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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2005 THE NEW TANNER 'Pounding the This scribbler has been away for the last couple of weeks on the briny while the other Tan- ner serfs were toiling at their desks. One of the first things that caught my attention when back was an advt. for Harold ~ Townsley's "Acton's own Mr. Hockey" 75" birthday party. It's an apt handle for Harold whom this scribe has known almost from when he tied on his first pair of skates in Acton, although he is touted to first lace on the blades at age three. We watched as he played his way up from minor hockey teams to Junior, Intermediate and Senior in the Ontario Hock- ey Association (OHA) and then went on to play for the Washing- ton Lions in the old East Coast United States League with soon- to-be Actonian Jim Casburn and the late Fred Kentner. Harold's dashing style on the wing had few matches in Harold Townsley this neck of the woods. He caught passes on the fly, split the defence or played ring-around- the-rosy_with them before he dumped the puck into the net so many times in the senior circuits he earned the sobriquet, the Old Lamplighter. Townsley came by his hockey ability naturally. Father Charles "Sonny" Townsley was one of the best senior hockey players in Ontario in his heyday starring with a number of teams includ- ing Oakville and Newmarket. The Townsleys, Sonny, wife Grace, and Harold had moved to Acton when Intermediate OHA hockey was in the midst of its post war revival. Naturally "Sonny" suited up with the Acton Tanners who were the power house of the intermediate OHA group along with the import-laced George- town Raiders, Fergus Thistles, Elora Rocks, Orangeville Sham- For AS Sports Beat me and see our new merchandize arrivin rocks and Milton Blades. He was a slick stickhandler in an' era when playmaking and ac- curate passing were an art. Hockey then, like now, was a passion for many families in the winter months. Opportuni- ties opened for those who could play the game well. However, if many of the players who starred then were active today they would have been in professional ranks as opposed to the so- much-a-game return then. Harold and wife Doris stayed in Acton to raise a family and he kept playing hockey until rocky knees and advancing years con- spired to make him hang up the skates. However, he never left the game, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to coaching and managing chores with teams such as the Acton Junior C Sabres. When the Sabres relocated to Erin in the early 1990s Harold went with them. He is still there as assistant GM for the Erin Shamrocks. The Erin club came within a whisker of winning the OHA Junior C Mid-Ontario championship last year but were foiled by the Stayner Siskins in overtime. This year the Shamrocks, managed by Ken Steen and Harold are also in the hunt for atitle. Harold says they've gota good chance of taking the group title under coach Bob Noble, an Orangeville coach with 12 years of coaching junior hockey under his belt. The Shamrocks have already knocked Bradford out of the eight team group playoffs and now face the league lead- ing Alliston club in the second round. An article in the Ontario Hockey Association's Yearbook, OHA Blueline, by Orangeville scribe Mike Rawn pays trib- ute to Townsley, Ken Steen and Noble for keeping Junior hockey alive in Erin. Asked why he could keep such a strong commitment to the game after 70-plus years, Townsley replied, "It keeps me young. I love hockey and I en- joy meeting new people through' the Shamrocks. Besides what else would I be doing?" Good answer Harold, and happy birthday! -Hartley Coles ever Youngsters 5 Mill Street E. Acton 519 853 Odl Just in time for Easter 2 50% off selected ©" Spring and Summer dré 12 months to size 167 COMPETE IN LONDON: Acton figure skaters placed very well in Preliminary Free Skate at a recent competition in London. Krystyn Turco took first, Baillie Marshall second, Ashley Macpherson second. In Pre-Preliminary Free Skate Sarah Cunningham was fourth, Kayla Turco first and Matt Mills third in men's Pre-Preliminary. In the photo are left to right, Coach Vicki Newman, Baillie Marshall, Ashley Macpherson, Krystyn Turco, Kayla Turco, coach Krista Denny. Sitting are Matt Mills and Sarah Cunningham. Missing from photo is Samantha Mills. -- Submitted photo Partying safely topic for school workshop Halton high school students will participate in a "Party in the Right Spirit" workshop hosted by Halton Region Health Department, Halton Regional Police Service, and Mothers Against Drunk Driv- ing Halton (MADD). The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, Rattlesnake Point Golf Club, and the Halton Region Health Department on Wednesday, March 2 from - 8:30a.m. --2p.m. at the Rattle- snake Point Golf Club, 5407 Regional Rd. 25, Milton. The workshop is for student leaders and graduation com- mittees from high schools throughout Halton. Partying safely, host respon- sibilities, alcohol poisoning, drinking and driving, and sexual assault will be some of the topics addressed through guest speakers, brainstorm- ing sessions, scenarios, and discussion. Students and their advisors will have the op- portunity to learn why safety needs to be a main concern when planning, hosting, or at- tending a party or social event. *Business *Classifieds *Constable George *Editorials THE ...and more "T Saw It In the Tanner" You'll find lots of interesting things in your newspaper... *Grapevine *Sales *Sports *Travel Find out everything you need to know, every week, in your newspaper. 3 Teaaner...... Lrp. 853-0051 ° thenewtanner@on.aibn.com 373 Queen St. E. Unit #1