HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-10-24, Page 2Page 2 The Huron Expositor • October 24, 2007
News
WOSSA rugby -football champs of 1951
to relive old memories at reunion this weekend
Susan H u n d e r i m a r k
aMMESIED
It's been more than 55 years since
the Seaforth high school rugby -foot-
ball team won the WOSSA B cham-
pionship.
But, the surviving members are
gathering next weekend to remem-
ber the old victories and times play-
ing in the cold and mud at
Seaforth's Lions Park.
"It was football but it was called
rugby then," says Gar Baker, one of
the members of the championship
team of 1951. "And, we wpm -thy
first team to be called the Golden
Bears."
"It was a tough game and it still is
one of the toughest games because
of all the physical contact and
injuries," says Irwin Johnston,
another 1951 team member.
Along with Baker's wife Carol -
who was a cheerleader at the time
and is credited
with the idea of
bringing the
team together
one more time -
Baker and
Johnston are the
players still liv-
ing in Seaforth
hosting the
reunion at the
Seaforth Legion
on Oct. 27 at 2
p.m.
They are invit-
ing anyone from
that era - play-
ers, partners,
family, friends
and those inter-
ested in football
teams from the
late 40s and
early 50s, asking
them to bring
invited to attend tries( arca churchcc
ST. THOMAS
ANGLICAN CHURCH
A Congregation of the Parish of
The Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522
Sunday Oct. 28
Diocese of Huron 150th Anniversary Worship
Service at 2pm at JLC in London. Tickets
available at N,C . Call 519-527-1522. Bus
leave St. Thomas Church at 11:15 am sharp
(Sorry, bus only for those pre -registered). NO
MORNING SERVICE TN THE PARISH
BETHEL BIBLE
CHURCH
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Sunday School • All Ages • 9:45am
Sunday Worship llam
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE
UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
Sunday Oct. 28
Cavan Anniversary
Everyone Welcome
ST. JAMES
ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
519-527-0142
Sunday Mass llam
St. Patrick's, Dublin
Sat. Mass 5 pm - Sun. Mass 9am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
EGMONDVILLE
UNITED
CHURCH
Sunday Oct. 28
Pastor Steve Hildebrand
Worship llam
Sunday School loam
Everyone welcome
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday Oct. 28
11:15am service - Janneke Murray
(Rev. Huberts on study leave)
No Bible study on Thursday night
Nov. 5 - Sparta Candles & Gifts 74:30p►;
The WOSSA B champions of 1951 in rugby -football include from left in the front, Gar Baker, Michael
Bechley, coach Archie Dobson, Harry Jacobi, Jim Flannigan, Gordon Rowland, Sandy MacMillan, Ron Muir
and hidden Don McLellan and in the back, John McGavin, Gib Hubert, George Sills, Mervyn Eyre, Ron
Rennie, Tom Ducharme, Eric MacMillan, Irwin Johnston, Doug Stewart, Jerry Dressel and Don Dale.
their memorabil-
ia and pictures
and their memories to share. Dobson introduced rugby -football -
Johnston says coach Archie whose name was transformed to
football since it was a similar game
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to today's Canadian football - to
Seaforth's high school. However,
football has not been played in
Huron -Perth high schools for about
20 years.
While the sport was new to
Seaforth's students, Baker says it
was "the team" to play on at the
time.
"We didn't know anything about
football before we went to high
school," he says. •
Since they attended the "old high
school" which was smaller than the
current building that now houses
Seaforth Public School and the Avon
Maitland District School Board
administration offices, Johnston
and Baker say the smaller grounds
at the time made it necessary for
the rugby -football team to play at
Lions Park where 'the ball diamond
is now located.
At the time, there were goal posts
at the ends of the field, along with a
ball diamond that footballers ran
over during the game.
"It was muddy and cold because
we played on grass and dirt and our
uniforms would get soaked and cov-
ered in mud and snow," remembers
Johnston.
There were no stands for fans,
who stood along the sidelines to
watch, cheering along with the four
school cheerleaders, singing, "Red,
black and yellow are the colours of
the brave. Red, black and yellow are
See PERSISTENCE, Page 3