Page 29 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 85

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #85 December 2019 29

Steve Malyon Family Fun 9:30 am - 11 pm daily
sales rep Register Now
613-314-4161 “Join us in a relaxing family atmosphere”
No alcohol served
• Furnaces FREE fitted cover

• Fireplaces with any NEW
• Water heaters • Patio heaters Complete pool
• Construction heater • BBQs table purchased table sales
• Forced air heaters • Infrared before Christmas and service
• Boilers commercial heaters
5720 Power Dam Drive, Cornwall • 613-938-9622 1916 Pitt Street North, Cornwall • 613-933-9362

Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk with Area Seniors

Ross McDonald

“It was fifty years in the making, Attaining level 3 credentials (level
- that’s how long it took them.” 6 was NHL), Ross spent the next
Ross McDonald was referring to the 18 years officiating with the ODHA
Washington Nationals World Series (Ottawa District Hockey Assoc).
victory, has first-hand experience In the summer it was baseball with
in the work that goes into building Ross, Si Miller and Rudy Payment
a winning major league baseball coaching a team in the Connie Mack
team. McDonald was born in London League. The ages went from 16 to 19
Ontario in 1943 and moved to and beyond that there was nowhere
Cornwall three years later. Ross’s for those who wanted to continue
grandfather Lewis Herbert Clark had, playing baseball. The Expo’s had just
in 1898, started Clarks Shoe Store on recently arrived in Montreal so Ross
Pitt St which was eventually taken contacted the team in hopes of getting
over by his dad, Clarence McDonald. a Sr. league in place for those 20 and
At eight years of age Ross began up.. “The Expos had no interest in
playing hockey as a goalie. “I was anyone over the age of 19 but they
small for my age and it seemed that stayed in touch and asked Ross if he
the little kids were always the ones would be interested in joining them
that ended up in the nets”. A few as a scout. For the next five years
years later an injury forced Ross to Ross scouted Eastern Ontario did
start playing another position. “I player evaluations, clinics and tryout
dove to cover a loose puck in front of camps across the province. To make
the net and woke up three days later. it a player had to be better than “very
I had gotten hit by both the puck and good” with Ross saying that one year
the stick and has the right side of my “we did camps locally, in Toronto,
face caved in. My father had told me Hamilton, Kitchener, Windsor and
Photo Submitted
‘no more playing nets’ so I became London. Four hundred kids were
a left winger. That went well until I invited to Montreal for a tryout four walls were covered in photos. rows up on the 3rd base line where
ended up with a badly broken ankle. camp. There were nine different There was one wall for the American I could see the whole game”. Carole
This time my father told me that stations, one for each position where League, one for the National League, and Ross had purchased 180 acres
there was no more playing hockey, evaluations were done. Of the 400 one for Triple A and the last one for at Glen Walter where Carole had
as I was needed in the store”. When that were invited, only 2 players Double A. Each wall had a team two horses of her own and boarded
Ross was sixteen, his father suffered were signed to attend rookie camp photo with a list of player names and six others with Ross doing the twice
a major heart attack and Ross was and they were never heard from their positions. Fanning was able to daily cleaning and much of the stall
needed in the store on a full-time again. It’s very competitive with only assess the Expo’s needs and quickly cleaning. The land was rented out to
basis. Juggling work with education, about 2 out of 100 ever making it to check to see who may be available. a cash cropper as Ross and Carole
Ross managed to complete his grade the pro’s (AA, AAA, and then the After five years of scouting part-time had neither the time nor equipment
12 and went on to operate Clark’s Major Leagues). Chris Speier, who the Expos wanted Ross on a full-time to run it themselves. In the summer
Shoe Store for the next fifty-five was from California, was playing basis. “I would have loved to have they had a large vegetable garden
years. In 1964 Ross met his future shortstop with a Stratford team and gone full time with the Expos, but which for several years provided
wife Carole playing in a badminton he was signed by the San Francisco with a business and a farm to run, fresh produce for some local
league at St Johns Church. Carole Giants, which got our scout for that a young family and elderly parents, restaurants. Ross retired in 2012,
and Ross married in 1966 and have area fired by the Expos. Speirer it just wasn’t possible – baseball after 55 years at Clarks Shoe Store
three sons, Stewart, Andrew and Ian. went on to play nineteen years in the season was over. The Expos were a and he and Carole are now down
It was soon back to hockey for Ross - majors and later was a coach with great organization and always treated to six acres and have downsized
“There was a bantam tournament that the World Series’ winning Arizona me well, right up until they moved to their vegetable garden to just meet
was coming to town and I was asked Diamondbacks in 2001. Ross had Washington. Any time that I wanted their own needs. It was “50 years in
if I wanted to become a referee. I been in Expo GM Jim Fanning’s to go to a game, all I had to do was the making” and Ross McDonald
was no longer able to play but this office many times mentioning that call and they would ask “where would is Cornwall’s indirect link to the
allowed me to stay in the game”. baseball is a big business and all you like to be?” I always liked to be 10 World Series Champions”.