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It‘s always a problem figuring out what to write about this time of the season. I guess it’s because I‘m such an emotional type. After all I was young in 1950, young in 1960, young in 1970, and. well, still young in 1974. But how long can I. keep it up? Not to mention the cdrrent year which still has a few gurgles in it before it goes down the drain forever. 1 suggest you hang on. Don’t want to lose you. Then, of course, through the years I’ve learned to suffer the slings and arrows of the mild-mannered Russell “Casey” Cripps. manager of the still World Champion Dynes Jewellers softball team. That was also the season Casey sat out four games in a row. No. he wasn‘t suspended for arguing with the umpires. It resulted from a trip to Hamilton for a ballgame. I was the driver (or was it the other way around?) and Casey was giving directions. We got lost. Things have never been the same between us again. Didn’t get out for four days. Good time. had time I could go on and on. There have been many happy times, good and bad times. I’m really just kidding. Casey and I usually got along. But there were some memorable times when we didn‘t. I still recall the year 1964 when Casey had one of his greater teams. If memory serves me correctly, he set a record that year. Lost 15 games in a row. It was a happy year, though. We’d hurry through the ballgames so we could get a good seat at the hotel. This is getting ridiculous. 1975? Why I’m just not ready for it, not ready to go. I’m still in the process of putting myself together from that disastrous year I had in 1963. Wow, what a party that was. Bob Ross Jr'? He's the fellow who does the skate sharpening down at the arena. Bob was there before the arenas were. They just built them around him. I still recall with a certain degree of warm nostalgia the year Bob and I sojourned to Hull to watch The Jewellers win the Canadian softball championship. Hey, that‘s almost two years ago. Phew. Hot spell Anyway, it was during a real hot spell. Tem- perature in the 90's. Bob and I were caged in a motel in downtown Ottawa. Every night during this hot spell Bob would want to turn the air conditioner off because the noise kept him from sleeping. Did you ever? That’s enough to weaken any association. We finally compr’omised. Bob slept in the parking lot. As for 1975? Well, I have matured. I no longer swing from chandeliers at parties or, heavens, end up at the wrong parties as I did on one occasion. And I no longer wake up to find un-used sandwiches in my suitcoat pockets. Unlike last New Year’s‘ I'm not going to wear a funny hat or run around at three in the morning blowing a noise-maker. Nothing against it. mind you. Except that last year i fell ‘off a snowbank while blowing a} noise maker. Takes a lot out of you. The latest addition to Richmond Hill Aquatic Club is “Percy the Piranha made by club secretary Mrs. Sandra Davey. Holding it by the. uh. fins here are Scott Nirenbirski and Penny Davey. Other clubs have their mascots which are displayed on the pool deck during swim meets and the young Hill swim- mers wanted a mascot too. Why a Piranha? “Well.” said one member. “Piranhas are small but ferocious and that's what we are." His name? “Percy?” Naturally. His color. A green body with white fins. Just like the club colors. What price. pain All they ever gave me was a pain. And I don‘t care how many times you get a pain it still hurts. What‘s the learning to that? ' Seriously though, I have matured. I no longer get emotional in public when the Richmond Hill Dynes Jewellers or Richmond Hill Rams lose four games in a row. Maybe five or six but not four. It‘s not really that I’ve matured. I have to be honest. I’m just tired. So I think I‘ll sit 1974 out and watch Guy Lombardo from an easy chair. I might even sit the old year out under my bed. I usually end up there anyway. Might just as well start out there and (get ready) stay alive in 1975. Happy New Year! I‘ve eizen learned to cope with the moods of Bob Ross Jr. "Percy the Piranha ” One more for the road I don‘t hold any grudges. though. Except in the case of that wise old philosopher who once told me that trials and tribulations make a man of you. mature you. Yes, I‘ve lived through a lot. Several world wars, three or four revolutions, a few massacres, and a whole lot of etc. I’m not talking about the international scene, I‘m talking about me. They were my wars and revolutions. Fred Simpson A three-goal spurt in the final 15 minutes kept the Richmond Hill Alliance Sports Juveniles’ “Cin- derella" image untamished as they skated off with the grand championship trophy December 22 at the annual Trenton Tournament. Sports Juveniles' “Cin- derella" image untamished as they skated off with the grand championship trophy December 22 at the annual Trenton Tournament. The juveniles were trailing Trenton 2-1 before the outburst and went on to maintain their unbeaten streak with a 4-1 victory. “We’re always coming from behind,” was Alliance Coach Len Campbell's summation of the win. “It seems we don’t get going until the odds are against us." All in all it was a great weekend for the Richmond Hill squad who met and Trenton. They opened the tour- nament on a prophetic note as they downed the same previously undefeated Trenton team 5-2, then shook up pre-tournament favorite Peterboro by 6-2, before struggling to a 2-1 win over neighboring Rich- vale to win the “A” championship. Athriller This qualified them to meet Trenton, the B win- ners, in the finals and this game turned out to be a thriller most of the way. Richmond Hill started early as Dave Berseth put the puck home assisted by That‘s when things started to happen as Rich- mond Hill started breathing fire and rapped home three unanswered goals from the sticks of Arnold Van- derweyde, Scott Davey, and Tom Lamb. Assists went to Jeff Miller, Arnold Van- derweyde and John Oakley. Davey best player Davey, incidentally, was designated as the best player in the tournament and was a stand-out on left- wing for Alliance in every game. He played on a line with centre-man Mike Wood and right winger John Oakley. Other stand-outs for the Switzer and Brad Cameron on defence. Another big reason for the Alliance win was Dave Berseth who scored a number of big goals. Richmond Hill’s opening game 5-2 win over Trenton saw them leading by 1-0 on a first period goal and making it stand up until the last period. 5 Straight goals That’s when Richmond Hill turned the power on scoring five straight goals led by Tom Lamb with two, Tony Robinson. Bob Russell and Richard Hopson. The exhausted Trenton club picked up the last goal Sports goals were Don MacPhee. three, Arnold Vanderweyde,’ four, Tony Robinson, Scott Davey, and John Oakley. Richmond Hill easily handled the highly favored Peterboro club in this match but the opposition again scored the first and last goals of the game. . Playing short-handed in the first period, Tom Lamb blasted one home from Berseth and Sackfield to tie the game at 1-1. Berseth then put Alliance up by one goal as he scored from Sackfield. Counting for Richmond Hill in the second period Wood and Oakley. Oakley scored the final Alliance goal in the third as he rapped in a goal mouth pass from Dave and Ber- seth. Riehvale dangerous Richmond Hill probably came closest to defeat at the hands of arch rivals Rich- vale and Goalie Mario De Piero who was kicking them out from all angles. “That kid DePiero is something to see,” said Coach Campbell. “He real- really makes that team go. He’s got the biggest hands I‘ve seen." This “A” championship game was a somewhat slow games. This match saw MacPhee get the opening goal from Lamb and Berseth only to have Richvale’s Gord Lloyd come back to tie the game. Oakley put Richmond Hill ahead to stay in the third from Davey and the con~ sistent Berseth. Richard Hopson added the necessary insurance goal from Tony Robinson and Switzer. Richvale‘s Demeo made it 2-1 and resulted in the final two minutes of the game being an exciting one as Richmond Hill held on despite having two men off at the time. ’ lllllllllllIlIllIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIllllllll|IlllllllllllllllllllllllllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll||||ll|lIllllllllHlllllll|IIIlIIIIllllllllllllllllllllll||||llllllIlllllllllllllll|lIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllIllllllIllIlllllll|llllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllIllllIllll|IllIIlll|Illl||||IIIII|IIIIIIllllllllIIIIIllllIIIIIIllllIIlllllllIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllll “We’re always coming from behind,” was Alliance Coach Len Campbell's summation of the win. “It seems we don’t get going until the odds are against The juveniles were trailing Trenton 2-1 before the outburst and went on to maintain their unbeaten streak with a 4-1 victory. |llllllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllll|IIllIIlllllllllIllllllllllllllllllIlIllIIIIlllll||llll|II|IIIIIIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllIlllllllllllllllIllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllflllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllI|IIIII|IllI||IlllIllIllllllIIllIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllIIllIlllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Gaining the “hits” were the Thornhill Thunderbirds who easily overwhelmed Owen Sound 5-1 and the Richmond Hill Lions who had little trouble subduing a game but small Vanier club to the tune of 6-1. It was two hits and a mxss Saturday for local clubs as the fourth annual 16-team Richmond Hill Lions Rosetown ‘Peewee hockey tournament got underway. The only miss was the Oak Ridges entry which came up with a valiant but 5-4 losing effort against a surprisingly strong Amherst club from New York State. Scotia boys winners 3-1 The loss shuttled them to the “B” division and they were shuttled right out of the tournament early Sunday morning as Aurora decisioned them 4-2. Good news ‘ Now to the good news. The Richmond Hill Lions found the going rather easy against Vanier with Coach Gary Smith pleased at their opening game effort but still feeling “we could be a little sharper." But it was a great start. The Lions led the visitors 2-0 at the end of the first and 3-0 going into the third. Oak Ridges Peewees’ Danny DeGeer (4) is shown in full flight as he fires home the tying goal in the second period against Amherst's Mark Freeland while an unidentified teammate (foreground) looks on. That made the score 2-2 but the American Leading the offensive was "hulking" defenceman Craig Halliday who picked up a goal and three assists and generally awed the much-smaller Vanier club members. “Craig’s got to be the biggest fellow out there,“ said Coach Smith. “But the important thing is he‘s a good hockey player. He can The Richmond Hill Scotia Bank Minor Peewee B‘s proved that steady play and hustle can produce results as they downed Don Valley Starrying in goal was Lorne Baxter and Cenâ€" treman John P. Farrell who also scored a goal from John Hughes. Other goals went to Mike Smith from James Gwilliam; and Brian Cox from Adrian Steenson. Hill Juveniles win grand championship Hill Lions, Thornhill win as peewee tourney Opens TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1974 skate and shoot with anyone.” defeated all opposition e‘nroute to that final grand championship game with Trenton. They opened the tour- nament on a pr0phetic note as they downed the same previously undefeated Trenton team 5-2, then shook up pre-tournament favorite Peterboro by 6-2, before struggling to a 2-1 win over neighboring Rich- vale to win the “A” championship. Halliday’s one goal was one of those picture types as he stickhandled the length of the ice before pulling the goalie out and depositing the puck home. Athriller This qualified them to meet Trenton, the B win- ners, in the finals and this game turned out to be a thriller most of the way. Richmond Hill opened the scoring in the first period on a goal by Maurice Del Fabro from Halliday and in- creased their margin to 2-0 as Mark Austin scored from David Allen. It was much the same story in the second as Stephen Shannon hit home from Halliday. It was 4~0 when Allen scored from Gordon Fournier in the third. Vanier got one back on a goal by Gilles Potvin who, in- cidentally, is a cousin of the New York Islanders‘ Dennis Potvin. Richmond Hill put the game out of sight on Halliday‘s unassisted score and Billy Madden‘s goal from Michael O’Donnell and Halliday. Bigred The Thornhill-Owen Sound game saw the “big red” from Thdrnhill in trouble in the early going as their hustling opponents stick-checked them to death. But it was the beginning of the end when Thornhill’s Kurt Pearson picked up a rebound and pushed the puck home midway through the opening period. Paul Howson and Paul Myers assisted, It was 2-0 in the same period when Steve Sim popped one home from a scramble assisted by Dante Anderson and Pearson. The pestiferous Owen Sounders attempted to make a game of it when Brad McMillan tipped the puck in early in the second but they faded badly after that. Pouring home the next three goals were: Duhee Lee from Todd McKnight and Steve Mallett; Mark Wiltshire from Pearson and Ander- son; and Pearson unassisted. Myers played a solid game for Thornhill on defence and displayed one of the hardest slap shots Brad Campbell only to have Trenton rally to lead 2-1 going into the_ final pgyiod. The never-saydie Ridges boys came on strong in the third on a goal by Charlie Trask from Tony Battaglla and Wayne Jones; and Slade’s second score from Lawrence Millard and Trask. One major upset in the first day competitions saw Thunder Bay edging a powerful Oshawa entry by 2- They were pressing as the final buzzer went. around. On one occasion he blazed one from the blueline which saw an Owen Sound player diving for his life to get out of the way of it. He just made it. Game try The Oak Ridges game against Amherst saw the local boys rally from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game at 2-2 on goals by Ricky Slade and Danny DeGeer only to fade and allow three opposition tallies. ~ Other scores: Whitby 6, Aurora 2; Newmarket 5, Humberview 3; Finchurst 2. Markham 1', Peterboro 8, Don Valley 0. The Richmond Hill Legion Midgets wrapped up three wins last week and showed definite signs of starting to jell as a team. Their main big win was a 9-3 one over Thornhill December 17. The other two games were preliminaries Buchan scored once in each of the second and third periods. The winning goal was scored by Clendinning after a sustained attack in the Nobleton area. Bruce Buchan led the way for Victoria and Grey’s Bantam second team December 21 as they edged Nobleton 3â€"2. Victoria Grey nips Nobleton Nobleton had scored both Legion Midgets win visitors stormed back with three straight goals and eventually won the game 5â€"4. Scene was Saturday at the opening of the big three-day Richmond Hill Rosetown Peewee Tournament. Alliance team were Goalies Mark Edwards and Gerry Tipold along with Jeff Switzer and Brad Cameron on defence. Another big reason for the Alliance win was Dave Berseth who scored a number of big goals. Richmond Hill’s opening game 5-2 win over Trenton saw them leading by 1-0 on a first period goal and making it stand up until the last period. 5 Straight goals That‘s when Richmond Hill turned the power on scoring five straight goals led by Tom Lamb with two. Tony Robinson. Bob Russell and Richard Hopson. â€" a 4-2 win over Whitby December'lB and a 7-3 exhibition decision against Maple December 22. The Thornhill contest saw Glen Tatum 'really flying for the Legion as he picked up two goals and one assist with both scores of the of its goals following per- sistent checking and led twice by 1-0 and 2-1 going into the third. Richmond Hill drew a penalty with less than three minutes to go but managed to weather the storm with some close checking plus several good stops by Wetton in goal. Each team drew only one penalty in this free skating, exciting game. Coach Gary Smith off to winning start of the game with a minute and a half remaining. Playing short-handed in the first period, Tom Lamb blasted one home from Berseth and Sackfield to tie the game at 1-1. Berseth then put Alliance up by one goal as he scored from Sackfield. Assisting on Alliance Sports goals were Don MacPhee. three, Arnold Vanderweyde,‘ four, Tony Robinson, Scott Davey, and John Oakley. Richmond Hill easily handled the highly favored Peterbom club in this match but the opposition again scored the first and last goals of the game. picturesque variety Robert Dynes and Peter Kendall each scored twice while Randy Martin had a goal and an assist; Danny Jones, two assists; Marc Brillinger and Mike Ham each with a goal; and one assist each to David Earl, Robert Wallingford, Mike Gallaugher and Randy Hughes Guest. The Whitby exhibition game was an exceptionally good one with both teams scoring a goal each in the first and second. The Legion won.it with two unanswered goals in the final stanza. Legion goals were by Mike Ham with two and Ross Middleton and David Earl. Assists to Mike Gallaugher and Robert Dynes with two each; Mike Cox, David Earl. Robert Wallingford and Danny Jones with one each. The scheduled game with Barrie December 22 was called off and the Legion played an exhibition game Photo by Hogg Injuries cause Xmas hang-over for Hill Rams were‘Vanderweyde, Jeff Mill, and Switzer with assists to MacPhee, Mike Wood and Oakley. Oakley scored the final Alliance goal in the third as he rapped in a goal mouth pass from Dave and Ber- seth. Richvale dangerous Richmond Hill probably came closest to defeat at the hands of arch rivals Rich- vale and Goalie Mario De Piero who was kicking them out from all angles. “That kid DePiero is something to see,” said Coach Campbell. “He real- really makes that team go. He’s got the biggest hands I‘ve seen." Mabley out again Then came Thursday‘s loss to the Nats which saw Del‘enceman Scott? Mabley knocked out for two to three weeks. Rick Febbo also injured and forced to leave the game. plus assorted other casualties including high-scoring Kevin Street and Defenceman Jack Guest. Richmond Hill Rams' Coach Karl Brimblecombe was talking as if he was suffering from a post- Christmas hang-over. He was. But it wasn‘t because his team had just lost a Christmas Boxing Day game by 6â€"3 to Toronto Nats. “We didn't deserve to win that one,“ he said. It was because the injury bug has been nipping at his heels. Big bites too. “We wére going great and now our hospital list is growing hourly," he said. That “list” seemed to be on its way to recovery following a December 22 5-1 win over Weston at the local arena. ‘ “There's no doubt we‘re hurting“ said Brim» blecombe, “and the players we have just back from injuries still aren‘t going at full stride." Scoring for Richmond Hill were Mike Rowley. with two. Street. Mark Edwards, and Larry Kimble. Weston's lone goal was scored by Grant Neville. Kimble top player Kimble also managed to become embroiled in a last period slugfest with John Nickelsen (who had been feuding with Rams all night) with both receiving five minute majors. It was the same Kimble who was selected as the “star” of the game and skated off with a cake. a Stuart gets two An exception would have to be Dave Stuart who scored two of the Rams' goals after missing the past few games due to a. yes, injury. The other goal was scored by Street. his Blst of the season. It was a different story against Weston as the Rams controlled play for the first two periods while building up a 5-1 lead and then relaxed in the final 20 minutes and were outshot 16 A 6. The loss was the third one of the season for the Rams against the Nats with the fourth one a tie. That last period saw the Rams run into a series of penalties which contributed to their being outplayed. “If we could have handled the Nats this season," said Brimblecombe. “we might be in first place." With Maple Midgets The game was very even up_to the end of the second period with the Legion leading by only a 3-2 score at that point, Riéhmond Hill took over in the third scoring {our big ones to Maple’s singletgp. Marc Brillinger finally found the range and treated himself to a hat trick. Robert Dynes had one goal and two assists while the ever consistent Mike Ham had three big assists. Danny Jones had two goals; Peter Kendall one goal; and one goal and one assist each to Randy Martin, Doug Hodgson, David Earl and Mike Gallaugher. Scheduled for Sunday December 29 was the York Simcoe Midget Allstars vs the Tri-County Midget Allstars at Century Gardens Arena in Brampton December 29 at 7 pm. The Legion’s Sil Steffans coached York Simcoe and the manager will be Rich- mond Hill’s Frank Bailie. game probably due to the fact that each club had already played two previous games. This match saw MacPhee get the opening goal from Lamb and Berseth only to have Richvale’s Gord Lloyd come back to tie the game. Oakley put Richmond Hill ahead to stay in the third from Davey and the con- sistent Berseth. Richard Hopson added the necessary insurance goal from Tony Robinson and Switzer. The Rams play Saturday at Royal York with their next home game slated for January 7 against Whitby. Rowley was reported to have commented that “it's okay for guys like Street who score a lot. When I score two goals in a game, I grab the puck.“ An amusing sidelight came when rookie Rowley scored his second goal of the game at 9.40 of the second. He made a dash for the puck, coveted it lovingly. One of his puzzled teammates wondered what was the big deal about grabbing a puck on your second goal? David Plaxton, Scott Bartlett and Richard Hughes all had two goal days going for them as the Richmond Hill Minor Bantams walloped Thomhill '7-1 December 22. Minor Bantams wallop Thornhi/l Club 7-7 Hughes opened the scoring at the 2:27 mark of the first period with assists going to Jim Majury and Dave Plaxton. Plaxton then took his turn for two. the first at 8:02 and the second at 5:54 of the second period. Hughes and Bartlett assisted on his first with Joel Reeves getting the lone assist on his second one. Bartlett scored his pair within a minute of each other, Assists on his first goal went to Hughes and Plaxton. On the second one, Gary Carvin grabbed the assist. pizza plus other goodies Dean Logan opened the Richmond Hill lead to six when he popped one into the net, Jack Vantol was credited with the assist on the play. Richard Hughes then closed out Richmond Hill‘s scoring when he finished off a three-way passing play between himself, Bartlett and Plaxton. Bren Macken spoiled Ricky Warrens bid for a shutout with just 1:11 remaining in the game. Dave Stuart two goals Kevin Street ..... gets 315!