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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-09-02, Page 8JOHN D. It PENNINGTON HERING OIL - NATURAL GAS - PROPANE CLEANING - SALES - SERVICE INSTALLATION • Hi-efficiency oil and gas furnaces • Oil and gas hot water heaters • Gas fireplaces sales and installations • Sheet metal • Furnace cleaning and repairs • Air Conditioning Systems • Natural gas appliance hook ups NO PAYMENTS UNTIL MARCH 1999 Natural Gas incentive program starts Aug. 17/98. Ends Oct. 17/98. Call John or Mark today for details Phone 887-9233 or Fax 887-9654 P.O. Box 307 Brussels, ON NOG 1H0 From the sidelines Job well done PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1998. ports By Hugh Nichol The world of officiating has to be the most unappreciated, misunderstood, and least respected of all sports-related professions an individual may choose to pursue. From the earliest days, sports enthusiasts, many with a total ignorance of the rules, have persecuted, maligned, and defaced the efforts of officials whether they be umpires, referees or judges. They are the scapegoats of every game lost, the ideal outlet for the frustration of human error, the receiving end of every opinion voiced by fans that take the, "I bought a ticket, therefore I have the right to express", attitude. They have endured tongue-in- cheek comments about their eyesight, to slanderous remarks about their heritage. They have partaken in the comedy of having dirt kicked on their shoes to the artful dodging of a water bottle, from requiring police escort, to the supreme insult of being spat upon. Their incompetence has been discussed on a global scale, such as, the officiating at the recent World Cup of Soccer, to the hometown coffee shop talk of last night's game at the local sportsplex. They have been accidentally bumped, to physically attacked, all unexplained and alarming phenome- nons, for to this day I have yet to see an official score the winning goal, hit the game winning homerun, or hoist the championship trophy. At one time becoming an official was the perfect substitute for those who wished to remain involved in a sport after their playing days, to The Walton Squirt Girls edged Listowel 16-15 in playoff action last Thursday night at home. The offense was led by a fifth inning grand slam off the bat of Michelle Cook. It looked bad early for the hosts when after a five-run top of the inning, Walton cashed in only one runner. Things continued to look tough in the second with Listowel dou- bling their score, while Walton tagged on one more. Sarah McDonald on the mound, started to turn it around, with the defense shutting down the visitors. This gave the hosts a window of opportunity to narrow the gap, which they did with three runs. Krista Shortreed got on board with a missed third strike, then stole second to get in scoring posi- tion. This was followed by a single from Cook. Mandy Mitchell earned two RBIs with her single then eventually scored. In the fourth inning, Listowel came back to score just two runs, while their hosts tallied four. Cross- ing the plate were Crystal Gibbons, McDonald, Shortreed and Cook. The fifth inning told the story for Walton, when after allowing three Continued on page 9 give back what they had taken. And while years of lack of respect and continuous hassle have turned countless numbers away, those that survive possess a remarkable quality, one that cannot be described nor learned in a book. Few of us stop to realize that because of his or her on-field position they see the game from a different visual perspective than the fan, player and media, and while a knowledge of the rules is essential it is the ability to demonstrate common sense that allows the official to survive. An official must learn to accept and expect verbal abuse without being personally offended, to remain untouched -by criticism, to ignore the crowd while keeping their focus, for they must never guess or assume. They must treat athletes as human beings, knowing when to let them have their say, but to avoid the arguments. They must handle all situations in a decisive manner while always remembering that the less said the better. They must trust their judgement in deciding between the intentional and accidental when assessing penalties, for unlike doctors who bury their mistakes, and clerk-treasurers who shred theirs, instant replay allows a call missed by an official to be viewed by thouSands in the stands and millions on television. They are the master of ceremonies, not the entertainment, and must learn that no official can possibly meet everyone's expectations. They are the final word on every aspect of play; the game cannot start without them. To those who have learned the greatest challenge is not the game itself but the ability to accept your role I simply say "Job well done". Tigers revenge defeat The Brussels Tigers opened up their WOAA series with the Wroxeter Rippers and revenged the defeat at the hands of the Rippers in the Brussels tournament with a 9-5 victory. The Tigers cashed two in the second on a two-run homer by Ron Strome. The Rippers knotted the score in their second turn. Wroxeter took a 5-2 lead in the third on three unearned runs. The Tigers waited until the sixth and counted four runs, highlighted by a Steve Fritz homer. Brussels added some insurance in the seventh as Strome, Brian Niell, and Greg Fritz all collected RBIs. Cory McKee was three for four as was Strome. Todd Uhrig went the distance allowing five hits and fanning 12Rippers. In game two Wroxeter cashed two in the second and one more in the third to take a three-run lead. McKee got the Tigers on the board with a solo homer to right centre. Wroxeter pitcher Joel Pegg kept the Tigers off balance all game and struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win. Doug Conley went all the way for Brussels whiffing six Rippers. The Tigers will face the Exeter Braves in the Huron County fastball semi-finals. The game dates for the series are yet to be determined. In the other semi, the first-place Goderich Dukes meet the C4th Reds. Belgrave nips Ethel In the first round of playoffs, Belgrave Mite Boys nipped Ethel 17-16, Aug. 5. When they met in Ethel, Aug 12, Belgrave earned a wider margin, taking the hometown team 21-12. The bats were hot and the defense strong, taking the series and pushing the squad to the B championship against Wingham. The first game in the two out of three series was held Aug. 26 in Belgrave. 12 teams play in tournament Got it A throw and a great reach by the first baseman for Gatorade got the out in this action. The team was playing the Go-Getters, who went on to win the C Championship of the annual Walton co-ed 3-pitch tournament this past weekend. The Go-Getters edged Gatorade by one point to take this game. Walton Squirts edge Listowel The 1998 Walton co-ed 3-pitch tournament was held this past weekend. Twelve teams took part from the surrounding area. The winner of the A division was the Mitchell No Names. The winner of the B division was the Flood Gates form the Walton area. And the C Division winners were the Go Getters from Brussels area. Organizers congratulate all teams for showing great sportsmanship, playing excellent games and for the fun that was had by all. GERRY LEE FUND Restview Retirement Home(s) & MDL Doors is sponsoring a benefit for a needy family in Huron County BAKE & YARD SALE Saturday, September 19, 1998 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Open public BBQ :..$4.00/person at 12:30 p.m. 26 Joseph Street, Clinton 482-1584 Gerry Lee is a 41 year old father of three (Kent, Mathew and Diane) and a husband to Sylvia. Gerry is a truck driver for MDL Doors of Brussels. Gerry supplied the immediate area and all of Ontario until February 16th of this year. While driving his transport, he became ill and pulled over to the side of the road and called out for help on his CB. By the time the ambulance arrived on the scene, Gerry had suffered a massive brain stem stroke. Gerry was taken to Wingham & District Hospital and transferred to University Hospital, London. Gerry was in very critical condition. He was put on a respirator. The doctors said that he would not survive the first 24 hours. Well, Gerry did live through the first 24 hours, but things looked poor. The doctors claimed Gerry's prognosis was poor. Eventually he was transported back to Wingham to ICU for palliative care. Gerry was paralyzed on both sides from the shoulders down. He could only blink his eyes for communication. Gerry was trapped in his own body, unable to move or speak. Eventually the trach and tube feedibg were taken out. Gerry was able to breathe on this own without a respirator. Gerry spent more time in ICU. When I met Gerry, I thought this man had to make it for his family. When Gerry was stable, they were able to move him out on to the rehab/chronic ward where I work. Gerry & I became instant friends. We spent hours on learning to move his arms, legs, speech and hopefully someday, learn to walk. With his determination and all his hard work, today Gerry is walking with a walker with assistance. He amazes me as he is a real fighter and will fight this stroke to the end. Unfortunately, both Gerry and Sylvia are unable to work at this time due to his illness. I, on behalf of Restview Retirement Home and MDL Doors are sponsoring this benefit for the Lee family to assist them with any medical needs. We are accepting donations for the yard/bake sale. Also cash or cheque donations are to be made out to the Gerry Lee Fund c/o Restview Retirement Home Box 777 Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0 Kevin Essex Anyone wishing to contribute yard sale items can drop these off at MDL Doors in Brussels, until Friday, September 18, 1998. A fund has also been established at the CIBC in Brussels (36 King Street, Brussels, Ontario NOG 1H0). The Gerry Lee Family, Restview Retirement Home and MDL Docirs would like to thank you for any assistance you may give.