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2 Friday, March 26, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Brooklin's Softball Champs Entering Hall of Fame By Jennifer Hudgins (Left to right) Elmo Gibson, John Hill, Garnet Warriner Start with a sunny Thanksgiving Sunday. Add a fire truck with siren wailing. Throw in victorious players. Mix with townsfolk rejoicing, even passing the hat for donations. The result is a recipe for a special memory that has lasted over half a century for that was the day in 1966 when the Brooklin Concretes softball team won its second provincial title. As a result, on April 24, the Brooklin Concretes team will be inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame as part of its class of 2020. The induction was spurred by the efforts of Nan Mitchell who headed a research team to advocate for the induction. The ceremony was to take place last year, however it was postponed due to the pandemic. She is the daughter of Bruce Mitchell who played on the team with his brother Don, the father of Whitby's current mayor. The Concretes were born in 1963 when the Guy Stevenson Motors and Mt. Zion teams combined since both teams were losing their players for different reasons. Almost instantly, they went from playing against each other to becoming teammates. The combination produced a powerhouse team that captured the All Ontario Intermediate C Championships in 1964 and 1966. One day, a reunion Four of the ten remaining Concrete players have shared their memories via pre-recorded videos. They will miss not getting together for the event but plan to have a reunion when it is safe to do so. Shortstop John Hill was a Mt. Zion player who joined the Concretes. He remembers what it was like to come together for the first time with their new coach "Dib" Little who had previously coached senior teams in Oshawa. At their first practice, Little told the players how to wear their uniforms and keep them clean and tidy. No player was allowed on the field without a proper uniform.He also had the team run on and off the diamond between innings to show opposing teams they meant business. Hill says the newly formed team seemed like one big family. Elmo Gibson, a Brooklin resident for 81 years, knows full well what it's like to be in constant game mode with a group of athletic guys. He started with the Guy Stevenson team in 1957 and stayed with the Concretes until they disbanded in 1968. Over his career, he played shortstop, centrefield, second and third base. The Kingston Pen game For him, one particular memory stands out more from the rest. One day in 1966, the Concretes played inmates at the Kingston Penitentiary. During the game, Gibson unexpectedly ran into a former Brooklin school friend who was serving time. it didn't affect his game though. The Concretes won 11-3. Garnet Warriner, an outfielder, replaced his blue and gold Port Perry jersey with a Concretes one in 1962. He recalls how strange it felt at first, playing with a team he had once tried to beat, but the guys welcomed him right away. Warriner credits their successes to their coach Bill Harper, a powerhouse batter with high expectations, encouraged them to give their all at every game. Teams were given a designation based on their hometown population. The Concretes were an Intermediate C centre and so competed against centres of similar sizes. Playoffs were divided into zones with each zone's winner competing against one another until there was a team in each of southern and northern Ontario to duke it out for the Provincial title. Breaking the run The Concretes had a "three-peat" of Southern Ontario Intermediate C Championships in 1964, 1965 and 1966 and went on to play Capreol in the all Ontarios each year. The Capreols were a powerhouse, having won eight provincial titles between 1957 and 1969 and reaching the championship series 10 straight years during that run. But, in 1964 and 1966, the Brooklin Concretes knocked them off their pedestal. Pitcher Doug Scott recalls how fortunate the Concretes were to be sponsored by Brooklin Concrete Bob McCoy. He followed them from game to game and made sure the team had everything they needed, providing the players with uniforms and equipment. After their last win, McCoy gave each player a tailored green sports jacket with the OASA (Ontario Amateur Softball Association) crest as a symbol of their accomplishments. Scott will give the Induction ceremony acceptance speech next month. He can't think of a more fitting ending to the players' stories than to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Gala event will be held at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club and will be a live stream event beginning at 7:00 pm. The festivities will combine some live-feed presentations with pre-recorded video segments to celebrate the accomplishments of the honourees. For more information, visit https:// www.whitbysportshalloffame.com. Virtual tickets are available at $25 through the website or by contacting Stacy Novack at 905-668-1798 or Amy Knowles at 416-436-5036.