Page 11 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 16

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Presents...Then and Now
Cornwall Royals Edition ... Bob Deschamps
By Diane Hunter
ORNWALL – The Cornwall
CRoyals started out as a junior
hockey team in the early sixties.
Beginning in the Central Junior
“A” Hockey League from 1961 to
1969, they moved into the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League in
1969, winning three memorial cup
titles before transferring onto the
Ontario Hockey League during the
1981-82 season.
The team produced many great
hockey players including a long list
of NHL players such as goaltender
Billy Smith, who was inducted
into the Hockey Hall of Fame in
1993, Dale Hawerchuck, inducted
in 2001, Owen Nolan who won an
Olympic gold medal in 2002, and
Doug Gilmour, who was inducted
into the Hockey Hall of Fame in
2011.
The Royals have also produced
many great local hockey players like
Bob Deschamps. “I still play with a
senior league here in town. Most of
the guys that used to play with the
Royals play with the Hubs now,”
said Deschamps. “I’m in touch with
pretty much all of them.”
Although thinking about retiring
from the game he loves so much,
Deschamps keeps putting his skates
on, playing with the Hubs. “I am
68 now and I am still going,” said
Deschamps. “But I am starting to
feel my oats there. I am at the stage
that it is time to retire.” Deschamps
said that the newer players are faster
and fitter, but he just can’t seem to
walk away. “I keep saying that’s it,
I can’t go no more,” he explained.
“But I keep going. I have a few
things that need to get fixed. I enjoy
it. It’s still the same old game.” Newspaper pages may turn old and yellow, but the memories
Deschamps worked at Domtar Bob Deschamps remain as fresh as when they were created.
paper mill for many years. “Domtar
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hired pretty much all the best ball and
hockey players,” said Deschamps.
“If you could play ball or hockey,
boy you were in. (I have) A lot of
good memories playing Junior “B”.
You think about them. You can’t
forget. I can’t remember what I did
yesterday, but I remember all of the
hockey games.”
Deschamps played defense on
the Paper mill league. “There was
a lot of people that come to me
when I started in the mill. People
complained that I skated too fast,”
Deschamps recalled. “I played
defense. I learned more about hockey
playing in Domtar in defense. I
think everybody that plays hockey
should play in defense. You see
it differently as defense. A lot of
people from Montreal, Ottawa, you
name it.
They all said I was good. I didn’t
think I was any better than anyone
else. I just hate to lose with a
passion.”
Deschamps reminisced about the
Royals and some of the people he
played with. He spouted off names
like Moe Lemieux, Gerry Lemire,
Pete Champagne and many more.
“It was just playing with the team
and the bunch that we had and
having fun,” said Deschamps.
“When I played hockey I didn’t
play for special awards I just played
to win as a team.”
Deschamps reflected about some
of the players that he has played
hockey with over the years. “To still
be alive is a big accomplishment,”
he said. “There are a couple of
fellows that have passed away. They
all seem to be getting sick. I still
have my good health.” Deschamps
said he has a few aches and pains
that need to be straightened away,
but other than that, he plans to keep
Photo supplied by Bob Deschamps. playing just as long as he can.
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