Memorable Manitobans: Edward Arthur Nicholson “Eddie/Ed” Armstrong (1904-1950)

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Edward Arthur Nicholson Armstrong
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Journalist, athlete.

Born at Weymouth, Nova Scotia in 1904, son of Rupert Otto Armstrong and Annie Lucretia Sarah Burke (1872-1953), he came with his family to Manitoba at an early age, settling first at Emerson then successively at Winnipeg, Virden, Portage la Prairie, and Kenora [Ontario]. He attended Kelvin High School during which, in 1922, he was first Premier of the Provincial Boys’ Parliament. He later went to Wesley College where he excelled in basketball, soccer, and shot put. Shortly after leaving college, he was hired as a sports reporter by the Winnipeg Free Press where he worked for the next 23 years.

In 1939 he was promoted to Sports Editor, and finally City Editor, from 1944 to the time of his death. He served Secretary and Treasurer of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association, and was also connected with the Manitoba Boxing and Wrestling Commission, the Winnipeg Amateur Athletic Association, and the Manitoba Track and Field Association. He was President of the Winnipeg Football Club (1948-1949), prior to which he had been Vice-President of the Manitoba Rugby Union and Secretary of the Winnipeg Senior Rugby League. He was a member of the Granite Curling Club for many years. In 1926 he was a member of the Musgrove rink that won a Manitoba bonspiel trophy. He served as President of the Winnipeg Press Club in 1944.

On 16 August 1934, he married Beatrice Alice Miller Hume at Blanshard and they had two children: Donald Keith Armstrong and Jean Hume Armstrong.

He died at his Winnipeg residence, 154 Ferndale Avenue, on 15 February 1950 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Sportsman, Editor, Ed Armstrong dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 February 1950, page 21.

“E. A. Armstrong, city editor, dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 February 1950.

Death notice [Edward A. “Eddie” Armstrong], Winnipeg Tribune, 17 February 1950, page 24.

“MLA’s pay tribute to E. A. Armstrong,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 February 1950, page 1.

Winnipeg estate files (ATG 0025A), #41703 - Edward Arthur Nicholson Armstrong, GR4874, Archives of Manitoba.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 November 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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