Page 27 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 12

Please support our Advertisers, it’s a winning combination. 27

Presents... The Games Are Over,

The Memories Live On

Bob Taylor: A big part of Cornwall basketball history

By Morley Seaver stepped away from that and got into
coaching. I coached in elementary
hen you’re 6’5” in Grade 9, school for 10 years and then when
Wit doesn’t take a genius to tell I got my degree, I taught math, got

you that a basketball might figure into guidance counseling. It was
prominently in your future. This then I started coaching the secondary
obvious partnership became clear school teams.”
to Bob Taylor when he just couldn’t His winning ways were passed
skate like the rest of his teammates onto his players as CCVS won the
when playing hockey. Instead, he Junior E.O.S.S.A. championship
hit the court and the rest is history. in 1968. He admits that it felt a bit
Literally. strange being on the other side of the
Taylor is part of Cornwall sports bench. “Yes, it was quite different,”
lore as a member of the Hall of Fame he remembers, “but I had a good
for his accomplishments as both bunch of kids. Back in those days,
player and coach. He humbly says most didn’t have part-time jobs so
that he wasn’t an instant success, they usually all ended up turning up
however. “I was never a very good for practice, whereas today I guess
skater,” he says. “I played a fair bit of there’s a problem getting kids out for
softball though and I guess I had a bit football and other sports because of
of coordination there but to develop jobs and so on.”
into basketball there is another thing. Taking lessons from sports is
I had to work at it.” something that Taylor has tried to
Once it came together, there pass along to the students he has come
was no stopping him. Joining the across. “Teamwork and respecting
CCVS Junior team, he led them individuals were some of the things
to the Eastern Ontario Secondary that I learned from playing sports,”
School Association (E.O.S.S.A.) same time, he began to realize that future Ottawa Rough Riders Bobby he says. “As a guidance counselor, a
Championship in 1950. Later, when his educational direction was going Simpson and Avatus Stone. lot of parents used to tell me, ‘Well,
they didn’t have a senior team, he to have to take a u-turn. The college had a basketball team my son is not doing well in school.
joined the city league’s King George “Unfortunately, I went there for the but Taylor was ineligible to play since I’m going to cut out his sports.’ And I
Aces, winning the championship and basketball,” he says “and didn’t really he was already a part of the men’s would tell them, ‘That’s the last thing
was named the league’s most valuable think about what I was going to take. league. “But I coached the teacher’s you should do.’ I found that sports
player (MVP). It’s an engineering school and I wasn’t college team that played in an is a great builder of cooperation
His coach, former mayor Nick very interested in engineering. I was intermediate league and we won the and getting along with your fellow
Kaneb, had connections at Clarkson thinking about going in for teaching championship there too,” he laughs. person.”
University in Potsdam, New York. before I got the Clarkson offer and Returning to Cornwall to start a His love of sports was passed onto
Kaneb arranged for an exhibition decided I should go back and try that lengthy teaching career, Taylor once his children and, like their father, two
game and when Clarkson coaches route.” again joined the city league, this time of them really excelled. “My oldest
got a look at Taylor, he was offered a The next year, Taylor went to playing for Hodgins Lumber. The son played with Ottawa U,” he says.
partial scholarship to join the team. teacher’s college. “Back in the ‘50s, team won championships in 1956 “Rob Taylor was an all-star who set
“It was tough because there were a you didn’t need a university degree and 1957 and Taylor was both MVP records that I think are still there.
lot of good ball players there at that to get a teaching certificate,” he says. and the scoring leader both years, and He was 6’7”. And Randy Taylor got

time,” he says. “And this was only So when I was in Ottawa, I played scoring leader in four out of the five a hockey scholarship at Harvard.

division three not like, Syracuse which with the Ottawa Schaeffers senior years he played. One year he made the second All-
was division one.” Being required to league team and we won the league Finally, all the battles on the court American team at Harvard and Rob
also be part of the freshmen baseball championship and went on to the caught up to him and he retired from was second All-Canadian team at
team, meant that sports took a lot of Dominion quarter -finals against playing in 1963. “I had problems basketball. That’s something that I’m

time away from scholastics. At the Sault St Marie.” There he played with with my ankles,” he says, “so I very proud of.”

Home of Cornwall’s Biggest and Best Smoked Meat

WINGS EXTRAVAGANZA ALL YOU-CAN-EAT PRIME RIB
Every Sunday to Wednesday, 2 pm to 10 pm Every Friday and Saturday, 4 pm to 9 pm
your choice of 1 Dozen Wings......... only 7 49 with all the trimmings.................. only 15 79
$
$
$
or 1 Dozen Wings & 60-oz. 10 oz NY STRIP STEAK......... only 13 99
$
Breakfast served daily 9 am to 12 noon domestic pitcher..... only 19 99 Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 2 pm to 9 pm
10 Daily Lunch Specials
To Choose From served 11 am to 2 pm or All-U-Can-Eat $ 99 15% Discount on our Mexican Specialties
Burgers, Pastas, Mexican, Fish and much more! Wings.................... only 14 Every Thursday 4 pm to close
(613) 933-7008 • 101 Montreal Road, Cornwall