FEBRUARY 10, 1912

SNUNEYMUXW SOCCER STAR XUL-SI-MALT (HARRY MANSON) DIED

Born on Vancouver Island in 1879, his birth name meant “One-Who-Leaves-His-Mark.”  Recruited by the Nanaimo Thistles in 1898 to play in the provincial championship, in 1903, he was named to the Nanaimo all-star team.  Manson broke barriers being first aboriginal player to compete in a provincial championship alongside white teammates.  This did not come without shouts of “savage” from the crowds.  He was captain of an all-Snuneymuxw soccer team, the Indian Wanderers, which won the Nanaimo city championship in 1904.  In 1907, with 3 other Snuneymuxw players, Manson’s Nanaimo team won the provincial championship.  He was the only person to play for all 3 Nanaimo championship teams.  He also excelled at baseball.  In 1912, returning from town with medicine for his sick infant son, he died hopping a train.  Manson was the first First Nations player inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.  He was also inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. 

Sources:  Martin Dunphy, "DTES resident gets aboriginal B.C. sports pioneer Harry Manson into national Soccer Hall of Fame," The Georgia Straight, 11/7/2014.  Retrieved 12/16/2019, https://www.straight.com/news/347696/dtes-resident-gets-aboriginal-bc-sports-pioneer-harry-manson-national-soccer-hall-fame
 Duncan McCue, "Aboriginal star hailed as 'pioneer' by Soccer Hall of Fame,” CBC News, 11/7/2014.  Retrieved 12/16/2019, https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/aboriginal-star-hailed-as-pioneer-by-soccer-hall-of-fame-1.2822153
 Wikipedia
Photo:  Author and date unknown, but prior to 1912.  Public Domain.