The Citizen, 1998-07-15, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1998.
ports
From the sidelines
Area hockey history
source of pride
Close one
Mandy Mitchell of the Walton Squirt Girls loses her grip
on the ball, as Ethel player Amanda Stephenson runs into
second in this game played in Walton on July 7. The
home team ran to a 17-10 victory.
Walton Squirts down Ethel
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9 -6
RR#1 Ont. t401Vt1G0 DAitoft
Marilyn elgie retires from teaching
after 33 plus sears!
Thank you to my family, especially
my husband Paul, my friends,
neighbours, and co-workers past and
present who joined in celebration of
my retirement. Your thoughtfulness
was appreciated and your good
wishes will be treasured memories.
A special thank you to the Grey
Central staff and parents for the
kindness shown in honouring the
"Retirees" of 1997-1998.
Thank you also to the Grey Central
Grade 4/5 class for your bird bath
gift and the book that you prepared
with important "things" you
remembered through the year: I also
have many memories of the special
students at Grey Central.
Thank you.
By Hugh
Nichol
It was a
single line
buried on the
back page of
the sports sec-
tion, a minor
off-season
hockey transaction that simply read:
"June 18/1998 — The Edmonton
Oilers trade Mike Watt to the New
York Islanders for Eric Fichaud."
The impact was minimal yet
provided local coffee shop talk for
one basic reason. Watt is a graduate
of the Seaforth Minor Hockey
system and has the potential to play
in the National Hockey League.
Raised in a mid-western Ontario
community of 3,000 people makes
his a remarkable feat in itself, yet it's
not unique to the town of Seaforth.
This municipality has defied all
odds by presently having three
locals not only playing professional
hockey but until June 18, as
members of the same organization.
Watt, the first of the three amigos
to be spotted by the Edmonton
Oilers, was drafted in 1994 while
playing for Michigan State
University. In 1995 Rem Murray,
also a Michigan State grad and
former draft pick of Los Angeles,
was signed as a free agent. The
following season the hattrick was
completed when Edmonton named
Boyd Devereaux their top choice in
the entry draft.
What is also truly amazing is
these names are not the beginning,
but a continuation of the proud
history Seaforth enjoys in the
annuals of hockey.
Dave Mel-twain, Pat Murray, Jack
Crawford, Charles Mason and
Cooney Welland are all candidates
for a Seaforth-and-area hall of fame
as is Scott Driscoll, an on ice
official with the NHL.
Mcllwain, a 1986 Pittsburgh draft
choice holds the dubious honour of
having skated with four teams
during the 1991-92 season, while
Murray was a 1988 Philadelphia
draft pick who played for the Flyers
in the early 1990s.
Crawford (Dublin), Weiland
(Egmondville) and Mason are of an
earlier era, but each left their mark
on the professional level.
What should not be forgotten
however is that despite Seaforth's
contribution to hockey heritage they
do not hold a monopoly on
producing elite hockey players in
the immediate area.
Goderich holds bragging rights to
Gary Doak and Larry Jeffery, and
may also claim John Price and
Albert Dewsbury, two defensemen
who toiled in the late 1940s and
early 1950s with Chicago.
Doak enjoyed a 16-year career
including five seasons under the
On,Monday, July 6, Brussels U-9
took on Listowel at Jacksonville
Park in Listowel ending the game
in a 2-1 loss.
In net for this game were Cody
tutelage of Don Cherry while
Jeffrey was a member of the last
Toronto Maple Leaf team to win the
Stanley Cup.
Lucknow residents acknowledge
Jack Murdoch, an 11-year veteran of
the New York Rangers during the
1920s and 30s but their claim to
fame is Paul Henderson who, on
Sept. 28, 1972, fired the shot heard
'round the hockey world.
Four years later the Rangers
drafted Dave Fairish and also saw
potential in Wingham's Jeff
Bloemberg, a 1986 draft choice
while Listowel graduates include
George Hay, Paul McIntosh, and
Bert McCraffrey. McIntosh, a
former Molesworth resident was
recently honoured as the Canadian
Hockey League Executive of the
Year for his work with the London
Knights organization.
Brussels? The record book does
show that Jack McIntyre who
played 11 seasons in the big leagues
with Boston, Chicago and Detroit
during the 1950s and early 60s was
indeed born in Ontario's prettiest
village, but moved to Listowel at an
early age.
McIntyre holds the record for
having his name misspelled for the
longest period of time before
correction. Adding to the confusion
was that after scoring an overtime
goal in a 1953 semi-final series
game, McIntyre was so excited he
himself gave the wrong spelling to
the reporters surrounding his locker.
To date Darwin McCutcheon is
our lone star to participate in the
NHL wars. Toronto, impressed by
the size (6' 5, 210 lbs.) and
defensive capabilities of the red-
haired defenseman made him their
ninth pick in the 1980 draft.
Following his junior career which
included a one game call up with the
Maple Leafs in December 1981
Darwin accepted a scholarship with
the University of Prince Edward
Island. In 1986 he signed as a free
agent with the Calgary Flames and
enjoyed a successful minor league
career until the end of the 1989
hockey season.
In the words of Lester B. Pearson,
"Most young Canadians are born
with skates on their feet rather than
with silver spoons in their mouths."
Playing professional hockey is a
Canadian dream pursued by many,
attained by few. Each of the above
individuals achieved that goal yet
none have forgotten their grassroots.
Every year many return to their
hometown where they are revered
not as million dollar athletes, but as
simply one of our own. The small
towns and villages give the Mike
Wattses the chance to succeed and
in return they give back what they
have taken in yet another example
of rural togetherness and community
spirit.
Stoltz, Chelsey McLellan and Chns
Jutzi.
The only goal scored was by
Jutzi in the first half.
In spite of competing a player
short, good batting and strong
pitching helped the Walton Squirt
Girls take a 17-10 victory over
Ethel, July 7, at home.
Ethel jumped out to an early lead,
pushing seven across the plate
though there were strong plays by
the Walton defense.
With Sarah McDonald on the
mound, two strikeouts were earned
before catcher Jen McClure missed
the third strikeout catch.
However, she recovered quickly,
nailing the runner at first with the
help of a long stretch from first
base player Michelle Cook.
Walton drew within two runs
after their first at-bat on the
strength of a triple by McDonald,
an RBI single from Crystal Gib-
bons and an RBI double from
McClure before Cook belted a
homerun to clear the bases.
Krista Shortreed tapped a single
and was followed by a walk to
Ashley Hulley.
McDonald shut down Ethel in the
second, giving her squad a chance
to pull ahead.
Gibbons got on base with a walk
before McClure singled and Cook
smashed a homer to bring in three
runs.
With an 8-7 lead going into the
third, Walton could not hold off the
runners, allowing Ethel to slip
ahead by one.
Mandy Mitchell earned the first
out on a nice nab and race to sec-
ond.
Catcher McClure and first base
player Cook combined for a throw
out at first and McDonald struck
out the third to end the inning.
Walton bats were quieted in the
bottom of the inning, scoring only
one. A walk to Hulley after singles
from Melissa Beuermann and
McDonald and a walk to Gibbons
contributed the run.
Ethel eked out two runs between
two strikeouts from new pitcher
Pre-Mites
get big win
The Brussels Pre-Mites ended the
regular season with a strong game
and resounding win against Ethel
II, July 6.
Christopher Becker led off the
offense with a triple then was
brought home when Dustin Lichty
taped a single.
A homerun blast from Justin Pipe
cleared the bases for two RBIs.
Andrew Lindsay smacked a two-
bagger then was pushed across the
plate when Bradley Quesenberry
hit a double.
Meagan Keffer nubbed a single
but was left stranded.
Ethel H was up and down quick-
ly, allowing Brussels back to the
plate before their bats cooled.
Lead-off singles from Marissa
Pipe and Christine Bone set up an
RBI for Becker when he hit a dou-
ble.
A homer from Lichty tallied
three and put Brussels ahead 8-0.
Brendan Stretton and Justin Pipe
tapped singles followed by a three-
run round-tripper for Lindsay.
Quesenberry added to the score
with a solo homerun.
Keffer again singled but was left
on with the 10-batter rule.
Ethel got on the board in the bot-
tom of the second with six singles,
but tallied only two.
Up 12-2, Brussels offense contin-
ued strong hitting and singles from
Marissa Pipe, Bone, Becker, Lichty
and Stretton, a double from Justin
Pipe, triple by Lindsay and homer
from Quesenberry, eight runs were
added in the third.
RBIs went to Lichty, Stretton,
Justin Pipe (two), Lindsay (two)
and Quesenberry (two).
Ethel made an effort to narrow
the lead in the bottom of the inning,
scoring three.
Brussels won 20-5.
The year-end tournament will be
held in Belgrave, July 25.
Cook. The third out came on a hard
hit ball back at Cook. when she
nabbed it and threw to McClure at
first base.
Continued on page 9
Listowel edges U-9 team, 2-1