Inducted April 27, 1974

Harold Kenneth Goodyear - Builder

Mention of the name of the town of Grand Falls immediately brings to mind two institutions, the Anglo Newfoundland Development Company (now Price Brothers Mill) and Ken Goodyear. Both are synonymous, have grown with the town and are very much an integral part of the life of that community.

Harold Kenneth Goodyear was born at Ladle Cove in Notre Dame Bay on January 23rd 1895. With the onset of construction of the new pulp and paper mill at Grand Falls in 1910 the Goodyear family took up residence in the town. Ken attended school in what was then a frontier town. There was very little in the way of facilities to provide an outlet for a young boy’s energies but Ken, a born leader did manage to improvise organizing his companions to participate in football and cricket matches.

During the early days of construction of the paper mill at Grand Falls many of the specialists brought in were also dedicated athletes and sports enthusiasts. Young Ken Goodyear was to involve himself as a participant in a wide range of sports introduced to the townspeople by the visitors. He became proficient as a baseballer, a footballer, a cricketer and as a specialist in field events notably those demanding feats of strength. As was inevitable anybody possessing so magnificent a physique as Ken would naturally try his skill at boxing. He did and with phenomenal success. He became heavyweight boxing champion of Newfoundland.

Ken had a distinguished career as an officer in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in World War I. Three of his brothers were killed in action in that conflict.

While Ken Goodyear engaged in many branches of sport with signal success his most significant contribution has been as an organizer. For the past sixty years he has been very much a part of the Sports scene at Grand Falls. In all that time there is no form of athletic activity that hasn’t had the benefit of Ken’s wise and capable counselling. He has an arresting personality, is a born leader and a dedicated sports enthusiast. He is Mister Grand Falls.