Page 11 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 107
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www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #107 December 2021 11
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Stories And More About The People In Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry with Area Senior Harvey Provost
Harvey got into an altercation with
one of his teammates. “I wanted to
fight with him. I called him all kinds
of names, but he refused to fight.
Thank God he didn’t - I found out
By Jim Riddell later that he was Gus Fiaco, a NY
State Golden Gloves Champion and
arvey Provost is well-known in he had fought well over 100 fights.
Hthe Cornwall area for his many Gus and I went on to become good
years of being involved in sports and friends, getting together often and
business. Born in Cornwall in 1938, staying in touch right up until he
Harvey played numerous sports passed away several years ago.”
over the years, including softball,
lacrosse, broomball, hockey, and In 1963, Harvey blew his knee
football. out during a game. The injury ended
his football career. Harvey stayed
Harvey began playing football involved in football as a defensive
in the Our Citizens of Tomorrow coach on Gilles Leger’s Classical
(OCOT) program, finding success College team, winning the Quebec
at each level. While attending St. Intercollegiate League Championship
Lawrence High School, Harvey in 1964. He then became a defensive
continued playing football. “It was in coach with Ed Lumley’s Cornwall
the first few years that St Lawrence Mustang’s team, playing in the
was open,” Harvey recalled. “They Interprovincial Jr. Football League.
were just starting to put the second
Lacrosse was another sport which
floor on, and we had to share lockers.
I shared one with Herbie Hewitson Harvey played at a high level. He
who was also a football player, and played locally for many years and Photo Submitted
he later went on to a career with the eventually joined Laval in the Quebec
Senior Lacrosse League. “It was pro
RCMP.” nights and so Harvey would go in at disguise as that was how I found out
lacrosse, and I was getting paid for it, midnight and make his rounds with that I was diabetic. Other than that
Harvey spent three years as a but I wasn’t that good of a player - I
defensive tackle and linebacker for was there as an aggressor.” the cart, finishing up at 3am. Harvey incident, I found that most people
SLHS on a team which included held this job through high school. “I that I had in my cab were quite nice.”
future Ottawa Rough Rider and CFL Harvey was also actively involved had drinks, sandwiches, hot dogs, On Thanksgiving weekend,
Hall of Fame member, Moe Racine. in fastball, playing several seasons cigarettes, and chewing tobacco on October 15th,1966, Harvey and
In his final season at SLHS, Harvey in the North End league as well as my cart. One night, I went over a Hilda Dupuis married. Hilda worked
was the team captain and MVP. tournaments with various teams and ledge and rolled the cart onto my foot in accounting and was also involved
he was with the Cornwall Hubs from - we didn’t need to wear steel toes in
For the next three years, Harvey the very beginning. “Moe Lemieux those days. I broke my big toe and in sports, organizing figure skating
played with Cornwall Emards in and I had been playing hockey on never had a nail on it after that.” for more than twenty years. Hilda
the Quebec Rugby Football league, Sunday mornings with an older group had grown up on a farm and was
winning the award for top lineman being run by Fred Barnett. Fred told In 1958, at 20 yrs. of age, Harvey very capable with both work and
in the league his first season. us that they would be giving up the opened a restaurant on Pitt Street riding horses and for many years
Splitting his time between offence ice and wondered if we wanted it. In named Vera’s in honor of his mother. she organized horse shows at the
and defense, Harvey also played September of 1960 Moe formed the “We got our milk from Eastside Dairy local fairs. Hilda and Harvey have
fullback for the next two seasons. Cornwall Hubs and I was with the and they were still doing deliveries two daughters, Lillian and Sharon,
In 1960, Harvey had a chance to go team for many years. In 1977, we won with a horse and cart. Any sugar and two granddaughters, Kelsey
to the CFL. “My CFL rights were the World Cup in Zurich Switzerland cubes that got wet would be saved and Cassidy. Lillian (Smith) and her
owned by the Ottawa Rough Riders. - it cost $600 per player, and we did as a treat for the horse. It got so that family live on a large dairy farm near
J.I. Albrecht, who was the Director fundraisers to pay our way. All that it the horse wouldn’t leave until it got a Finch and both Kelsey and Cassidy
of Player Personnel for the Montreal ended up costing us was our wives’ sugar cube.” have been keen in farming and
Alouettes, came to my house to tell airfare and our food.’ Harvey ran Vera’s for 20 yrs. sports.
me that if I could get my release before selling and going to work at
As involved as Harvey was in
from the Riders, that he would sign the post office in a contract position. Reflecting on his athletic career,
me with the Alouettes. I was busy at sports, he was just as busy with work. After five years at the post office, Harvey says, “It’s all about the
the restaurant (Vera’s) and couldn’t While in Grade 8 at Nativity, Harvey Harvey bought a taxi license. “This friends that I’ve made playing and
really do both.” started working the food cart at the coaching all the various sports. It’s
old Cotton Mill on William Street. was the job that I enjoyed the most. been fun.”
In 1960, Harvey started playing There were about 1500 employees There were 56 licenses in the city. I
with the Massena Warriors of the at the mill and Harvey’s mother, got attacked once by someone with In 1986 Harvey Provost was
Northern New York Football League. Vera oversaw the canteen. There a needle and got cut up a bit. Getting inducted into the Cornwall Sports
During one of the first practices, was a food cart for those working attacked may have been a blessing in Hall of Fame for football.
