R.A. Sam Fabro is the kind of man who turns dreams into reality. Born in Udine, Italy, and moving to Winnipeg as a child, Fabro attended John M. King, Laura Secord and Gordon Bell High Schools and the University of Western Ontario.

Starting with the 1967 Pan Am Games, Fabro was the chairman of Baseball, easily one of the most popular events at a highly successful international games.

He was President of the Manitoba Baseball Association from 1968-69, Chairman for the Manitoba Games from 1974-78, founder of the Manitoba Hockey Players Foundation, serving as its chairman from 1966-80, and member of the Winnipeg Enterprises from 1967-73, as well as chairman for part of this time. He helped start the Manitoba Marathon and Canoeathon.

Chairman of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame, a member of the Board of Directors (President 1993- 2000) of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, and vice chairman of the Wildlife Foundation of Manitoba. He is still involved with the Fort Whyte Centre and the road leading into the reserve bears his name.

Fabro, a fine athlete, was a member of the Winnipeg Rangers when they won the Memorial Cup as Canadian Junior Hockey Champions in 1941. Later he was a star with the senior Reo Flyers.

He was an accomplished baseball and football player (including a start with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1942 before joining the Army), and successful businessman rising from salesman to Chairman of the Board with W.G. McMahon Ltd.

In recognition of his efforts as a builder in the community, whether in the world of sport, the opera, wildlife or the Misericordia Hospital, Fabro was given the Order of the Buffalo in 1986 and the Order of Canada in 1974.

Ronald A. “Sam” Fabro, a builder in the truest meaning of the word.