Jack “Gunner” Byrne – Athlete

Inducted November 4, 1988

Jack “Gunner” Byrne, born in 1911, excelled in soccer, baseball, bowling and softball during an athletic career that spanned 50 years and was highlighted by continuous displays of sportsmanship. A retired employee of the City of St. John’s, he resides in St. John’s.

His soccer career began while he was a student at St. Patrick’s Hall School and continued until 1948. He started his senior career in the early 1930’s playing with the B.I.S. squad that won the city title in 1937, ’38, and ’39 and he was named M.V.P. in ’39. He also played with St. Pat’s and the Star of the Sea Teams.

In baseball, he performed for the Wanderers and T.A. Teams in the St. John’s League and was selected to the St. John’s All-Stars for a series against Grand Falls. While softball wasn’t extremely popular in the 1930’s, he played for the Cubs team that won the first St. John’s Men’s softball title in 1937.

He started his bowling career in the 1920’s at the Holy Name Alleys and was regarded as one of the finest bowlers within the province for 50 years. A member of the Provincial Bowling Hall of Fame, he recorded a lifetime average in excess of 250, had a high single of 406 and came up with a 1,035 triple, all when the score pin was part of the game. He was a member of many championship teams and gained numerous individual awards.