Page 20 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 69

20 August 2018 Issue #69 www.sportsenergynews.com

Hidden Gems on the Diamond

By Casey Leger

reat amateur baseball might just
Gbe one of Cornwall’s best kept
secrets. Diamond 7 at Legion Park
by the St. Lawrence, an official 90’
diamond, has seen a lot of action over
the last few seasons, and this July it
played host to a provincial baseball
championship in which the Cornwall
Royals went unbeaten until the very
last inning of the championship
game.
The Cornwall River Rats senior
baseball team has enjoyed a
tremendous amount of success of
its own. This is the River Rats’
sixth season in the National Capital
Baseball League, and it’s their first
season playing at the elite Tier One
level after having spent five years in Last season’s NCBL Tier Two champion Cornwall River Rats. Photo Submitted
a highly competitive Tier Two.
The River Rats have worked hard Coach John Flannigan is proud of or 13 per game.” The roster includes with a chance to keep playing ball
to get to the top level of the NCBL. In his players, who range in age from several college and university calibre once they are too old for Cornwall
their second year as an organization, about 17 years to the mid-thirties. athletes, as well as one national team District Minor Baseball. He mentions
they earned a 20 and 4 record and The River Rats are currently sitting player. players like Jacob Morris, Brandon
finished first in during the regular in fifth place in the 10-team division. One of the things that Coach Daigle, Brad Giroux, Austin, Jenna,
season. Last year, they tied for first “We have a 25-player roster,” he says. Flannigan likes the most about the and Jay Flannigan, Daryl Beck,
place and then went undefeated “Some of the players are students Cornwall River rats is the fact that Nathaniel Van Putten, and Chris
during the playoffs to claim the Tier with jobs or are working guys, so we the team provides chances for young Poirier as athletes who have played
Two championship. carry a lot of players, but we dress 12 Cornwall and area baseball players or are playing for the team.

VOTE FOR REAL VALUES! It Is What It Is

• INTEGRITY By Peter Collins re-shape and modernize the team. He
• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ditched players Clarkson and Kessel
• HIGHLY MOTIVATED in 2015, and Phaneuf in 2016 to make
• HARD WORKER way for new, younger more dynamic
My name is ugust is probably too early to traded well and now has his team
types of players. He’s drafted and

Patrick Dussault Amake NHL predictions, but here on the precipice of something very

I will retire from the Ontario Provincial Police, after 30 years of service in October 2018, goes anyway. The Toronto Maple Leafs special. The signing of Tavares is the
will win the Stanley Cup sometime in last piece of the puzzle. Tavares gives
and I am looking forward to serving the citizens of Cornwall as a municipal councillor.
I have been living in the area since 1991 and during that time I have gained a reputation June 2019. Ok, stop laughing; yes the the team a perennial all-star; a player
of integrity and hard work, while getting involved in the community with several Leafs will win their first mug since with a leadership pedigree, and most
organizations. Some of these are:
• Part-time Teacher at St-Lawrence College since 2004. 1967. Tavares, Matthews, Marner, likely the next captain of the Leafs.
• Board of Directors, Cornwall Minor Hockey 2010-2014. Reilly, and Anderson will do their best Now the pressure has shifted to Coach
• Manager for Cornwall Colts Minor Hockey “B Rep” (travelling 2008-2013).
• Member of the “Police Foundations Advisory Committee” to help us forget Keon, Kelly, Ellis, Mike Babcock, he has the players;
St-Lawrence College Tri-Campus. Horton, and Bower. It’s not really can he shape them into a Stanley Cup
• Active member at Ste-Thérèse-de Lisieux Church/Parish.
• Member of the Cornwall and Area Human Trafficking Task Force. a long shot; with this past summer’s winner? Mike hasn’t coached a cup

• Association representative at work signing of John Tavares, the Leafs winner since 2008, so it’s time to find

(Police officers have associations rather than unions) have shown the time is now for the out if he’s worth his 6 million dollar
• Vice-President of the E.D.A. of S.D. and S.G.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Buds to make the next step. They a year salary. To win the cup, the
• Fair contract for municipal employees and city taxpayers upon renewal. cleaned up the front office, sent Lou Leafs will have to negotiate their way
• Freeze on salaries of the Mayor, council members, and executives such as the
C.A.O. and the G. M. of Corporate Services for the duration of the term. Lamoriello packing, and it’s now up through the Lightning, Bruins, and
• Taxes NOT to increase and/or go above inflation rate. to Shanahan, Dubas, and Babcock to Capitals, which will be a difficult task.

• Promoting Cornwall as a place to live, work, and establish/attract new businesses.
• Construction of a sidewalk on Brookdale Avenue from 14th street to Vincent Massey lead the way. Shanahan deserves much They’ll probably have to beat a team
(west side of the road). of the credit. He has remade much of like Nashville or Winnipeg from west,

• Against spending money for studies such as the one for the traffic circle on Brookdale
Avenue. the team since his 2014 appointment but that should be doable. So circle
• Collection of the “blue boxes” every other week. as president of the Leafs. During the Tuesday, Sept 18th on your calendar,
I have the experience, the contacts, the dedication, and the skills for this position. On past four years he’s made key front that’s when the Leafs will open their
October 22nd 2018 VOTE for Patrick Dussault!
Share an idea or suggestion – contact me by phone or text message at 613-330-8101 office moves to bring in Kyle Dubas 2018-19 Stanley Cup season versus
or visit my Facebook page! (2014), and Mike Babcock (2015) to the Ottawa Senators!