Page 11 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 17

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Presents...Then and Now

Cornwall Royals Edition ... Pat Haramis

By Ashley March where things got serious. “I don’t know
what it was but every single player on
hen one takes the time to sit that team contributed in one way or
Wback and think of all the great another. Yes, we had our all stars like
sports teams to come out of this area, Dale Hawerchuk but guys like Newell
you can bet your bottom dollar that Brown and Pat O’Kane really made it a
the Cornwall Royals will be one of the
team effort.”
first teams mentioned. The early 1980’s

saw the team take two Memorial When Robert Savard scored and
Cup championships with the first one clinched the victory with his overtime

taking the hockey world by surprise. goal over the Peterborough Petes, the
The Royals were not lacking in depth fun was just about to begin. “I remember
during the 1979-1980 campaign. Four coming back to the Montreal airport
solid lines anchored the ice and cruised and there was about 38 buses waiting
Cornwall to a QMJHL President’s for us. We needed a police escort just
Cup championship by unexpectedly to come down the 401!” Haramis could
defeating the first place ranked not believe the support the fans and

Sherbrooke Castors four games to two. community gave the team. “Cornwall
really knew how to do it. As we got
For Pat Haramis, a look back during into Ontario and closer to Cornwall,
his time with the Royals as they headed there were people upon people lined
out for the Memorial Cup tournament up with signs on the overpass just
seems to tire him out. “It’s all a blur. screaming and waving at us. It was
There was so much going on that we
when we rolled into the Civic Complex
didn’t have time to think. We didn’t that I knew how much this meant to the
have time to be nervous.” Haramis grew city.” Waiting for them in the parking
up in nearby Maxville, Ontario before lot were thousands upon thousands of
his parents moved to Cornwall in 1973. screaming fans. So many that it made
Playing peewee hockey in the Cornwall

getting into the arena difficult. “We
system is what bumped him up to the were hanging out of the windows of the
Royals ranks. Always supportive in his bus trying to high-five as many people

children’s endeavors, Nick Haramis Sr. as we could.”

urged Pat to find a way to get to and
from games. Being busy working to With a whirlwind trip home, the
support his 10 kids, he found that his Royals were treated to a parade around
time was scarce. Luckily Pat found Cornwall complete with sitting in the Not every junior hockey player gets to hoist the Memorial Cup, so when
you do, you really savour the moment.
Supplied photo.
aid in a teammate. “I can’t thank Dan backseat of brand new Corvettes. “The
O’Reilly and his father enough. If it work that must have went into making and is still one of the best today. It was still awarded home ice in the next
wasn’t for them driving me back and this celebration, I just can’t fathom it. a big reason why I choose it. That and tournament because that’s how good
forth from practice, I never would’ve I hope that all the volunteers with this it’s close to home.” Juggling schooling of a team we were.”
had a hockey career.” and throughout the season know that with his hockey prowess seemed to
Haramis, an engineer, now lives in
their work did not go unnoticed. Every bolt Haramis to a higher level. In his
The 1980 Memorial Cup was staged the Kitchener-Waterloo area with his
out west switching from the Keystone one of us noticed and appreciated four years as a Golden Knight, Haramis family. His daughter excels in dance
everything anybody ever did with the
Centre in Brandon, Manitoba and notched 140 points in 134 games. He and his son is carving out his own
team.” was also a recipient of the Paul J. Pilon
the Regina Agridome in Regina, hockey legacy, albeit on a much smaller
Saskatchewan. For some of the boys, it After a monumental celebration, Memorial award which is given out scale. “I’d love to give back. You don’t
was their first time on a plane. “I know Haramis turned his attention down the to the hockey program’s top scholar- realize while you’re playing how much

it was my first time,” recalls Haramis. collegiate road. Getting offers from a athlete and team MVP. “I loved every people volunteer their time, energy,

“The team bought us all cowboy hats few U.S. universities including Yale minute of my time at Clarkson. We money to supporting your dreams. I’m

and Dan Daoust even wrote a song about and Bowling Green, he decided on were always ranked first or second in going to see if my son will want to turn
us bringing home the championship. It nearby Clarkson University to start the country,” Haramis recalls fondly. into coaching with me some day; I feel
was a number one hit in Cornwall that his college career. “Clarkson had the “Funny thing is we lost every game in the need to give back to the game that
spring.” Laughter aside, on the ice is number one ranked hockey program the Eastern championships but were gave me so much.”

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