Page 22 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 81
P. 22

22          Issue #81  August 2019                                                         www.sportsenergynews.com



                            Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk with Area Seniors



                            Bill Rae and David Hill





             ill  Rae  and  David  Hill  both  that could barely skate.  Some had
        Bspent their early years growing  grown up on farms or lived in the

        up in the lost village of Moulinette.  country, had played hockey on  a
        Both of them played hockey and  pond, or been to public skating, but
        lacrosse, David also played fastball  that was about it.  Making hockey
        and Bill had an amateur boxing  players out of them was way down
        career during his years at Queens  on our list.  Our goal was to develop
        University.                           young men.  Players didn’t make
                                              the team on their skill level – skill
          Bill and David have many
        memories from their involvement       could be worked on as we went —
        in sports and they certainly          they made the team on their desire
                                              to play.  One of us would take the
        enjoyed the years they spent and
        the friendships that they made        forwards, the other the defence
                                              and we would send anyone who
        coaching the Long Sault Jr. C team
        from 1970 -76.  Bill recalls being    needed to develop their skating to
        approached at the rink one night by   the far end of the ice, instructing
                                              them to get on a circle and change
        one of the players, telling him that
        their team had no coach, and asked    directions every time they heard a
                                              whistle.  Those who were working
        if he would be interested.   Bill
        talked to David about joining him     on their skating became our fourth
        and that’s how it all started.        line.   We made sure that all four    FRONT ROW - left to right; Mike Hanton, Kenny Brown, Danny Locke,
                                              lines got equal ice time and as the   Dave Alguire, Sheldon Legue, Donald MacDonald.
          Bill recalls that “The hockey       end of the season came around the     ROW TWO - left to right; Leo Brunet, Walter Baker, Wayne Wood, Phil
        system was nowhere near as            fourth line had improved to the       Quinlan,  Paul  Hurrell,  Kevin  Ritchie,  Garry Locke,  Dave MacDonald,
        developed as it is today.  We had     point that they were a very valuable   Karl Runions
        several kids that had never played    part of the team”.                     BACK ROW: David Hill and Bill Rae                       Photo Submitted
        organized hockey and a couple
                                                Al’s BP, the team sponsor,          provided the sweaters, with each  the team was not tolerated and was

                                                                                    player being responsible for their  put to an early end when one player
                                                        Cornwall’s Oldest Paint,    own  stick; ice time for practices  was asked if he used language like
                                                         Blind & Shutter Store.     and game had to be paid for, with  that at home.   When the player
                                                    Family owned Business Since 1988
                                                                                    players  and  coaches all  sharing  replied that he did he was then told
                                                                                    the cost.  There were no seat belt  that he had better go home and talk
            Presents “Famous Sports Quotes”                                         rules in those days and a road game  like that, he wasn’t doing it here.
                                                                                    usually  meant travelling  to  the  That ended the profanity David
          “A Champion needs a motivation above and beyond                           opposition’s rink with 2 or 3 players  said, any issues we had were nipped
          winning.”                                                Pat Riley        in the front seat, another 4 or 5 in  in the bud and taken care of.  One
                                                                                    the back seat and the trunk packed  spring the team had won a playoff
                                                                                    with equipment.  One of the team  series and each of the players had
                                                                                    rules was that if a player didn’t  brought a couple of beers in their
                                                                                    show up for practice, he didn’t play  equipment bag to celebrate.   The
                                                                                    the next game.  One time we had a  players were all underage so David
         ALL BLINDS                                                                 Saturday afternoon practice at the  and Bill gathered up the beers and
                                                                                    outdoor rink on the bay where only  poured them all down the urinal
                                                                                    part of the team showed up.  The  saying that that ended beer in the
                                                                                    following game those who weren’t  dressing room.
                                                                                    at practice were told to take their     “David and I had very few rules
                                                                                    equipment off and to go home, -       “Bill stated, but there were some
                                                        SAVE     50          %      they  were not playing.    We only    life lessons learned.  “The players
                                                                  UP
                                                                                    had one player on the bench and
                                                                                                                          came from all over Cornwall
                                                                  TO
                                                                                    by the third period the team was
                                                                                    tired so Bill and David instructed    Township  and  they  developed
                                                                                                                          a comradery and came together
                                                         SOL-R                      the goalie to keep the straps on his   as a real team.   We had a good
                                                                                    pads loose, and when the puck was
                                                                                    in the other team’s end, to undo one   young goalie at one point who was
                      Since 1988                                                    and tell the referee who would call   haemophiliac and the team really
                                                Celebrating 31 years                a timeout.                            protected him around the net.
                                                                                                                          There were a few guys on the team
                                                Quality & Service At The Right Price!  Bill and David would fumble with  that were always willing to stick
          Paints, Blinds, Shutters                                                  the strap just long enough for the  up for those teammates who lacked
           240 Pitt Street • 613-933-8924 • www.jas-mar.com                         team to get a breather.  Profanity on
                                                                                                                                      Continued on page 27
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