Born 18 Aug1934 and raised in Stellerton NS, Babe lived there until he joined The Black Watch (RHR) on 15 May 1951. Re-mustering to the Army PTS in 1958, he has served in Aldershot NS (3), Valcartier, Halifax, Wainwright, Korea, Gagetown, Borden, Edmonton, RMC, Cornwallis, Halifax and retired from Cornwallis as a CWO in 1981. Babe and Shirley (MacDonald) were married 23 Oct 1957 and raised three children, Wayne, Glen and Cathy. Babe’s many boxing achievements include
d 1953-Wainwright welterweight champ; 1954-Commonwealth Forces welterweight champ Korea; 1956-East Comd Army welterweight title, plus named the best boxer; he subsequently went on to win the Army championship that year at which he earned a place on Canada’s Olympic Team, giving up a close decision for a medal in Melbourne Australia; 1957 he won the Army welterweight and the Canadian title; 1958-he won his 3rd Army title then hung up his gloves, but not completely; he was the Referee-in-chief for the NS Boxing Association during the 1970s and in 1976 he was called upon to manage the boxing training facilities at the Montreal Olympics. For these achievements Babe was inducted into the CF Sports Hall Of Fame in 1980. (Click)
But his talents were not limited to boxing. He played in two National Volleyball championships; five national Badminton Championships and won the tri-service East Comd 200m breast stroke. He was a Red Cross and RLSS instructor and examiner in NB; completed a three year Recreation Director's Course in Alberta; in 1968 he won the Edmonton District Badminton Doubles in the Senior B Category; was the physical trainer for the newly formed Buffalo Sabres under Punch Imlach in 1970 (while on leave); a track and Field Official at the 1976 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg. Babe was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 1978.
On retirement in 1981 he moved back to Stellerton NS. In 1982 his ball team, the Bullpen Oldtimers won the NS Softball Provincial Championship. He won another provincial title with his Legion Hockey team. In 1984 he became the owner of Olympic Auto Sales in Stellarton NS and is still going strong. In fact, the Town Council named a street in Stellerton after Babe called Babe Mason Way
As a millennium project the CAF selected the their top 50 athletes over the past century and Babe was placed 32nd.
