Page 11 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 104

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #104 September 2021 11

Presents Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk

with Area Senior Chuck Li

Quebec Nordiques. I played hockey and Cy Miller
coached my team one year.”

Chuck became known for playing lacrosse. “It
was 1959, the very first year of minor lacrosse in
Cornwall. Someone came into our classroom at
By Jim Riddell
school to see who would like to play. I had no idea
what lacrosse was. Having just recently moved
n 1954, at six years of age, Chuck Li left Hong here from Trois Riviere, I thought that it was a
IKong with his grandmother (surname Chin) to French game, la crosse – two words. I had never
start a new life in Canada. His grandfather had even seen a lacrosse stick and the only rubber ball
gone ahead of them to Toronto to get established that I knew of was the red, white, and blue sponge
before they arrived. The Chin family then moved ball. I volunteered to be a goalie when I found out
to Trois Riviere QC, ending up in Cornwall in the goalies didn’t need to buy their own stick. We
1957. Chuck’s grandfather was in the restaurant used to fool around before the games and I think
business and worked at The New York Café. In the that our coach, Omer Desrosiers may have noticed
early 60’s he purchased what became Jack Lee’s that I had some natural ability with the stick, so
Restaurant. Jack was Chuck’s uncle by marriage. he took me out of the net. I remember myself

“While growing up in Cornwall, we played and a few of the neighborhood kids riding our
sports every day. The area around First and bicycles over to Cornwall Island (Akwesasne) to
Augustus was where I learned to play sports. There the lacrosse factory to choose a custom stick. We
were several large families there, the Herrington’s, would sort through the sticks until we found the
Thompson’s, Fraser’s, McLennan’s, Dickey’s, one that felt just right in our hands. The sticks cost
Garand’s, and others. There were always several $1.50, and it was an additional 50 cents to have
kids to play with and we’d play baseball, football, them strung.”
hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. I played on an all- Following his minor years, Chuck played Photo Submitted
star baseball team that was coached by Bob Turner with the Cornwall Wildcats in the initial season from St. Regis, Cornwall Island, Long Sault, and
and his assistant coach was Gilles Leger who went of the Eastern Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse League, Morrisburg. In 1964 the Wildcats defeated both
on to become Director of Player Personnel for the which consisted of 2 Cornwall teams and teams Continued on page 12

RATES AS LOW AS 613-935-8888

4.99% MARK-ITSOLD.CA

2018 NISSAN TITAN PRO-4X 2020 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE SE
s
s
Manager’
Manager’s • 66,691 kms • 100 kms
Manager’
• Stk. CM069
• Stk. M0010
Specials
Specials • V8 • Auto
• Carplay
• NAV
• Camera
• Push start
129
325
$
$
bi-weekly bi-weekly
2020 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS 2020 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS 2015 HONDA CR-V SE

• 200 kms • 200 kms • 103,048 kms
• Stk. M0056 • Stk. M0055 • Stk. M103A
• AWC • AWC • AWC
• Carplay • Carplay • Power group
• Nightfall Edition • Heat seats • Alloys
$ 219 $ 215 $ 142
bi-weekly bi-weekly bi-weekly

All payments are plus sales taxes on approved credit.
All payments are plus sales taxes on approved credit.
All payments are plus sales taxes on approved credit.
CORNWALL, ON
613-935-8888

CornwallMitsubishi.ca