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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-08-08, Page 14• SOwitt$.0 RPONE • • - •Report on Sports By Rod Kitts A giant step forward 'The time has come for Sports Editor Rod Hilts to -say goodbye to Clinton. This will be my final sports report for the News -Record. Next week, I will be taking a tremendous climb up the journalistic ladder as I've been appointed Editor of the Mitchell Advocate. I've had an enjoyable stay in Clinton and can only hope the residents of Mitchell will be half as receptive as the many Clintonians I've dealt withduring my term. The sports contacts I've established in this town have made my job most gratifying. Everyone from sports enthusiast Doc Miller, to Colts' skipper Sly Kennedy have added a whole new dimension to the Clinton sports scene. The kindness and cooperation shown by Clinton Mustang's Manager Wayne "Wiggy" Wiggins and the Colts' John Leppington made my job much easier. Thank you gentlemen! The cooperation from the coaches and managers throughout the News -Record coverage area also aided my cause. I can only hope that you keep up your fantastic torrespondance with the News -Record. When I started my position as Sports Editor in January of 1983, I came to Clinton '• as a rookie from the ranks of Conestoga College, Kitchener. Clinton offered me a training ground second to none. The variety of events I have covered since coming to this town have opened up other avenues in my journalism career. I've covered all types of situations; some good, some bad. I've paddled through the Hullett Wildlife Area in search of a full-page feature. I've literally crawled through the mud -covered motocross track at Ilully Gully searching for the best possible angle with my camera. •I've watched and written about Blyth's struggle to expand and keep their landfill site open. I've written human interest stories about local individuals and their struggle to compete in our struggling' economy: The list goes on. I'm proud to say the News -Record sports section has grown in leaps and bounds over the past year and a half. In fact, with the • addition of Recreation Director Kevin Duguay and the expanded, much -improved recreation program in town, I expect the BEST RATES GUARANTEED TO $60,000. 31 %1 3 % 1/2 1 YEAR S YEARS No Fees - Rates Sub ect To Change Contact ABC ANNUITIES 53 WEST ST., GODERICH CALL 524-2773 (Collect) sports section will grow even larger in the future. Sports has always been my priority area, however, that will change with my new position as editor. I enjoyed my time here, despite covering many teams with losing records. I learned that sometimes winning isn't everything. For the most part, I found that Clinton teams acted in a very sportsman-like manner, whether they won or lost. The Clinton Junior C Mustangs were perhaps the best example of this. Last season, the young Mustangs were trampled into the ice in the opening half. of their hockey season. When I travelled on the team bus, I could sense that these guys had pride in themselves. Each loss hurt most of them like a knife in the back. I admit that at times it was hard to find some positive things to write about the team. In the second half of the season, the boys turned it on and brought some respectibility into the dressing room. The work of Head Coach Bob Zimmer and assistant Butch Elliott had a lot to do with this. Good luck to the Mustangs this season. My 'heart will be with you! And finally I'd like to thank News -Record Editor and leader Shelley McPhee for the excellent direction and support she has given me. She is the key person in our newsroom and her leadership will always be remembered and admired in my mind. I'll never forget the first assignment Editor McPhee gave me. After my first hour on the job, Shelley instructed me to visit the Clinton Public School and talk to the Grade 4 class about New Year's Resolutions. Photos of the 'individual children were to accompany the story. I got so enthused with the assignment, I forgot to load film into my "camera! When I returned to the office, my face was. red with embarrassment. I could have crawled into a hole. Shelley casually asked how my assignment went. I explained the whole situation and she smiled. Thank goodness for that smile! , I look back on my term here with a.smile. Goodbye Clinton and to use an old cliche "may the good news be yours" - Rodney Noel Hilts. DRYSDALE MAJOR APPLIANCE CENTRE LTD. SALES WITH SERVICE "The Place to Buy Appliances" NEW AND USED HENSALL 262-2728 CLOSED MONDAYS utch Elliott fulfills a lifewolong dream By Rod Hilts CLINTON - Famous celebrities, late night parties and a successful brae racing career are all things George "Butch" Elliott will never forget. Life in the fast lane for him was an experience to say the least, but Butch says there's nothing like Clinton. Butch has fulfilled a number of his career goals in harness racing but one of the biggest was to establish a training stables operation in his home town. The Clinton horseman has successfully raced and trained top-ranked standard -bred horses across Canada and the U.S. for 18 years but says he knew that someday he would make it back to his hometown. A dream come true Today, Butch is busy breaking and training colts at his horse operation at the north end of -the Clinton Community Park. "This is a dream come true for me," Butch said as he dyed his huge red barn. "You get tired of bouncing around from town to town and living out of a suitcase. It's a high pressure business. I'd do it again though. I'd never have been happy if I hadn't of done it," Butch said. Trips to 'the Meadowlands Raceway in New Jersey, one of the world's premier horse racing circuits, remain as one of Butch's most exciting memories of harness racing. "The lifestyle was great down there. It was kinda' like a fantasy world meeting great celebrities. We had ,good horses and the money was so much greater there, We just decided that we had to take a shot at it," he recalled. Best seat in the house Butch remembered times during the three months there when he and a millionaire friend from New York went to the races and sat at better tables than actor Telly Savalis. Butch Elliott says that establishing a training barn in Clanton is "a dream come true". Butch has been racing and training top-ranked standard bred horses across North America for the past -18 years. He is pictured with H.F. Alice, owned by BW Fleming of Clinton and trained by himself. (Rod Hilts photo) • TWO WEEK WM SESSION Aug. 13-24 (Mon. -Fri.) Red Cross Swim Levels 1:30-2:15 pm - Yellow, Blue, Maroon & Survival. 2:15-3 pm - Orange, Red, Green. at VANASTRA RECREATION CENTRE 482-3544 --- THE WORD 15 OUT! uert 'ssHoEs is having their.... On Summer Sandals and Dress Shoes Exeter and Clinton Stores Children's Leather Summer 'SANDALS $9?5 - $12?5 Dress SHOES -1/2 PRICE cka,Many more in store features SAN DALS $1 1.95 to $14.95 Regular to $17.95 uertb's SHOES SHOES All Leather White and Tan Colours ALL Exeter and Clinton airs? 235-0611 482-9692 MINIMPE auolity & Service Since 1938 The horses, which were owned by Jerry DuFord and trained by Bach, were doing well but the racing stint came to an end when the hot* got sick. "It was a worthwhile trip but I couldn't measure it in dollars and cents," he said. Started young Butch's strategic elimb. up the ladder of harness racing started at the age of eight, when he was a Parade Marshal. He led the horses to the post while driving a white pony. His interest in the sport began to flourish at this stage. The 35 -year-old horseman attributes much of his success in the sport to his father, Dr. George Elliott. He undoubtedly had an influence on his son's decision to make harness racing a career. Dr. Elliott, a retired veterinarian, has always had a love for horses and was experienced in training them. Today,, George still does most of Butch's vet work. "Dad helps me jog and train the horses every day. It's a hobby to him. I probably couldn't run the operation without him," Butch said. When he was 12 -years -old, Butch got a summer job working for Ken Galbraith at Greenwood Raceway in Toronto. He worked there for two summers grooming race horses. "It was a learning experience. I tried to work somewhere new every summer to gain more experience," Butch said. For the next two summers he worked for the late Ron Feagan of Goderich. After graduating from Central Huron Secondary School, he worked for horse owner George Hawke in Winnipeg. In the summertime, he raced and trained in Buffalo and in the Winter he did the same in Windsor. For the next two years he made the transition from groomer to trainer. First race At the age of. 17, Butch got his first -opportunity to drive. Mischief G was the horse and he guided it to a fourth place finish. He liked racing. "I always wanted to be a driver. I felt I could drive a horse and I always wanted to say I could. But driving is a pressure job," Butch said. After Hawke, Butch worked for the late Bill Harvey where he had more in-depth training as a driver. He raced at Western Fair Raceway in London and in Buffalo. In his second race, Butch drove 'the horse Breckenridge to a second place finish.' The next race he and the same horse finished first. ' Broke a record That summer of 1970, Butch and Mr. CLIP AND SAVE CLINTON SUMMER POOL PROGRAM •ci SESSION THREE Monday, August 13 -'Friday, August 31 -REGISTRATION: Friday, August 10 At Pool 9 am - 8 pm CLASS FEE Parent and Tot 15. Flippers (Learn to Swim) . 15. Red Cross 15. RLSS I II III "15. Adult Learn To Swim 10. 5 Junior Water Polo PUBUC SWIM RATES PER SWIM SEASONAL *Reduced Rate 50' • 7 Children Students 75 7 Adults 1 00 ..... . .. ....... 12. Family 2 00 • • ....... .. ... ......... 18. *Now available at Pool FOR MORE INFORMATION PHONE 482-9298 CLIP AND SAVE - CLINTONSUMMER PLAYGROUND DIVISION Peanuts Palace 3-5 Junior 6-9 Senior 10-'12 Monday -Wednesday -Friday 1:30-4:00 PM Monday to Friday 9 AM -4 PM Monday to Friday 9 AM -4 PM PLAYGROUND FEES Division 1 week Peanuts Palace 10 Junior 15 Youth . 15 Peanuts Palace Family 15 Family 25 NOTE TO PARENTS - Any child registering in one week of summer playground lt eligible for a free trip to Canada's Wonderland. 2 week -15 30 30 25 50 ,..0901119.1M2MISMISNION01... 3 week 20 40 40 35. 60 FOR MORE INFORMATION PHONE 482-7731 Harvey moved to Bldfal% There, Butch broke a track record that was 23 -years -old. While aboard Noted Chief he finished with a time of 27 and two-fifths, for the fastest 9- 16tb of a mile in the history of the track. That summer, driving became a full-time occupation for him. Bill Harvey died that fall and Butch began working for Jack Kopas In London. He got the job, which would last five years, after receiving a recommendation from Clint Hodgins of Lucan. The late Mr. Hodgins was regarded as one of the top horsemen in North America. "My career really started to blossom when I worked for Kopas. He had real good horses and it gave me an opportunity to race better quality stock," Butch said. That same winter, Butch trained colts and raced the occassional horse at Western Fair Raceway. He started to break colts in the fall and turn them into racing material. "I learned how to break colts through Kopas," he said. First big chance His first big opportunity came in 1972 when Kopas sent him to Montreal with six race horses. "I had a real good meet there. My two biggest thrills was winning the Preferred Pace in 2.01 and two-fifths with the Hammer and having the fastest ride at the track with Key Ones Uno with a time off 59.3," Butch noted. In the fall of '72, Butch was back in London training colts for Kopas and catch driving (driving horses for other people). His next big racing opportunity would come in the spring of 1973. He travelled to Buffalo with nine horses and did well before coming back to Windsor to race in the fall of 1974. He continued to be on the move and in the spring of 1975, he moved to Batavia, a racing town near Rochester, New York. "It was anothei racing circuit and I had exceptionally good luck there," Butch said. Time for change In the winter of 1975-'76, he raced in Windsor, where he didn't do quite as well. He quit working for Kopas and worked for Jerry DuFord, who lived near Campbellville. "I felt it was time fora change," he Said. He worked for Jerry and his father in Windsor and raced the -Jockey Club circuit in the summer. "There was a decline in my driving when I worked for the DuFords. Jerry was the driver and' I specialized in training and warming up the horses," Butch explained. His training career began to sky rocket in the six years he worked for DuFord. The big event In 1977, Meadowlands was the site of the biggest racing debut of Butch's career. The Duforts took 12 horses to New Jersey and did quite well. "We had one of the top trotters which was imprestiVe," Butch said. - Trotter Reps Jewel was the big winner, competing for purses ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 a night. "For an overnight event in 1977 it was big money," Butch said. Even today, overnight purses at Greenwood in Toronto don't exceed $14,000. They lived in a motel in North Bergen, New Jersey and, "had a lot of good times with a lot of hard work." "Play hard and work hard," Butch concludes of the New Jersey race days. Following three months of racing in New Jersey, Butch returned to Mohawk where he continued to train until the fall of 1981. A big change, He returned to Clinton that year and found the transition to be difficult. He recalled, "It was a big adjustment. The lifestyle. was Turn to page 15 PEACHES • Apples •Plums • Pears oBlueberries, • Frozen Cherries • Frozen Blueberries • Frozen Raspberries *Fruit Products OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK ROCK GLEN FRUIT FARMS LTD. Arkona Ont. 828-3644 Call NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR NEW COMMUNITY? era)In(ePik-a-Joit, Phone 524-2544 hostess will bring gifts and greetings with helpful community information. • r ,