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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 68Our history is short but we look forward to serving you for present and future styles. Celebrate Seaforth's Centennial Year in "present" and "future" styles from the "The Pretty Store with the Arch" 60 Main Str > t, Seaforth Arti work 9 no money (By V, J. Lane) First let me explain this is not my type of writing. I know there are ,several who participated in this at that-time still living who could do a much better job than I but rather than risk the yossibility of it going unnoticed, I am going to tell the story. After all it does present u lesson for the younger generation and brings back memories to the ones older who participated in it, and attended most if not all of the games in those days. Perhaps it should be explained why the league was formed. In those days there was no work and no money. If you hada job cutting wood or choring for a farmer $1.00 a day was tops. Factories in cities and towns,,, likewise had nothing to offer. Around Seaforth at that time we had something to eat, you made your own fun and it had to be cheap. I am told by some at that time "young fellows" from Tuckersmith, Robert . Archibald, Doigs, McCartneys, Art Nicholson, perhaps more held a meeting in. Ott Dick's Hotel for the purpose of forming a Jr. Farmers Hockey League. Farmer's league hockey was Ilan in depression Donates Cup Some of them contacted, Thos. McMillan3' M.P. for Huron, to donate a cup, which he did. The teams involved were to be • Sproat's brick yard, Mill road and Winthrop. Someone contacted me by phone to know if I could put a team in front' St. Columban, knoWing I loved the &One and had played some in prior years. I agreed to give it a try; attended a meeting with the arena manager, Mr. Chas. Holmes; andle agreed • to Jet us play a double header ,Saturday nights for a fee -of 25c eachHe didn't think of.. gettft any paying customers, but after the first Saturday the fan participation, Mr. Holmes was contactred and agreed to charge .15c fan admission and pay each club $5.00. They could have some . means, of buying sticks, etc. he was also to pay the referees Russ Holmes and Gordon Muir 'to handle the games. The rules were strict. You could not use a player from ou}side your area. Players could inot be participating in other organized ,'hockey and must be farmers or belong to a farm organikation. Now for the benefit of those List Saturday I hitched up Maud And to myself did say, "I'll just put on the old fur coat And drive to -Own today." I'll go and see that hockey game Between these well known teams, The Orioles from the Mill Road And St. Columban's Greens. Who won the game? Don't ask me that, 'Tis not for me to say, The Greenshirts took the silver cup And carried it away. The Orioles won the honour Of fighting to the end; When the Greenshirts met those stalwarts, They found them hard to bend. Vince Lane wait burning up the ice, He's captain of the Greens; He took some bumps and gave some too He's always there, it seems. Joe and; Emmett and George Malone Are nimble on their feet The way they got about the ice,- It gave the fans a treat. Park and pool who are not familiar with hockey as played in those days— first of all this was natural ice. The old arena was purchased by Ball — Macaulay about 1948. No Red Line There was no red line in those days; no forward passing or body checking, except behind the blue line, no 'kicking the puck.' You had to stick handle the puck in centre ice much more than today. Each team was allowed two subs. The game at that time was more often interrupted by rule infractions, kicking the puck, offsidepasseS,etc.and was not as fast as to-day with the red line forward passing, but in my opinion had more stick handling and in some ways was more interesting to' watch. Strangely enough when the four teams were picked and agreed upon, there was no team that had any great advantage, 2 or 3 goals at the most. The lineups of the four teams as they appears in the 30 - 31 season I am listing here. The McMillan • Cup was in competition for several years after and games became more and more professional • with different . teams entering, different-players and it became a '30-'31 Line Ups Mill Road: Goal - Geo. McCartney. Def. W. Wright, Wilson McCartney, Centre Don Dale, Wings Art Nicholson "Lark" Coleman, Subs D. McIntosh, Zape Elliott. Winthrop: Goal. Bill Montgomery, 'Def.. Scott, Little, (Centre) Neil • Montgomery. Wings, Tim EAton, Dorrance, Subs - Scott, A. Montgomery. Brick Yard: Goal J. McMillan. Def.: Paul & Jim Doig. Wings; R. Archibald, G.Reynolds. Sub. - McKay, F. Reynolds. St. Columban - Goal - H: Matthews. ?Def.: V.' Lane, Leo Hicknell Ctre.• J. Daly, Wings, J. Morris, J. Malone, Subs. e. Malone, J. Moylan. Some of these players are now deceased. The final playoffs were at St. Columban VS Mill Road which is described in the final games by Art B.Hill in his writing at that time. Although the competition was keen with everyone giving his best, there was never a display of poor sportsmanship or any temper flareup. Although the fans were from the surrounding townships, including a great part of the town cheering for their Now that young Donnie Dale, my friends, Looked pretty good to me; The way he buzzed around rink Was very nice to see. And there's another pair of boys, Jim and ,Davey by name, VVhate'erthey do, they're always fair, They always play the game. There's another lad named Elliot, From out nigh Varna town, Who came out best from every test And won himself renown. Again I say, please do not ask, Who 'tas that won the game, The Green Shirts won the silver cup TheOrioles, they won the fame. When comes the harves time again, They'll stop to talk a spell, And say: "It was a dandy game, And didn't we do well?" I put old Maud into the barn, And to myself did say: "I'll just take off the old ftir coat And call this day a day." favourite teams,to my knowledge there was Never a flareup there. No Money My answer for this is' simple. As I have mentioned, at that time no one had men* If' a small minority had, it didn't appear that way. All we had was friends and none would sacrificethat to settle arguments. (Continued from Page 26) Street. Free movies add free skating were also provided foe the children. In the early years of our club, the annual Christmas visit to the people in Huronview. Home was started and has continued without interruption to this day. The war years saw the Lions Today it's much different. Everyone hat money, lit least they appear to h ave. Friends are not so .important, :Ifyou have money everything is so inflated that you cannot Pei') but wonder when it will "blow up". Are we not now wondering why $omewherehetWeen the 30's and the present'vi,hy someone did not, invent a safety valve to protect an explosion? I trust that my description of one of the happaings of those ' days as related to yon in my own awkward way, will serve as a remembrance to ' Centennial readers and perhaps as well be of some value to others who were only in blossom at that time. donation to the Lake Joseph Camp for the blind and numerous other worthwhile. charities. The record of the Seaforth Lions Club- during its fifty-one years history, is one that each Lion can be justifiably proud of, and with renewed determination, vision, concern and dedication we look forward to the eventful years of service that lie ahead. The final game By Art B. Hill (Bill Hart) in a 1931 Expositor that involve in paper drives, scrap metal collections and many other patriotic endeavours. Other noteworthy activities of the Seaforth Lions Club included sponsorship of Boy Scouts; Cubs Girl Guides and Brownies, financial support to many sport and athletic groups, a $5,000 donation to the Seaforth' Community Hospital a $1 500 FARMER'S LEAGUE CHAMPS, 1936' — The Egmondville team won the 1936, championship in the local league described by Vince Lane in his story. "In the photo, from rear, are J. McLean, R. Rintoul, H. Finnegan, C. Rintoul, C. Kruse, R. McGregor, E. Brown, A. Nicholson, J. Nicholson, C. Trott, V. Bell, D. Dale, J. Flannery, G. Kruse, C. Flannery, R. McGeoch, A. McLean and F. Kling. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JUNE 26, 1976 —27