By Scott Roblin

Former Tigers bench boss Shupe passes away at 89

Apr 13, 2019 | 11:45 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – One of the original architects of the Medicine Hat Tigers has died.

On Wednesday, the first head coach in franchise history Jack Shupe passed away in Medicine Hat at the age of 89.

Shupe was hired by the Tigers before the start of the team’s inaugural season in the Western Canadian Hockey League in 1970, a position he would hold for seven years.

Over that span, Shupe compiled a 228-192-51 record and helped lead the team to its first league championship and first Memorial Cup appearance in the 1972-73 season.

After stints with the Victoria Cougars and the SJHL’s Lloydminster Lancers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Shupe returned to the ‘Gas City’ to serve as Tigers general manager between 1990 and 1992.

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His 228 victories behind the bench still ranks third in Tigers history behind Shaun Clouston and Willie Desjardins, while he is the tenth-winningest coach in WHL history with 466 wins between Medicine Hat and Victoria.

A funeral service for Shupe will be held at the Saamis Memorial Funeral Chapel on May 4 at 11:00 am.