The Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-06-01, Page 11Shortly after major league
baseball expanded to Montreal, it
took its minor leagues to the
French countryside.
Quebec City, Sherbrooke and
Trois Rivieres got pro teams and
so did Thetford Mines, where a
group of Pirates invaded for a
summer they'll always remem-
ber.
It was 1974, Pittsburgh picked
the asbestos mining town of
15,000 for its Double A farm
team and sent many top
prospects to play there. Tony
Armas, Omar Moreno and Ken
Macha were all on their way to
the big leagues and so was a
slick young second baseman
who, at 19, was overwhelmed by
the ordeal.
There were a few surprises
when the summer began. The
players arrived to find a culturen
they were unfamiliar with, a
ballpark that was unplayable
and, in general, an organization
that wasn't quite ready for them.
."Some of the players were a
little upset," remembers Macha,
who is now the third base coach
with the California Angels. "The
people rallied round and ac-
cepted us but they'd just never..
had a pro team before and' didn't
know what/ was expected:"
These men without hats (they
hadn't arrived yet) played their
early home series on the road
and when they travelled, had to
exercise the ultimate in dis-
cipline. The bus hired to take
them to places like Reading,.
Pennsylvania, 12 hours away,
had no bathroom.
In A Park Somewhere
By Jim Hughson, Sportscaster
The Sports Network,
Some players couldn't or
wouldn't handle such adversity
as dressing for games in the
hockey rink. Moreno asked the
Pirates to get him out and he
was moved to Triple A. The
young second baseman, who'd
seldom bee out of Brooklyn,
New York, was afraid, disil-
lusioned, homesick and on
several occasions came close 'to
leaving Thetford Mines and
baseball behind:
But as the summer progressed,
so did management and the
Pirates. By August the field had
sod, theplayers had member-
ships at a local golf club, the
Balmoral Hotel was doing a
booming business during homes
tands and the Pirates were star-
ting to look like a team.
Armas had 15 homers, Mach
was the league's top hitter ant
the second baseman had mad(
just 21 errors on the rock fields
and was as settled as 'he could
be in a place so foreign to him.
Thetford Mines beat Quebec
City and the Bristol Red Sox to
win the Eastern League cham- '
pionship and, then, just like
pirates, left town in a hurry.
The parent club was unhappy
with the local ownership and
severed its ties so quickly the
players didn't even get a ring to
commemorate their victory. In
another year, baseball Was gone
from Thetford Mines altogether.
Macha won the MVP award
and went on to play for both
Toronto and Montreal; Armas hit
more than 200 homers with
Oakland and Boston; •Moreno
starred with Pittsburgh's cham-
pionship team in 1.979 and the
young second baseman outdid
them all.
Prepared by his summer in'
Quebec, on and off the field, he
matured into a major . league
player the next season. He was
traded home to New York and
starred with the Yankees for 13
years, was a six -time ail -star and
won two World Series. He now
coaches third base for the Yanks
and wonders what might have
happened had he 'given up and
gone home in that summer of
'.74.
' The, second baseman was
Willie Randolph.
New couple :welcomed to. Whitechurch
WHITECHURCH
by Jean Ross
Aimmem
Chalmers WMS . held their
meeting on May 18 at the home of
Mrs. Dora Neilson.
Mrs. Neilson served dessert prior
to the meeting at 2 p.m. The leaders
were Dora Neilson and Jean
Cruickshank:
The theme was mother.
Jean Cruickshank read the scrip-
ture and Dora followed with prayer.
The leaders read a litany on
mothers. The topic "When you
come to. your wits end" was given
by Dora.,
The roll call was "name a mother
of the bible" and was answered by
eight. .
Norma Rintoul read the minutes.
President Kathleen Elliott presided
for the business and 'discussed the
duties for Whitechurch at Camp
Kintail, June 16.
'The visiting committee of Kath-
leen Elliott, Mildred )Purdon
reported on the visiting of the shut-
ins. Dora Neilson, Norma Rintoul
are the new visiting committee.
The next meeting is June• 15 at
Mrs. Cook's in Lucknow.
The village welcomes Brian and
Dorthy Martin family. They have
purchased the Tiffin house from
Stephen MacDonald of Mississauga
(formerly of Wingham)'.
Mrs. Linda Smitts of the village
and her sister, 'recently returned.
home after spending a few days in
Las Vegas,which they enjoyed very
much.
4-H News
The 1st meeting of the
Whitechurch club called Exploring
Photography was held May 17 at 7
p.m at Kathleen Elliott's.
The group of 12 elected the fol-
lowing members: President, Allison '
Hackett; Vice-president Tony Byes-
bergen; Secretary Beth Gregg; and
Press reporter, Brenda Gugg.
The guest speaker was George
Lubbers who . spoke on the
operation of different types of
cameras.
The next meeting is May 24 at
Elliott's.
Chalmer Presbyterian Church held
its anniversary service May 22.
The chair was made up of former
and past members from all 35.
The Rev. Ivan Dambrowitz of
'Bluevale, Behnore Presbyterian
Church was the guest speaker.
Good crowds attended both ser-
vices. The choir was under the
direction of Jean Ross.
Mrs. Agnes Farrier spent last
week with her daughter, Mrs. Janis
Davis of Windsor.
r _
COUNTY OF HURON
Corporation of the
NOTICE
RE: SPOTSPRAYING OF WEED.$
.This is to notify residents of the County of Huron that
, the county will be
SPOT SPRAYING WEEDS
In rural areas commencing June 6, 1994, for a period
of approximately 12 - 14 weeks. Pesticides to be
used are ESTAPROP, Registration No. 14803;
AMITROL-T, Registration No. 16548, and DIPHENO-
PROP.700, Registration No. 15707. Tp be controlled
are noxious weeds as per the Provincial Weed
Control Act.
This notice complies with regulation 914 of the.
Pesticides' Act. For further information and for the
locations' of, the roads to be.treated, please cal Joe
Gibson, Weed Inspector at (519) 233-3229.
Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, June 1, 1994 — Page 11
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