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Providence, RI (May 21, 2006): Stan Baluik, a standout center with the old Rhode Island Reds, will receive the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society’s “Tops Award” for 2006-07 at the organization’s sixth annual reunion at Goddard State Park in Warwick on August 6. The society presents the award annually to honor Zellio Toppazzini, Reds’ “Player of the Century,” and the team’s all-time leading scorer. Recipients are selected by the society based on outstanding contributions to the Rhode Island Reds hockey club and public service as a citizen to the broader community. Baluik served the Reds for five seasons, starting in 1959-60 when he was named the American Hockey League’s “Rookie of the Year.” For three seasons he also centered the team’s famous prolific “B-line” and consistently set up plays for his high scoring wingers, Jimmy Bartlett and Pierre Brilliant. With the Reds he played 359 regular season and playoff games, scored 130 goals and added 257 assists for 387 points, an average of 1.08 points per game. His career numbers with the Reds place him ninth in goals scored, fifth in assists and sixth in total points. Clearly one of the Reds’ top players at that time, Baluik surprised the club and took another path in the fall of 1964. As a youngster in Canada, he had fallen in love with the game of golf. He had competed in the Canadian Open at age 15 and turned professional at 19. So, at age of only 29 and earning only about $6,000 a year in hockey, Baluik accepted an offer to become head golf professional at the brand new Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln. He has been there ever since – 42 years. Baluik’s personal accomplishments as a golfer have been numerous. He was named RI Chapter Professional of the Year in 1995 and was honored as New England PGA Professional of the Year in 2005. More importantly, though, his work off the course has been an inspiration to young golfers throughout New England. Nearly a dozen of his assistants are now working as head golf pros, carrying forth his credo of work ethic and love of the game. He has also nurtured hundreds of young high school and college golfers. “The selection of Stan Baluik as this year’s ‘Tops Award’ winner is a hole-in-one for everybody,” said Buster Clegg, president of the R. I. Reds Heritage Society. “I’ve known Stan since 1959 and he is the real thing. He embraces every standard we have set as a worthy recipient of this honor.” Baluik and his wife Marge live in Lincoln and are parents of three grown children. Like their dad, all three are involved in golf. For further information call 401-247-2666 or e-mail UNH1959@aol.com. |
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