Sports star dies after accident

Jul 18, 2007

A Huntsville sports legend has died.

Donald Stinson, 59, was pronounced dead at Huntsville District Memorial Hospital after the vehicle he was driving suddenly crossed Centre Street and struck a cedar hedge on Caroline Street Monday at 7:40 p.m., according to Huntsville OPP.

Stinson was a two-sport star, excelling at both hockey and lacrosse. The Huntsville native played on 13 straight Ontario championship teams – six from novice through peewee in Huntsville and then seven with the Oshawa Green Gaels.

From age 13 through 21, Stinson was the only man to play on all seven of Oshawa’s Minto Cup championship squads.

He played with the Huntsville senior Hawks and coached in the Huntsville minor system, including a 1971 Canadian peewee championship.

Stinson was also an outstanding hockey goaltender and after a highly successful minor career in Huntsville went on to play part of a season with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) London Knights in 1965. After retiring as a player, he became a top OHL referee and for many years has been an Ontario Minor Hockey Association supervisor of officials in the Muskoka and Parry Sound area. A post mortem was conducted yesterday. Police are still investigating the matter.