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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-07-12, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2000. PAGE 7. Sports From the sidelines Baseball memories By Hugh Nichol The Brussels Sportsplex has always been our town’s center of summertime activ­ ity. Ideally situated within a minute’s walk from the downtown, evening strollers were instinctively drawn by the sound of children's laughter. But now the field sits empty, its silence the reality that for the first time in memory Ontario’s prettiest village is without minor ball. Soccer, hockey, Nintendo, com­ puters, skateboarding, and even simple downtown loitering have ail given today’s child a multi­ tude of choice unlike my era when baseball was our only escape. Yet I have no complaints for while my yesterday appears simplistic, softball has left me with a megabyte of mem­ ories. And yes as I “mind back” the homeruns have become more Mark McGwire in nature and the catches more spectacular, but it only enhances the fondness I enjoyed for a sport many now have no time for. I remember my first sweater, red in colour, and my first coach, the Rev. Johnston, and that we were Tri­ County Squirt champions my first three years of organized ball. I remember wearing uniforms only a mother could love, one a multi­ toned brown army fatigue, the sec­ ond a lovely purple and yellow ensemble. I remember the swing sets left in centrefield, how the cars lined the perimeter of the outfield for interme­ diate games, and the mad scrambles when a ball rolled underneath one of the vehicles. I remember holding my breath in anticipation of the mighty splash a ball would make landing in the old wading pool, and later holding my breath in anxiety that no one would get hurt when the pool was replaced by the Lions Club playground. I remember the cat and mouse game of retrieving a baseball from the Kumm residence especially if it landed in their vegetable garden, and the old bleachers that distinguished Brussels from all other parks, rising majestically behind home plate. I remember the first time Jim Prior announced my name at the Brussels fastball tournament and how faith­ fully my Aunt Barb would watch every game I played during that weekend. I remember playing against long forgotten baseball vil­ lages such as Whitechurch and Ripley and against Hullett Twp. when it was still called Londesborough. I remember the fly ball that ever so gracefully cleared the right field fence in Goderich to give us the championship, and playing back to back to back to back to back in defeating Formosa, Goderich, Wroxeter, and Clifford twice for the Mildmay title. I remember Jack Ritchie jumping from his seat to exclaim “that’s my boy” when in a desperation move we allowed his son to pitch in a game, and I remember Scott Bridge losing his front teeth in Shakespeare when at the exact moment the ball should have entered his glove a passing train blew its whistle momentarily causing him to pull back. I remember my first game in Rostock not for the contest but rather for the seating facilities. Gone were the customary wooden benches replaced by what I thought at the time was a major league dugout and not those glorified outhouses you see in Belgrave, Wingham, and Wroxeter but an actual in ground bomb shelter. I remember my Dad’s patience for not once did I miss a game because of the harvesting rituals but most of all I remember a Sunday afternoon phone call asking if I would be inter­ ested in playing ball for Walton. That call led to the introduction of the lady who would become my wife. Rolling along The Brussels lawn bowling greens was a busy place last Thursday as teams competed in a tournament under mostly sunny skies. (Vicky Bremnerphoto) Brewers down Tigers — twice The Walton Brewers men’s fast­ ball team has had a great season to date, winning four straight since June 20. Welcoming Brussels Tigers to their diamond, Walton took an early lead, scoring once in the bottom of the first and twice in the second before Brussels got on the board. Brussels tied it up at three then allowed Walton to add singles in the next two innings before edging to within one in the top of the sixth. Walton closed out the win with two runs for the 7-4 victory. Larry Lowes pitched the complete game for. Walton while Steve Thomas and Doug Connolly shared Brussels’ duties, earning a total of five strike-outs. Greg Clark led the way for Walton when they took on the Lieury Jets, June 27, going two for three and earning one RBI in the 3-2 win. Though the visitors tallied two in the first two at-bats, the Brewers held them scoreless for the remain­ der of the match. Down 2-1 after five and half. Walton pushed two across for the win. Steve Leonhardt pitched the full seven innings. The Brewers travelled to Brussels for a rematch, June 30, doubling their opponents’ tally. Brussels held a narrow one-run margin going into the fourth before Bruce Peam’s three-run homer for Walton broke it open. With four runs tallied in the frame, the Brewers went up 5-2. They added three more in the fifth for a commanding lead. Brussels scored twice in their last at-bat, but took the 8-4 loss. Leonhardt pitched a complete game with 13 strike-outs. It was a tight contest, July 4 when the Exeter Braves came to town. The game was scoreless through three and a half until a homerun off the bat of Steve Knight got things going. Exeter evened the total in the top of the fifth, but Brewer Mike Nolan earned the game winning RBI in the bottom of the sixth. Lowes was solid on the mound, keeping Exeter batters in check for *he 2-1 win. Bats hot for Hullett Squirts Bowlers compete A mixed pairs - ladies pairs bowl­ ing tournament, which was jointly sponsored by Teeft Knechtel Grocery and Susan Carter of Maitland Valley Financial Consultants Ltd. was held Thursday afternoon, July 6 at the Brussels greens. Prizes were presented by club Audrey McDonald, Lucknow; sec­ ond, Bob Thompson and Doris Hackney, Exeter; third, Terry Gardner and Sharon Farrish, London, Elmwood; fourth, Lee Ryan president, Ken Barbour and Draw master, Jim Coultes. Winners were: first, Jack and and Carol Carter, Seaforth; fifth, Maxine Hunking and Jenny Murray, Lambeth; sixth, Gordon Bosman and Edna McTavish, Brussels; seventh, Kevin Rumig and Dorothy Mero, Goderich; consolation, Jack and Marie Muir, Seaforth. Blacldiawks play Team 2 On June 21 the Brussels U-6 Blackhawks took to the soccer field against Team 2. Jacob McGavin took centre kick ball out quickly with great kicks. Evan Smith gained control moving Continued on page 8 Big scores were the name of the game for the Hullett Squirts ball team when they out-tallied their opponents 40-15 last week. They took on Colbome, July 3, hit­ ting for eight in the first two innings while keeping the home team off the board. Hullett pushed four across in the third and five in the fourth for the 17- 3 lead before the final inning. With just a single score by Hullett, Colbome pulled closer with seven, but took the I8-10 defeat. Sharing pitching duties for Hullett were Julian Bolinger, Derek Dolmage, Eric Radford, Anthony Wilts and Kody Reid. The squad travelled to Varna, July 5 for a match against Stanley Twp. Hullett hit often, giving Stanley their first loss of the season. The visitors repeatedly scored multi-run innings, mounting the tally. Hullett earned the 22-5 victory. Pitchers were Dolmage, Radford, Wilts, Bolinger and Salverda. Brussels U-9s take on Newton II It was an exciting match between the Brussels U-9 I squad and its Newton II opponent last week with Brussels taking the win. Andrew Lindsay was the driving force in the first half, scoring two for the visitors while Newton was kept Continued on page 8 moving the ball down with Brandon Stolz. Heather Bone and Nathan Thompson kept the ball out defen­ sively giving them a win. June 28 they played Team I where Drew McKee showed his fast foot­ work moving the ball forward to Nathan Watson who made the goal. After half-time MacKenzie McGavin and Kelsey Smith playing defence had a lot of action trying to keep the ball out. Derek Wood showed his ability playing net stop­ ping the shots made and moving the AFP Wealth Management HELEN M. HETHERINGTON, CFP Financial Planning Consultant WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE, RETAIN PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. Call me at 887-9964 or l-800-869-8922 Head Office: 8(90-20 Erb St. W. 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