While still in the Winter Wonderland known as London, Ontario, Canada Cathy & I got the itch to go for a drive through the country. Even though the weather was kind of frightful we decided that checking in on some of our former fun places would be delightful.
We decided that we would keep it pretty short and not wander too far afield as these surroundings after 23 years are still very unfamiliar and the weather unpredictable. I had the brainstorm that we could try and locate some of the baseball fields where I played slo-pitch softball in the "country league". This was a chance to see how much had changed and to also reminisce about some of the great guys I played with back in those glory days.
We started by heading out Wellington Rd. South - I wanted to start from somewhere that I was most familiar and I knew that by heading that direction we would would eventually get to Glanworth. This little town has a population of no more than 50 I am sure. There is the ball park and a community center and maybe 10 houses in the entire environs. This is the place that I first encountered the sport of slo-pitch softball. I was a pretty good baseball player but had never played this form of softball.
Initially I thought this was a "beer league" get together for a bunch of old guys who had never played an inning of competitive baseball. I was invited to play on the "Glanworth Millers" by the younger brother (Ken Wright) of an old baseball teammate (Tim Wright). I was induced to get involved when Ken advised there would be several people that I would know from those competitive baseball days in addition to his brother Tim. In fact most of the team were either related to the Wrights or the Thomas Brothers from Lambeth. A bonus was that another good friend from the baseball days was involved - Max Willsie and his Dad Max Sr.who had been a former coach and major influence on my youth baseball career.
Not only were these great guys but they were surrounded by many other tremendous men, several of whom were excellent ball players. Doug, Tim, Ken and Rob Wright were some of the best athletes I had ever had the pleasure to play with; Wayne Mercer was the best shortstop I ever played with & I had played with several that signed professional contracts; Jim Davis played 1st Base and may have been one of the greatest guys and leaders I ever knew; Donny Di Carlo had not played much baseball but was a very good athlete and an even better guy; our catcher Jim had been a friend of mine for many years and was an All Star football lineman for Championship UWO teams in the mid-70's and may have been the most competitive person I had ever met; our pitchers were the most enthusiastic guys - especially Tommy Thomas - but I also became very appreciative of Barry Herbert as he took my step-son Rob under his wing as a hockey coach in the Lambeth system; Jim Shore was a gentle, quiet guy who by all accounts was an extremely successful farmer in the area. In other words I was very lucky to be invited to be part of their baseball family. Reggie Thomas another good friend from baseball days who went on to glory in professional hockey was an occasional member of the team.
Upon locating the Glanworth ball field I was overwhelmed with memories. It hadn't really changed much at all - I could picture my place on the field diving for a line drive while playing 3rd; still seeing the elder Willsie standing beside Max's car as he was leaving with his family telling his son (Max) to be careful as he was carrying "valuable cargo" (the grandkids). Picturing the whole team wearing proudly their "Miller" team jackets and posing for the team picture. I still have that picture sitting in storage in Oceanside, California.
We next headed off to find Belmont following side roads east and north until we noticed a sign directing us to the Belmont Golf Club. We entered Belmont from the south which was directly opposite from the way I had proceeded into town ever before. Of course it was not hard to find the ball field - like every other small Ontario town you just had to head towards the field lights and the local hockey arena as that was the community focal point. Again, the entire complex had not changed at all. I eyed the first base line players bench for a long time as I specifically recall sitting there after losing the last championship I played in (we had won every other year I played in that league) to a group of young guys who were on the field celebrating thinking that I had just played my last game - it was now a time for the younger guys.
Belmont Woody's was an amalgamation of the Millers and our main rivals in Belmont. We ended up meeting and becoming great friends with these people. Most memorable were the Weavers - Dave and most specially his brother Jim. Cathy was quite taken by Jim's wife Patti - so much so that we named our youngest daughter Patti. Jim was one of the most memorable people I have ever met - a great person, friendly to a fault, out going, gregarious; he was a former professional hockey player with the California Seals but had a much longer career in the minors with Oklahoma City amongst other places. Another memorable person from this amalgamation was a tall, complete physical specimen named Artie that I am sure had never played much baseball or any other organized sport for that matter but may have been the best raw athlete (and most popular guy with women) that I ever knew. This is also where I came to know maybe the most interesting person I ever encountered - Dave Hutchison; a former NHL hockey player known more for his muscle than his skill (however, he was by far and away the most skillful hockey player I ever saw up close and personal) and maybe the most loyal person to his friends that I ever met. We went to war together with this bunch and won a Provincial Championship in Niagara Falls where Dave won the MVP more for his inspirational leadership than his playing skill.
From Belmont we headed a little north and then a good stretch east to the tiny hamlet of Harrietsville. This was the home of the youngest team in our league and perhaps our greatest rival until they dethroned us in my final season. This little ballpark is pretty much in the middle of nowhere but despite its modest appearance it holds many memories for me and my time with these guys. It appears to have not changed a bit - Cathy noticed that maybe there was some new playground equipment in the kids' play area.
Due north from Harrietsville is a place that has become the capital of slo-pitch in Ontario - Slo-Pitch City on the outskirts of Dorchester. At one point in time this was the largest venue for week-end tournaments; in fact, it may still be the largest but it is starting to show its age. We drove around the facility as memories flooded into my mind's eye of games that we had contested and opponents we had faced. The game pretty much evolved into a home run derby at the most elite levels but there were still many good all round players that spent many a hot day on those fields.
In Dorchester proper, at the community center/ hockey arena, were the ball fields where we may have spent most of our time. These were the home fields for many local teams and there were quite a few excellent teams from this area. Across from the park was the location for Woody's Woodshed Sports Bar and Restaurant, the sponsor of some of the best teams in the region. That establishment seems to be long gone but most of the area remains the same except for the new homes that have sprouted up around the area.
We the started our trip west back to London, along Hamilton Road; I decided on a detour once we reached Airport Road, veered north to Dundas and then back east towards Thamesford. This was the small town that my sister Deb and her husband Bill raised their brood. In fact, Cathy located their place with the most distinguishing aspect being the large porch that Bill built - still standing after all these years. We also drove over to the hockey arena/ community center as this was the site of maybe the greatest hockey achievement of our eldest son Rob when he became a member of the Junior D Thamesford Trojans. Making that team after so many of his peers from minor hockey had been released was a testament of how far he had come as a hockey player. Many of those released were kids that had been playing competitive travel hockey back when Rob was starting in House Leagues many years before. This was the point in time where he not only caught them but surpassed them in his development.
We returned to London heading due west on Dundas/ Highway #2 all the way past old haunts such as Cathy's 3rd Street residence, our old High Schools - Cathy's Clarke Road & Beal and my Beck.
Next road trip still being planned but I am sure it will be another down memory lane.
