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Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. Originally
from Rimouski Quebec, Les Anning was born March 17th, 1927
and came to be known by the nickname of the “Rimouski Rocket.” Les
Anning first arrived in Britain in 1946 joining the Wembley Monarchs and
in his first season, he led the club with 86 points. After a second
season with the Monarchs, he then lined up with stable mates, the
Wembley Lions for one season before crossing London to play three
seasons (1950-53) in the colours of the Earls Court Rangers. Whilst a
Ranger, he was twice voted onto the All Star A-team, and was a third of
one of the great forward lines in British hockey, the BAR line with
Kenny Booth at centre and Cliff Ryan on the left wing. The
1954/55 season saw Anning, now recognised as one of the fastest skaters
in post-war British hockey, playing for the Ayr Raiders in the first
ever British League for one term. Four of the next five seasons were
spent back in the capital with the Wembley Lions, the break being in
1958/59 when he iced as a Brighton Tiger. In those late fifties
campaigns with the Lions, Anning was again part of another high-scoring
trio of forwards, this time labelled the BSA line – his partners being
again Kenny Booth at centre and fellow Hall-of-Famer Les Strongman on
the left flank. Les
Anning’s complete statistical record in competitive games in British
ice hockey reads: GP Goals Ass
Pts PIM 604 552
398 950 261 Statistics
can be read in many ways, but it is hard to put any other interpretation
on those above than to indicate that Les Anning was probably the most
consistent scorer of his era. Les Anning died 28th January 2008 aged 80. Compiled with research, provided by Martin C.Harris – March
1999. |
