Page 25 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 20

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As I Remember,

Presents...

The Games are Over: Bob Piteau

By Gisele Grignon had parades. We had the whole deal,

bringing in crowds comparable to
ot the rapt armchair-enjoyment
Nof the beautiful game, not a very those at the Maxville Highland Games.
It was always a great weekend.”
recent medical procedure, not even his
concerned spouse’s cautioning over The event grew so unwieldy
---taking six months to plan and prep-
said health hurdle, could curtail Bob
Piteau’s passion for sports and his --that the original organizers opted to
community, nor his chance to share hand it over to a downtown business
organization.
those dual lifelong passions.
The former high school punter and Originally from Windsor, Piteau
settled in Cornwall as a boy and later
flanker for the Cornwall Emards (run

by long-time Cornwall Dr. Emard’s worked for a subsidiary of Domtar
son Louis), was equally smitten by Fine Paper, based in Ottawa. Though
now retired, Piteau admits he “has a
basketball, playing for a number of
years in the city league. He was also hard time just sitting around.” But
he’s not above savouring some of his
a long-time basketball ref at the high
school level. In the 1960s he played sporting highlights.
semi-pro lacrosse. “When I think of the Oldtimers, I
think of how old hockey players got
But hockey, however, may have
captured his heart, sticking with together and we got things done. We
had a very good organisation, led by
the game (as left-winger) until his
mid sixties. He hesitates to name Ed Emerton, and Edgar Miron, and
some of his hockey cohorts for fear Pete Piquette our coach, who started as
a goalie. These guys were the driving
of offending someone he may have
temporarily forgotten, but goes on force behind the club.”
to list Bob Bingley, Neil Burke, and with for all those years.”
Mike Germain. They helped make up The enthusiasm for sports spilled
The Grand Drifters, playing exhibition over into his community involvement.
games with the likes of the Flying “The members of the (hockey team)
Fathers. would pick a different charity, such as
The Grand Drifters then became the liver foundation at different times
the foundation for the Cornwall and support them. We built the hockey
Oldtimers Hockey Club in the late 70s team and then helped build Camp
and continues to this day. Hideaway (near Long Sault), for the
“We played all kinds of tournaments, mentally challenged. Over the years,
from coast to coast and everything in- we probably put in $80,000 into that
between,” chuckles Piteau. The trip to (charitable organisation).”
Vancouver also allowed Piteau to visit The 74-year-old Piteau is also
with his brother Doug, who played widely regarded as one of the fathers
pro with the BC Lions. of the Cornwall Cornfest, along with
Piteau went on to become the the likes of Ron Quenneville, Gerry
Cornwall hockey club’s president Delaney, Bob Bingley, Henri Gregain
when he had to give up the game, a and Nick Haramis. “We just decided
decision he didn’t take lightly. “When we were going to do it. That was in
In addition to his involvement in lacrosse, basketball, football, golf
my playing days came to an end I the late 70’s. We even got a farmer to and hockey, Bob Piteau (fourth from left, with microphone) was
really missed it, the camaraderie in the grow our corn and we held it at the old instrumental in the creation of Cornfest, a Cornwall summer festival.
dressing room, all the guys I played Bob Turner and brought in bands and Supplied photo

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