine years and taking his turn as president of the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club and the Saskatchewan Golf Association.
In 1966, he was non-playing captain of Saskatchewan's men team at the Willingdon Cup finals, going to Victoria with a team, which included Keith Rever, Ed Ross Jr., Jim Scissons and Ray Marsh. In 1967, he was the captain of the Saskatchewan junior men's team, which went to Moncton, and one of the other players was Saskatoon Sports Hall of Famer Rick Folk. Later in his career, Jules became active with the Saskatoon Old Pros and he continued to play for many years.
** Deceased