Clinton News-Record, 1984-12-26, Page 16Page 16
Ci-aNTON NEWS RECORD WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26,1984
Sports
From the tgrids Club tries to im
By finne Maiejko
Wayne Gretzky earns his name
Wayne Gretzky has proven that he is It comes.as no surprise that the 1983-'84
"Great." On December 19 the Great Stanley Cup winners, the Fdmonton Oilers,
Gretzky reached the 1,000 point plateau by won the team of the year. The Winnipeg
banging M a rebound against the Los Blue Bombers of the CFL -placed second
Angeles Kings. This makes him the with the Toronto BlueJays finishing third.
youngest and the fastest person to TheDilers received 33 first place votes, 22
accumulate 1,000 points in the history of the second place voter—aTri fottribird place
NHL. votes for 147 points. ( Each first place vote is
Gretzky has played only 424 games, worth three, second place votes are worth
scoring 388 goals and earning 612 assists. two, and third place vote 4 worth one.) The
Guy Lafleur, now retired from the Montreal Blue Bombers receivedthree firsts, 13
Canadians, was previously the fastest seconds and 13 thirds for 48 points. The Blue
person to reach 1,000 points, doing it in 720 Jays recorded one first, six seconds and 12
games. That. puts'Gretzky 296 games ahead thirds for 27 points.
of Lafleur. Gaetan Boucher was named the Canadian
What more can the 23 -year-old achieve? Athlete of 1984 and Alex Baumann was voted
He has broken jut about, every record ever the Male Athlete of the year. Baumann
set in the NHL as well as taking the carne in second for the Canadian Athlete of
individual scoring title for the past four the year as well and Wayne Gretzky, who
seasons. won the honor in 1982 and 1983, was third.
Only 17 other players have reached the The Lou Marsh trophy, named after a
1,000 point mark and only three of them are former sports editor of the Toront9 Star, is
still active: Marcel Dionne of the Los awarded to either an amateur or
Angeles Kings has a career total of 1,421 professional, male or female.
points in 1,033 games; Gilbert Perreault of The 26 -six-year-old Boucher was chosen to
the Buffalo Sabres has 1,191 points in 1,049 carry the Canadian flag at the Winter
games; and Darryl Sittler of the Detroit Red Olympic games where he won two gold and
Wings has 1,104 points in 1,056 games. The one. bronze medal in speed skating. He
all time career pdintleader is Gordie Howe became the first Canadian to win three
who retired after 22 seasons, ( 1,767 games medals in one.Olympics.
played ), earning 1,850 points. ' Boucher also competed in the 1980 Lake
If Gretzky keeps up his.pace of 2.8 points Placid Games, winning a silver medal.
per game during the final 50 games of the Baumann was chosen Male Athlete of the
season, he will finish with 1,148 points. year and was named athlete of the Olympics
Imagine the number of points he would have by an international sports magazine. The
after 22 seasdnsl Sudbury swimmer won two gold medals at
the Los Angeles Summer Olympics and set
With the end of the year comes the naming two world records, .
of the most valuable male athletetCanadian If 1984 was an indication as to how the
'athlete and the team of the year by the Canadian athletes will do in the futiire, we
Canadian Press and the United Press. certainly have something to look forward to.
• ATV to hold annual
meeting on Deceniber 27
The first annual meeting of the Ontario
All -Terrain Vehicle Association will be held
on December 27, from 7 - 9 p.m. at the
Howard Johnsons ori Wellington Road South
in London.
The meeting will cover all aspects of the
competition activity for 1985, including rule
changes, classifications and race dates. A
discussion will also be held on other areas of
motorsport competition i.e. drags, pulls,
• flat -track, etc. that might be included in the
future.
The Ontario All -Terrain Vehicle Associa-
tion has beenoperating for a few months
CLINTON - Snowmobilers, like
motorcylists, were given a bad public image
about 20 years ago. They were known as
people who would run over farmers' fences,
drive over young trees and trespass on
private property while on joy rides.
Unfortunately for those that were serious
about the sport, this stigma remained for a
long time. In 1969-a group. of snowmobilers
formed the Clinton and District Snowmobile
Club Incorporated in an attempt to organize
the sport and combat the image.
"Snowmobiling was a fade in the late
1960s and early '70s, just like motorcylces
were. But in the latg '70s and early '80s the
machines became more expensive and only
the die hards are left. We're trying to
improve the public relations," explained
Club President John Gibson, of Clinton.
The main functions of the 130 -member
club is not only to improve the relations
between snowmobilers and property
owners, but to make snowmobiling safer.
If the snowmobiler knows the Mails he is
prepared for the turns and the hills and if the
trails are marked and well maintained,
driving is that much safer. Combining both
of these elements gives maximum safety,
and that is why a trail system was set up.
In 1982 all trails in Ontario were classified
as private, even if they were owned by the
government. Therefore it is necessary to get
permission from the land owners each year
before the trails can be used as part of the
trail system.
"We try to put the trails in the bush. The
fuidergrowth is trimmed and all the trails
are well groomed. We encourage cross-
country skiers to join as well so they can use
them," commented Mr. Gibson.
The trails are maintained by a groomer,
( a double track snowmobile with an
apparatus on the back that smooths out
mogals ) which the club got through a
Wintario grant Iasi year.
The permission given by the land owners
allow snowmobilers to drive on the trails
only, and not the whole area.
"We appreciate the land owners' co-
. operation. It helps keep the snowmobiles off
the streets and the country roads,"
commented'Mr. Gibson.
An extension to the trail system is the
trunk trail system. The Lake Huron
Regional Snowmobile Association, which
the club belongs to, has a trails that link one
anu s designeu to otter safe, clean,
economical fun for amateur ATV en-
thusiasts. With the newlegislature now in
effect, this meeting could prove very infor-
mative.
• Upcoming AP/ Events
January 19 -. ATV & Snowcross Races
$1000 purse, Mitchell Fair Grounds - under
the lights; January 20 - ATV & Snowcross
Races $1000 purse, Hully Gully - Special At-
traction - Cross Country Race; February 7 -
Western Sports Fair, London; February 9 -
Western Sports Fair, London - under the
lights; February 10.- Western Sports Fair -
Finals $3800 purse.
•TO HU
It's been our pleasure
to know you and serve you.
Merry Christmas and a
prosperous New Year
to all, and a special thanks
for making our
second year in business
an enjoyable one.
, Last year the Clinton and District Snowmobile Club purchased a groomer for their trails
with a Wintario grant. The groomer will help keep the trails safe for snowmobilers.
Above is club President John Gibson. (Rod Hilts photo)
another. For example; a snowmobiler can the crippled children and held poker rallies
drive from Colborne Township to Goderich. • and dances.
These linking trails help the clubs assist "For the new people who don't know the
people during storms when other vehicles trails, we like to have someone take them
cannot get around. It also provides trips for out. We stop in the towns along the way and
nowmobilers to go on have a coffee and perhaps lunch;"
"Last year we.helped the OPP search for commented Mr. Gibson.
a cross-country skier. Members are always The trails which the Clinton and District
willing to help when needed," Mr. Gibson Snowmobile Club have are 'mainly in the
said. • bush, providing a senic outing. They are
Snowmobile riders, like other vehicle well groomed and well marked so no one can
• drivers, are require* to be licensed and get lost. However, there, is one stipulation
have insurance. The club also has liability
for use of the trails.
insurance for the trails.
Volunteer members from the Clinton and "A person must belong to a club to travel
District Club are licensed by the Ministry of the trail system. They should remember
Transportation and Communication to that they can only use the trail and not the
instruct those who want to obtain property around it."
snowmobile driver's license. In order to get The Clinton and District Snowmobile Club
a license, a person must be at least 12 -years- • offers planned activities as well as a safe
• old. place to ride them. Clearly marked trails
In the nast the chit) has raised money for take one aspeet of danger out of the sport.
Ron McKay voted committee chairman
CLINTON - With the end of 1984 comes
changes .in positions within the Clinton
Re.creation Committee. New members have.
been added while others have completed
• their term. Leaving the committee are
Frank MacDonald and Bill Craig.
Frank MacDonald announced his
resignation at the December 13 meeting,
. stating that he has "served on the .
committee for 14 years" and feels it is time
to step (town. Mr. MacDonald has spent his
last two terms as chairman of the recreation
committee.
Ron McKay was unanimously voted in as
the new chairman with incla Reid voted.
vice-chairman. Mr. McKay i nine year
member of the committee and previously.
held the position " of parks and pool
chairman.
After five years on the committee, two as
arena chairman, Bill Craig has decided to
step down. He feels that he has served his
term and has accomplished a number of
things that were of concern to him. Mrs.
Reid will be the new arena chairman.
Two new members were decided upon at.
the December meeting. They are Dan
Colquhoun, who ,will be on the arena
committee, and Barb Crawford, who will be
on the parks and pool committee.
The arena committee for the upcoming
year will consist of Charlie Burgess, Steve
Gibbings, Dan Colquhoun and Chairman
Linda Reid.
The parks and pool committee 'has •
Chairman Jim Hiinter working with Bonnie
Jewitt and Barb Crawford.
The newly established arts committee will
be chaired • by Gord Gerrits with Judy
Stuart, Stephen Oliver and Roy Wheeler
working with him.
• Marie Jefferson will continue to be' the
secretary -treasurer..
,\\14
Shirley Tay
From all of us
at Mary's, our
best wishes
for the
Holiday- Season.
Peace to all
'Or
MERRY CHRISTMAS! FROM ALL OF US AT DURST FARM CENTRE
LEFT TO RIGHT: Len, Mary Grace, Bryan.
PURINA
CHOWS
DURST FARM CENTRE
Highway No. 8 West, Clinton 482-7706
•
HOURS: OPEN DEC. 24, 8 5 pm; CLOSED DEC. 25 & 26; THURS. TO FRI., 8 5 pm;
SAT., 8.12 noon; DEC. 31, 8 - 5 pm; JAN. 1 CLOSED; JAN. 2, OPEN FOR REG. HOURS
estnemsemeastentemat
Marie Collins
arvS
oi
"Your Authorized WhIte-Elna Sewing Machine Dealer"
17 VICTORIA ST. CLINT N 482-7036
SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS: CLOSED DEC. 25 & 26