Joe Scherer, who played junior hockey in Kingston in the late 1970’s, has passed away at age 64 after a three-year battle with lung cancer.
Scherer spent one season in 1977-78 with the O.H.A’s Kingston Canadians (7 goals,15 assists, 22 points in 60 games). Scherer was a second round pick as a minor midget, taken by the Kingston Canadians from the Kingston Voyageurs Jr. B team in the 1977 O.H.A draft.
Joe’s father, Walter ‘Punch’ Scherer, was Kingston’s first General Manager from 1973 to 1978 and it was Punch that drafted his son. Joe Scherer played just the one season for the Canadians and was traded to the Kitchener Rangers. Punch Scherer had stepped aside that spring as GM in Kingston and returned home to Kitchener.
As a Bantam playing Kingston Minor hockey, Scherer scored 75 goals and put up 150 points in his final year of minor hockey.
As a 15-year-old, Scherer made the jump from Bantam to Junior B and joined the Kingston Voyageurs. Scherer was Rookie of the Year in the Metro Junior B League’s Eastern Division that season.
The previous year, 14-year-old Wayne Gretzky was Rookie of the Year in the Metro League.
Following his OHL career, that also included a stop in Windsor, Scherer returned to Eastern Ontario and played for Larry Mavety’s powerhouse Tier II Belleville Bulls.
The Bulls won the Central Canada Junior A championship and went to the 1981 Centennial Cup – losing in the final to Prince Albert. A few weeks later it was announced the Bulls were granted an Ontario Hockey League expansion franchise.
After his playing days, Joe returned home to Kitchener and worked at the family car dealership – Scherer GM – owned by his brother, Steve.
Joe stayed involved with hockey and was the longtime General Manager of the Junior C New Hamburg Firebirds up until 2019.
Scherer had grown up in New Hamburg, 25 kilometres west of Kitchener, and played on a local Novice team that won an All-Ontario championship.
Funeral services for Scherer will be held on Friday.
Mark Potter is a former Kingston sports broadcaster & honoured member of the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame.
KTown Sports Blog 
I’m so sorry to hear of Joe’s passing..I remember him as a Jr player myself..playing against him believe me his presence was known..we spoke a few times of it as we both got older..had a few laughs!..
To me Joe was a man who i would have looked to.. being a few years younger for inspiration..determination..respect!..He remember me as a young Kitchener boy entering the league..I was thankful to him for that!..Rest in peace Joe..my thoughts are with you and especially your friends and family..A good man has left us!
Mike Webber!
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