James Benesh, a Regina resident and owner of a custom window coverings business, has garnered attention for his extensive collection of hockey books, making him known as a hockey historian. His collection, which now stands at approximately 1,200 hockey books, began modestly with just 30 to 40 books received as gifts from family members.
Benesh’s passion for hockey history was ignited when he stumbled upon the “All Time Draft,” a competitive research project and hockey fantasy game where participants assemble teams of legendary players. His pursuit of knowledge to build the best team led him to amass a library of 300 to 400 hockey books initially. Subsequently, he acquired hundreds more books from the estate sale of Carleton “Mac” McDiarmid, a respected collector and historian.
His collection expanded further when he obtained every issue of The Hockey News dating back to 1947 from Winston Bohn, an elderly collector in Regina. Benesh’s complete compilation caught the attention of The Hockey News, leading to his profile in the publication. Impressed by his expertise, The Hockey News invited Benesh to contribute by writing about defunct NHL franchises’ top players, ultimately recognizing him as a historian.
Among his notable possessions is Anatoly Tarasov’s 1969 book, “Road to Olympus: How to Win the Olympics,” shedding light on the Russian hockey program’s evolution in the 1972 Summit Series against Canada. Benesh values this book for its rarity and historical significance. Despite owning a vast collection, he remains dedicated to reading and sharing insights from the books.
Looking ahead, Benesh seeks only two more elusive books to complete his collection, highlighting his commitment to both acquiring and absorbing the knowledge contained within his extensive library.