Page 26 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 129

Presents Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk

with Area Senior : Steve MacDonell

Serving You Since 1937
around so we had the opportunity his backyard and got Steve on skates 1970 we went to the Quebec City
to play every position.” Steve also as soon as he was able to walk. At 8 Carnival tournament, there were
played lacrosse for a couple years in years of age he started playing hockey almost 100 teams from around the
the Cornwall Minor Lacrosse system in the Atom division. “Si Miller was world competing, we are from a little
as a goalie. During the late 70’s my coach; I was playing as a forward town like Cornwall, and we ended up
Steve was a member of the Cornwall and we didn’t have a very good losing to Oshawa in the semi-final.
By Jim Riddell Watersports Club, which was under team that year and I think that we That was a big highlight for us, we
the direction of Dr JR Lafrance, and lost almost every game. I was good were about 12 years old, there were
orn and raised in Cornwall, operated out of the Parco Village in friends with Si’s son Mark, and we 16,000 fans, some hanging over the
BSteve’s parents Greg and Darlene Glen Walter. Steve was involved in played ball hockey in their backyard, boards asking for autographs, it was
were the owners of MacDonell’s the high-speed slalom, and also did and I was always the goalie. Si asked just phenomenal.”
Inn. Attending St. Colombians East the clown act which he performed my father if he would mind if he
for grades 1 through 6, and then on trick skis. The club put on shows asked me to consider playing goalie Ford Markell was the coach of
Bishop MacDonell for 7 and 8, Steve across Eastern Ontario and northern for the hockey team - I made the the division one age group up and
attended high school at CCVS. “If New York State with Steve saying switch and we ended up losing in the he asked Steve to come and be the
there was a sport, I played it,” Steve that, “We were everywhere from playoff finals, and I stayed in the net back-up. “I was very fortunate to
said, describing those years. “I started Saranac Lake to Cobden, and we ever since.” The following year Steve keep playing with older guys and
playing baseball in the Cornwall did some shows on at the Cornwall played for the travelling team, once that helped me a lot. A highlight
minor league when I was 8 years Canal - they were fun times.” again with Si Miller coaching. “Si from playing for Ford was one year
old and played there for four years. was the coach of my team through we went to the inaugural Wrigley’s
Steve’s grandfather, Joe Heagle,
The coaches would keep rotating us almost all of my minor hockey. In Continued on page 27
was a local athlete who had a rink in