"He was a complete hockey player: he had size, skating ability and intelligence. He could pass the puck, he was a great goal-scorer, and he was tough. Not a bad checker, either. So what else is there? Nowadays, major league teams would be falling over themselves to pay him a fortune." Thus does a former teammate remember Bill MacFarland during his playing days with the Totems.

Despite his natural abilities, it wasn't easy for MacFarland. A native of Toronto, he came to the pros as a hotshot center from the University of Michigan in an era when the hardbitten professionals looked on college players with disdain. And, to make things tougher, he was billed as the successor to the great Guyle Fielder. But Fielder stayed in Seattle and MacFarland was compelled to shift to left wing. He went out and made himself Seattle's all-time best at the postion.

MacFarland's consistency was remarkable. He averaged better than 35 goals a year from 1957 through 1964. In 1962 he scourged opposing goalies with 46 goals, including 3 hat tricks, and received the WHL's Most Valuable Player award [The Leader Cup] at the end of the season. He was a league all-star that year and three others.

After four years as Totems' coach - a stint that included two Patrick Cup winning teams - MacFarland practiced law in Seattle for a year, then returned to hockey as President of the Western League.