ST. JOHN’S, NL – Sport Newfoundland and Labrador (SportNL) is happy to announce three new members into the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame for 2024. These individuals were elected by the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors.
“We are thrilled to welcome three new inductees to the Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame,” says Ed Murphy, Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors. “The Class of 2024 highlights the diversity of sports in our province and underscores the importance of trailblazers who elevate and expand their respective fields.”
The 2024 inductees are:
- John (Jack) Munn in the “Athlete” category (Cricket)
- Lorna Proudfoot in the “Builder” category (Artistic Swimming)
- Darryl Williams in the “Athlete/Builder” category (Hockey)
The date for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be announced in the near future. Please stay tuned for further updates, as we look forward to celebrating the remarkable achievements of our 2024 inductees at this special event.
Hall of Fame Inductee Biographies for 2024
John ‘Jack’ Munn “Athlete”
John ‘Jack’ Shannon Munn was Newfoundland and Labrador’s greatest cricketer, excelling during a time when cricket was the premier sport in the province. Born in Harbour Grace in 1880, Munn lost his father at age two and was raised in St. John’s after his mother remarried. He attended Bishop Field School and later the Forest School in England, where he distinguished himself as a bowler. In 1900, he tried out for the Oxford cricket team and played alongside future English cricket legends. Although he was unlucky not to play in the prestigious Oxford-Cambridge match that year, he eventually earned his Blue by playing against Cambridge in 1901 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, taking wickets from some of the greatest cricketers of the time.
Munn returned to Newfoundland each summer, playing for the Feildians in St. John’s cricket league. In a notable 1900 match against Boston’s Zingari Club, Munn took eight wickets in one innings, a record for Newfoundland. His first-class cricket career peaked in 1901, when he took 24 wickets across six matches in England.
Despite his cricket success, Munn returned to St. John’s to join the Bowring family business and played a role in local sports, including table tennis. He also donated land for Shannon Park in Harbour Grace and worked to keep cricket alive in the province.
Tragically, Munn and his young daughter died in the Florizel shipwreck in 1918. He is memorialized through a stained-glass window at St. Thomas Church and his daughter by the Peter Pan statue in Bowring Park. Munn was remembered as not only a talented cricket player who elevated the sport in the province, but also a charitable and generous man who gave back to his community.
Lorna Proudfoot “Builder”
Lorna Proudfoot first swam as an artistic swimmer in 1968, with a recreational program offered at the Torbay Rec Centre. She then continued as a varsity artistic swimmer at MUN in 1971. This varsity program ended later in 1972 and in 1973 she started the first non-university associated competitive artistic swimming club at the Mundy Pond Pool. In 1974 that club merged with the university club and quickly grew to more than 50 swimmers. Lorna organized water shows, competitions, and coached swimmers for National events
Though Lorna began law school in New Brunswick, she continued to coach and, after returning to Newfoundland in 1981, joined the Board of Directors of Newfoundland and Labrador Artistic Swimming (NLAS) as the Awards Chair. During this time, she became a certified judge and helped implement Canada Artistic Swimming’s Star Program, a system for training synchronized swimmers.
Lorna advanced to a Level Three judge in 1987, officiating at national competitions while simultaneously building her career as a barrister and solicitor with the Department of Justice and the House of Assembly. In 1999, she became president of the Sea Stars club and introduced a more structured competitive development system, increasing the number of local competitions to better prepare athletes for regional and national events.
In 2005, Lorna was elected president of the NLAS Board of Directors, leading a revamp of the organization’s by-laws and establishing a new insurance program still in use today. She continued officiating and mentoring others in the sport, both provincially and nationally. In 2012, she was elected to the Canada Artistic Swimming Board of Directors, contributing to policy creation and by-law drafting.
Lorna’s dedication to artistic swimming, both as a coach and administrator, has been instrumental in the sport’s survival and growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Darryl Williams “Athlete/Builder”
Darryl Williams, born in Labrador City and played minor hockey for both Trinity Placentia and Mount Pearl, had a tenacious hockey career in the 1990s, earning a reputation as a tough and dedicated player. His hard work led to a brief stint in the NHL, where he played a couple of games for Wayne Gretzky’s 1992-93 Los Angeles Kings. Williams primarily played in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the New Haven Nighthawks and spent much of his career in the International Hockey League (IHL) with teams like the Phoenix Roadrunners, Detroit Vipers, and Long Beach IceDogs. Known for his rugged style of play, he logged over 200 penalty minutes in seven different seasons and was often recognized as a team leader, serving as captain or assistant captain.
After retiring from professional play in 1999, Williams transitioned into coaching, starting as an assistant with the Long Beach IceDogs. He later became head coach of the team and served as an assistant with the AHL’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. In 2006-07, he joined the QMJHL’s St. John’s Fog Devils as an assistant coach after a year coaching the Kansas City Outlaws. Williams’ NHL coaching career began in 2008-09 when Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault hired him as an assistant coach specializing in video analysis. He remained with the Canucks for six seasons before following Vigneault to the New York Rangers in 2014-15, where he became a full-fledged assistant coach. Williams is currently entering his 14th season as an NHL assistant coach, fourth with the Philadelphia Flyers.
In 2017, Darryl Williams was inducted into the Hockey NL Hall of Fame, solidifying his lasting impact on the sport.
