Page 27 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 133

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #133 February 2024 27

Visions Cabinetry
V isions Cabinetry

Michael Valade • Shane Caskenette
visionscabinetry@gmail.com
613-577-0429 613-551-8105
Continued from page 26 Moe was playing on the offensive Following high school at St. business. Ken became a property
line for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Lawrence, Ken started working at manager, being responsible for two
and it was one that I never made
again.” was in shape, and must have gone at Courtaulds where his brother Earl was apartment buildings in Brockville
least 250lbs at the time. Later on, they employed. “I was there from 1958 until plus an Ottawa high-rise. “It was
During the summers of the ‘60’s came out with non-body contact rules they had a big layoff in 1969. I went an easy job,” said Ken. “There
and ‘70’s, Ken was playing first and all of those young guys could run back to school and got my machinist were people that looked after the
base for various teams competing like a deer and we no longer had any certification and then got called back buildings, about all that I had to do
in the Cornwall Intermediate and way of slowing them down.” to Courtaulds in 1971.” Soon after was keep them fully rented and to
Senior Fastball Leagues, and at area that Ken applied for a Golden Eagle make sure that the rent money went
One of the highlights for Ken was
tournaments, with games being played franchise on Brookdale Ave., where into the bank.” Ken had taken senior
at King George Park, Courtaulds the year when two Cornwall teams Billy K’s is today. During the fifteen management training courses with
Field, and at the Athletic Grounds by won their respective divisions in a years that Ken ran that location it was Electrolux, and he became a regional
Hamilton tournament that featured
the Bob Turner. built into the third highest gasoline manager working out of Kingston. “I
some of the best teams from across
The sport that Ken excelled in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. sales in Cornwall. “When my buddy, would help get Treats Cafe running
was broomball. “Bernie Racine “We had picked a team of players Luis Seguin, owner of the Golden each morning and then head to the
had an outdoor rink beside his gas from the Seaway Valley and the JOC Eagle on Eleventh and Cumberland office in Kingston.”
station at Eleventh and McConnell Leagues. Our men’s team and our passed away, I was approached about A health issue arose in 2001 that
that we would play on. I played on lady’s team both won.” purchasing that corner. I bought it, we ended both Kens working career
Bernie’s team in the Seaway Valley had two mechanics working in the and his involvement in sports. A CT
Sr. Broomball league. The team won Another of Ken’s memories is from bays. After about four years there I scan detected a brain aneurysm that
the league a few times and eventually the Alexandria Broomball tournament got an offer that was too good to turn needed to be dealt with. Following a
got removed because they were too which was sponsored by the Ottawa down.” Getting into the Mac’s Milk procedure in Kingston, Ken suffered
strong for the rest of the league. House Hotel. The tournament was system, Ken had the store in Glenview several strokes and spent the better
Our team then went to play in the approaching, and Ken had not yet Heights. Electrolux was looking for a part of two years in a rehab hospital
Glengarry League (1967-68,) and we been asked to play by any of the technician in Cornwall at the time, in Toronto. Ken continues to play
won that as well. The following year teams entered. “I decided to make up so Ken went to Ottawa to take the chess, a game that he learned while
we split our team up and we were able a team of the best available guys and course. Once certified, Ken began working at Courtaulds. “I had a good
to rejoin the Seaway Valley League.” we made it through to the finals. Just a long association with Electrolux teacher,” Ken stated. “He had a nice
Ken reminisces about playing a wide before the championship game, JP that allowed him to sell and service chess board and he told me that when
variety of opponents over the years, Touchette, the owner of the Ottawa the company products. He continued I was able to beat him, he would give
“we played a Montreal team that House, came to our bench and told with Mac’s Milk, eventually getting a it to me. Eventually I was able to beat
competed in the National Broomball us that if we could beat the favoured large store in Smith Falls due to his him, and I got it. When my son, Ken
League, which was broomball at the opponents that there would be a 24 previous experience with gasoline Jr, took an interest in chess I made the
highest level. Another time we went sales. The Smiths Falls Macs was a
of beer in the dressing room, and that same offer to him, and he now owns
to Valleyfield to play a team that was the first round at the Ottawa House high volume store with both self- the chess game.” Ken also plays darts
wearing rubber boots and using sweep serve and full-serve pumps. The
would be on him.” Ken scored the and has found success at that game as
brooms; I think that we ended up winning goal in overtime and his team Smiths Falls store was doing well, well, having won medals in singles,
winning that game 20-0.” The game capitalized on JP Touchette’s offer. but Ken moved onto Brockville when doubles, and team play. Ken has three
changed over the years, Ken recalled, other opportunities arose. A Treats children, Ken Jr, Cindy, and Adam.
“We had lots of contact at one time, I Ken has won numerous MVP and Cafe franchise in the Thousand Island “I always strived to be the best that I
remember some games where we had Top scorer awards with various teams, Mall became available, which was a could be in sports,” Ken stated, “and I
Moe and Gilles Racine on our team leagues, and at tournaments over his good fit for Kens wife, Helen, who instilled that work ethic with the kids,
and nobody was going run over them, many years of playing broomball. had always wanted to have her own win or lose you are still a champ.”