hleligence Oct 28/06 p.c2. Boomhpcses; Rabel School ‘Sports was catalyst for Ralph Boomhower Ss Barry EtiswortH Intelligencer There were a a of kids in the Boomhower fam: “Over 20 nes and sisters,” Ralph Boomhower said. “There's nine of us left.” His father was Be twice, making for “a very large family.” ower, a former Belleville fire- fighter Who retired in 1996, grew up in a home far removed from present com- fortable College Street residence. It was a long row of two-storey edifices | strung together called Doyle’s eee on” the site of what is now the United Furniture Warehouse. Then the farr moved to the other side of the ae wea Foster Avenue, commonly re! Foster Ward. From humble beginnings ‘ Boomhower, w! ‘ame an ‘ound . athlete, a teacher of children and an inte- gral part of the Belleville Firefighters ’ Toy | Drive. It is what quakes the 66-year-old a good Quinte neighbot Today, he is Baier than when he was working full-time. a is the firefighters’ toy drive, begun in t 950s and that he was closely identified ath during his 37 years as a firefighter, that still gives the most gratification — making sure under- privileged kids get presents at Goiaenas: He a peneneey chairman this year. 's quite a Hearnaneae program,” Biomianeee 8 great to see. .. the looks in their aaiited 's) eyes.” His brothers and sisters did not have a a growing up, but they made their own ji | From a young age growing up near the marsh and the wharf area, “you did all | your own things.” ] Lone Wolf was one Of those “things” . | {game like hide and seek. i You would tun through the marsh,” Boomhowe recalled. The marsh was also the centre of other . activities. ates memlons we, 10 or uy it was: to e 20 gauge shotgun. ie hunt ducks in the marsh, something you could not act away with foray ah pecan a lifelong passion — were Eaoles and living: near the bay was a big plus. ater was quite an advantage,” he said. cee Boomhower kids were a self-suffi- who learned “the ability to be abi to cope.” They knew little about what in the downtown on ippening in | piher side of the railway tracks. igi didn’t have the money to go up anyway,” he said. About once a aie if he found enough cuphy 8 pop | bottles (stores would refund fo1 as return of glass pop bottles), ne wi get 10 see a show at the Park Theatre which of three movie theatres down- Nae ‘The admission price was 10 cents. . Atany given time ‘there would be at least a dozen kids in the house and young Boomhower slept in the living room on _ the floor. | When he entered high school — first at BCI and then eke — Boomhower came alive through sp Baseball, basketball, hockey, football, he played them all and today is a member of the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame selec- tion committee. _As a teen, he and others would put on diving exhibitions at the Kinsmen pool the place would be packed with spec- tators. of course, he played for some terrific local ball teams and in the Gas House Hockey League. But one of his secompuctinients had