Inducted April 5, 2008
Edgar “Eggie” Billard exemplifies the true meaning of sportsmanship which is expressed through his dedication and a keen and avid love for sports. He was a role model to many who watched him play or who had contact with him off the ice. Billard was involved with hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador for 16 years. During that period, he was a household name to all those who were familiar with the game. Eggie Billard’s goaltending career began in high school and from there he moved on to the local junior and senior leagues and the provincial senior hockey league. Subsequent to his local career, he played with the Cee Bees in the World Old Timers Tournaments in Denmark and Florida. Billard began his hockey career with the Model High School Team that competed in the St. John’s High School Hockey League. He then played for three years with the Guards team in the local junior hockey league while at the same time playing provincially for the St. John’s Junior Capitals. The Guards won the junior hockey championship in 1958 and Billard won the Geoff Carnell Memorial Trophy as the top goaltender in the league. The St. John’s Junior Capitals won the Veitch Memorial Championship in 1959/60. Billard played for ten years in total with the Guards in the St. John’s Senior League and provincially with the St. John’s Senior Capitals. The Guards captured four Boyle Trophy Championships while the St. John’s Capitals won a Herder Memorial Championship. Billard won the Art Hamlyn Trophy for best goaltender five years in succession with the Guards and the top goaltender award twice provincially as a member of the St. John’s Capitals. In 1962, he was the first winner of the Jack Vinnicombe Memorial Trophy for MVP in the senior league. He was named MVP of the St. John’s Capitals in 1969/70. Billard had success as well on the national and international scene. In 1962, he was offered a tryout and a position with the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League. While playing goal with the Cee Bees in Division “A” of the World Old-timer’s League, the team captured two gold medals in Copenhagen, Denmark (1978) and Tampa, Florida (1979). In addition to hockey, Billard was a member of a championship baseball team in the St. John’s Pony League, played soccer with the Junior Guards, which won a championship in the St. John’s League, rowed for two years in the Royal St. John’s Regatta, and played softball in the St. John’s Senior Softball League. Billard was nominated for St. John’s Athlete of the Year in 1963 and again in 1971.