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Baseball Has Been Prime Favourite For 60 Years 1924 OAKS SWEPT ALL BEFORE THEM IN CLIMB TO ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIP ST.` MARY'S SCHOOL TEAM PLAYED IN 1905 JUST 43 YEARS AGO Shaw Sparked Local Soccermen To Title ORCHIDS and ONIONS Pioneer Sportsmen Were Content To Accept Simplest Pastimes When Oakville's pioneer residents managed to settle down to a spot of sporting recreation, the rugged demands of those hardworking , days seldom permitted competition on an organized basis. As a result, the activities most popular are reported to be hunting, fishing, boating, and ice and roller skating. But don't go feeling too sorry for our forefathers. They may not have been able to place too much accent on team sports 1 0 0 years ago --but, man oh man, did they have wonderful hunting and fishing! Deer an d Dogs Research conducted by Mrs. Hazel C. Matthews, while preparing " Oakville and the Sixteen," brought to light the fact that game was so plentiful that sportsmen of 1857 adopted a colonial version of riding to hounds. The favorite method of hunting deer was on horseback, ac companied by dogs. Once the canine pals raised a fine buck, the horse men headed the animal toward the lake. Once the deer was in the water, the hunter had merely to hop into a rowboat, rope the horns and drown the critter. It is said that the sight of a deer dashing down the town's main street, hotly pursued by yapping dogs, was so commonplace OAKVILLE'S DIAMOND PIONEERS IMPRESSED FANS AT TURN OF CENTURY that merchants didn't even look up from their chores. First Oakville team to capture centre fielder Charlie Cooper (who Baseballers, old and new, will against the present Ontario Fishing was also a prime diversion. The Sixteen came alive with later claimed fame as a hypnotist), get together once again during champs. This should be an epic an Ontario baseball championship Atlantic salmon every spring. It didn't take long, of a fine evening, to shortstop Wa}ly Wales, executive Centennial Week, when Ollie John encounter that will be remembered fill several barrels with the 15-pound specimens. The fishermen usu- was the sweatercoated crew at top ^V son brings together his stars of the by the participants for many a ac cameron, managc£r .J$)in left, who compiled a terrific rec My operated from a canoe, using a pine torch and a speer. Contamina past for a special oldtimers game long year to come. ord in .1924-- thaitiks tp tU fe tre executive Charlie Patterson, right 1 tion of the waters by sawmills was blamed for the cessation of salmon mendous hurling of Salty Williams fielder George Gerry and first- [ runs, but other fish vgjre marvellously abundant for many years. and Ben Languay, the fielding and sacker Norman Campbell. In th e' hitting of fellows like Ollie John middle row are infielder Art Tiz son and Cliff Scott, and the slug zard, alternate Art Howarth, pit cher Fred Tizzard, mascot Jim Artificial ice would have been superfluous in the early days when ging of such as Buck Evans, Fred Bersotti, third baseman Jim Han Green and George Snowball. Oth White Oak Chisholm planned his townsite. During a cold spell in 1881, ers on this famed club were Pork nah and right fielder Arthur Fefor instance, six-inch thick ice stretched so far out across the lake that er Biette, J. Stevens, A. E. Hillmer, lan. In front are pitcher Harry a party of intrepid skaters skimmed for nearly 15 miles. And before C. Harker, E. Grice and Nap Wil Williams and catcher Jimmy Fitz cox. Manager was D. Chapman, gerald, who later became the re they turned back, they could clearly see Port Dalhousie. trainer was D. Purdy and executive vered "J.P." of Evening Telegram These favorable conditions sparked a series of horse trotting races types included Arthur and C. V. sports editorial renown. on ice, with racing cutters competing for cash purses. This sport con Hillmer. Mascot pictured is S. Co Baseball has changed consider tinued right up to the turn of this century. bum. This club won the Lakeshore ably since these oldtimers cut Skating moved indoors, both on ice and on hardwood, in the 1880's. title in 1923 and 1924, and copped their diamond didoes, and Oakville Ice was put into Agricultural Hall, at the fair grounds, and music was the provincial flag in the latter has kept pace with those changes. During the past decade, local clubs upplied for festive evenings--even though hardier souls still preferred year. Few opposing batters could do have four times won their way to to skate on the creek, which was kept clear with plows. Roller skating the Ontario finals. In 1947, Mark was in vogue for a decade in a building erected on the north-west corn much with the slants of Williams Pollock tossed the Oaks to the or Languay, while Ollie, Cliff and er of Church and Reynolds Sts. by a pair of gentlemen named Kenney Buck walloped the ball out of intermediate title, with assists and Howes. But when enthusiasm waned, the structure was converted just about every park they en from Cliff Post, Norm Carter, Doug countered. Johnson had his fling Wilson, Ray Patterson and several into living quarters. more. A few years later, large A1 Sailing was a natural for a port with it* own shipyards, but it is at semi-pro ball, while several Yarnell was the mainstay of a club difficult to figure, at this much later date, whait happened to a man more of this championship club that barely lost out in the final were wooed by city clubs. swept overboard. Swimming, you see, wasn't the easiest activity to learn round. Then, in 1955, Oakville Long before this, back about the shared the senior O.B.A. title with during that enlightened era. By by-law, battling was strictly forbidden turn of the century, Oakville made Whitby, when frost cut short the in public places or in view of dwellings during the daylight hours. quite a name for itself on the dia And it is doubtful if many would-be swimmers `were sufficiently en mond through the activities of the playofs. And in 1956, the local swatsmiths went all the way to the thusiastic to brave Ontario's frigid waters after sunset. well-padded group shown in the championship, and the same club centre picture. In the back row threatens to win the Inter-County are left fielder George Sullivan, league this summer. By and large, it would appear that townsfolk of a century ago were The St. Mary's Separate School FIRST LIBRARY team pictured at the right? These forced to take their sport as they found it. And who is to say that they When a Wesleyan Methodist or lads are thrown in as a special had less fun than we do now--with all our major and minor soorts or ganization sent along 1 0 0 books in guessing pastime for the parish, ganizations and clubs and leagues. 1839, Oakville received what was several of whose older members It certainly must have been much less complicated in the good probably the first public library in should be able to select each other old days. And a great deal easier to finance! from the tidily attired group. Upper Canada. The recent surge of soccer to district popularity isn't something new. You can take it from Mayor Boll Anderson and Fire Chief Fred Shaw that today's fitba' boom is merely a long overdue return to popularity of this sport -- which brought Oakville a championship as far back as 1914. This fine football club captured the Hamilton and District title after subduing some mighty rug ged opposition, and was expected to go on to bigger and better things. But World War I intervenr ed, and the club somehow never managed to get back onto its old footing after the boys came home. When Fred Shaw and Mayor An derson recall those palmy days of soccer, they know whereof they speak. The mayor modesly allows that he "just played a little." But Fred was a sharpshooting centre forward who spearheaded the champs offence, and later played for Lancashire in the T & D. You'll have to be a real district oldtimer to recall many of the men who booted this town to its soccer silverware. Goalie was Ben Galley, while fullbacks were George Shaw and Tom Caulder. Halfbacks were Harry Lucas, Tommy Bowman and Bill Brown, while on the forward phalanx, Fred was flanked on the right by Tom Blount and Benny Rawlings, and on the left by Herb d egg and Jim Hubbard. Alex Bur nett trained the slick squad, while Harry Stewart kept the grounds in tip top shape. Who headed the club committee? You guessed dt. Bill Anderson was in training for chairmanship even in those days. He was aided by Jim Anderson (no relation), Sam Graner and Jim Baker. " We had a pretty fair club that big year," says Chief Shaw, who ise seldom given to overstatement. " The boys figured they deserved that championship, because they sure worked hard to win it." Local Shipwright Hulled 1st Canadas Cup Vessel Here Yacht racing on Lake Ontario gained an added filip, during the first decade of the present century, from the craftsmanship of Oak ville's Capt. James Andrew. Captain Andrew gained a wide reputation for his craft as the em phasis changed from weight, dur ability and capacity to a lightness of construction designed for speed. The first of his famous yacht's was the Agge, built for C. Armstrong and the Marlatts. Later, he built equally famed vessels, the Winetta and the Canada, which won the trophy to be famous as the Can ada's Cup. Fifteefl-lffiiJe Skating /au n ts During The Centennial Celebrations GET ACQUAINTED WITH the TOWNE COFFEE SHOPPE They Had F u n ! SERVING " THE FINEST FOOD IN TOWN" The Towne Coffee Shoppe, under the experienced direction o f M r . Peter Yoanadis, hav« for the service of their customers a superb restaurant which is the last word in decoration and appointments. A n experienced chef, who produces foods the 1ike of which have not been served in Oakville before, it stands ready to tickle the palates o f Oakville'ites, along with an experienced staff to give quick and efficient service. Visitors to Oakville are urged to try the Tow ne Coffee Shoppe for excellent food and good service to give you every satisfaction. MARKSMEN WERE ALWAYS DEAD-EYE DICKS IN THIS DISTRICT An enthusiastic forerunner of the present Oakville & District Rod Sc Gun Club was this mustachioed group of marksmen, photographed during a shoot that took place just about 50 years ago. There were some crack marks men in this area in those days, and the Oakville Gun d u b set up a range at the head of Navy St. on the river bank (the dump, to you present day Oekville-ites), and whacked away merrily at clay pigeons. This group of enthusiasts includ ed a famous shot of his day, Har old Scholefield, who is the chap with all the shells tucked into his vest. At the extreme left is Wil liam Conkrite, and next to him are David Furness and Bert Anderson. In tihe doorway, in the black hat, is Allan Kemp, while the next four in line are W. A. Buckle Charles Anderson, publican Mr ray Williams and J. L. Hewsoi long a general storekeeper. Fred Tizzard, who once operated the equipment that arched the clay birds into the air, recalls that the Gun d u b members sometimes wearied of the mechanical side of he sport. " They would go out into le country and buy live pigeons om farmers, and often varied this program with twfeey shoola." the TOWNE COFFEE SHOPPE 133 Colborne Street E. Oakville * + Phone Victor 5-1021