Ronald A. "Sam" Fabro (1921-2018)
Born in Udine, Italy, Sam moved to Winnipeg as a child and played hockey with the 1941 Memorial Cup winning Winnipeg Rangers. He was one of the founders and first Chairman of the Manitoba Hockey Players Foundation in 1967 and was a leader in the creation of the Hockey Hall of Fame & Museum in 1985. In 2015, during Hockey Manitoba's 100th Anniversary season, his legacy was honoured with the creation of annual branch scholarship in his name for graduating members.
Fabro was also a huge influence and instrumental builder in more than just hockey. The Chair of the 1974 Winter and 1978 Summer Games, Fabro was a co-founder of the Manitoba Marathon and Canoeathon and Chair of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. He was President of the Manitoba Baseball Association from 1968 - 1969, Chairman for the Manitoba Games from 1974 - 1978, and vice chairman of the Wildlife Foundation of Manitoba.
Fabro's efforts did not go unnoticed as he received numerous awards which include the Order of Canada (1974), Order of Buffalo (1986), City of Winnipeg Proclamation (1986), inducted in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder member (1988), Award of Merit, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1988), inducted in the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame (1990), "R.A. Fabro Scholarship" University of Manitoba - sponsored by Manitoba Hockey Federation and Hockey Hall of Fame & Museum and the C.A. Barbour Award from the City of Winnipeg Recreation & Parks Board.