Randy Manery played nearly 600 National Hockey League Games across parts of 10 seasons in the 1970s. A defenceman, he was the first member of the Atlanta Flames to participate in the NHL All-Star Game.

Manery was born in Leamington on January 10, 1949.

He attended Leamington District High School, where he participated in track and field, the hurdles, and the 220-yard dash.

Manery learned to skate as a young child in his backyard rink. His mother recalls him keeping his balance by hanging on to the clothesline for stability. Manery also regularly skated on the frozen ponds at nearby Point Pelee.

At eight years of age, Manery registered with Leamington Minor Hockey and immediately made the “Squirt” travel team. He continued to distinguish himself from his peers over the coming years and continued playing competitive youth hockey for Leamington until the Juvenile “A” level, when his team lifted the Ontario Championship. At age 16, the Detroit Red Wings organization signed him to a “C” form, thereby owning his professional rights.

Manery graduated to Major Junior A and moved to the Hamilton Red Wings for the 1966-67 season. In his first season with the team, Manery was named its Rookie of the Year. The Wings reached the playoff finals but fell to the Toronto Marlboros, that year’s eventual Memorial Cup Champions. Manery stayed with Hamilton until the end of the 1968-69 season, before which he was named Team Captain. Manery was named a First-Team All-Star for that campaign.

While playing in Hamilton, Manery successfully completed Grade 13 and the first two years of a degree at McMaster University. He eventually graduated with a B.A. in English and Geography.

In 1969, Manery moved to Texas to play for the Fort Worth Texans, a Central Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. He played well, scoring as many as 48 points in a single season from the blue line. Manery spent three seasons with the Texans and was called up to the NHL Red Wings for two games in ’70-71 and one game in ’71-72. He was named a CHL Second-Team All-Star in his final season.

The Atlanta Flames selected Manery in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, ending his relationships with both the Red Wings and minor league hockey. He went on to complete five seasons with the fledgling club between ’72 and ’77. The Flames reached the NHL Playoffs in three of those seasons, and Manery contributed at least 29 points in all of them. He was selected to play in the ’72-73 NHL All-Star Game.

Manery moved to the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the 1977-78 season. His strong play in ’77-78 and ’78-79 saw him officially recognized as the team’s Best Defenceman after both campaigns. Unfortunately, Manery sustained an eye injury in the ’79-80 season, which limited him to 52 games. The injury ultimately proved to be career ending, and he retired at the end of the season. In total, Manery participated in 595 games at the NHL level. He scored 50 goals and added 208 assists for a career total of 258 points.

At the time of his induction, Manery resided in Buford, Georgia. He was the Executive Director of the Haggai Institute, an organization that recruits and trains leaders in the Christian community.