Page 13 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 89

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #89 April 2020 13

Continued from page 12 was staying at caught fire. “We had MacIntosh, the owner of the Pioneer in Brockville before transferring
played one game, then the alarm Hotel had a deal for me - offering to Winchester where he remained
crowds of 7,000 fans. The went off at 6AM and everyone was 1 beer for each strike-out that I got until his retirement in 1993. In 1969,
Combines beat out the Moncton able to get out safely, but all of our that game. I struck out 17 batters Doug and Gail Kenney married
Hawks in 67, going on to face the equipment burned, and our team had that night and went into the Pioneer and together they raised three sons:
Sherbrooke Beavers in the semi-finals to head back home.” on Saturday shortly after noon and Barry, Rob, and Tim.
losing out in 7 games. The Beavers In 2016, Doug was with the Raymond sat down with me and Doug played hockey until 2016,
had a stacked team including Simon Cornwall Hubs at the World counted out every one of them. I was pulling himself from a game after
Nolet, who went on to win a Stanley Tournament held in Vancouver where there until almost 7 o’clock and he noticing that something wasn’t quite
Cup with the Philadelphia Flyers, they won two games before losing threw in a steak supper, so it was a right. “I was coming around the
and goalie Rogie Vachon who did the out. pretty good deal.” net and was having some problems
same with the Montreal Canadiens. At 16 yrs. of age, Doug started Doug was playing with the Hull focusing and with my balance. I came
On New Years eve in 1967, a playing fastball for a Williamsburg Lamberts in the Commercial League off the ice, took my skates off, and
Morrisburg-Brockville Combine team that was sponsored by the and the team went to represent Quebec never put them back on. Shortly after
team played a game against the Locketon Lodge. “We were playing in the Canadian Championships I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”
touring Moscow Selects, losing 3-2. in a tournament in Kemptville in 1961 in Saskatoon at the Gordie Howe Doug took up golf in 1972 when
Doug says, “We lost a close game, and neither of our pitchers showed Fastball Park. The rules were that Cedar Glen opened just down the
not like many people thought it up. My brother Rae was the coach players had to reside in the province road from his home, playing on men’s
would end up.” and he asked which one of us wanted that they represented. “I didn’t know night as well as a few tournaments
In 1968 and 1969, the Combines to pitch and I volunteered. We beat any more than a couple of words of each year. He still plays occasionally
were selected to represent Canada Cardinal 3-1 that game and I became French, but they had me set up with a with the objective now of breaking 50.
internationally, winning both times the pitcher.” Hull address.” Reflecting back on his sporting
by defeating the host USA team in In 1962, Doug was playing in The Lamberts lost 2-1 in the career, Big Doug sums it up by
the finals. The Combines received Ottawa for Hugh M. Grant and in Championship game, with Doug saying, “I’m satisfied that I made the
national media exposure when Cornwall with The Lloyd George winning the tournament batting right decision by staying home. I had
Dink Carroll, the Montreal Gazette Hotel in the North End FB League. title. Doug continued to play for the opportunities to play hockey south of
columnist who was responsible Within a couple of years, Doug was Williamsburg Pioneers up until the the border, but no one knows what
for giving Maurice Richard the playing with teams in four different team folded in 1983. The last several might have been. I met my wife, we
nickname “Rocket”, wrote, “For leagues, having to prioritize teams years Doug pitched some but was raised our sons, I played some pretty
the record, there were some crazy when there were conflicting games. more of a playing coach, with Dan good hockey and ball, did some
developments over the weekend Locketon Lodge had burned down Hogaboam and Jim Morrell handling travelling, and had lots of fun. If I
in the John F. Kennedy Memorial with the Pioneer Hotel being built most of the pitching. had it to do over again, I wouldn’t
Hockey Tournament at Lake on the same site and now sponsoring Doug was hired by Ontario change a thing.”
Placid. The Morrisburg Combines, the team. “I was playing for the Hydro in 1960, working one year
an Intermediate A team, defeated Williamsburg Pioneers, Hugh H
Czechoslovakia on Friday and the Grant (Ottawa), Hull Lamberts, and
United States on Saturday to win the Lloyd George Hotel. I would get
the tournament. The US had beaten off work in Winchester at 5pm, go
Sweden on Friday. While this was home get cleaned up and have a bite
going on, Denver University beat to eat, often getting to Sandy Hill just
our National Team twice in Denver. 10 minutes before game time.”
Maybe the Morrisburg Combines In 1964, Doug pitched for a
should be playing in the NHL or 5-man fastball team from Cornwall
representing us in Stockholm next that played two exhibition games
month.” in Northern Ontario and one in Visit Us
After the Ottawa St. Lawrence Quebec in support of a local youth
League folded, Doug continued to baseball team that was off to play in For Expert
play senior intermediate hockey and the Nationals. “Gerald Lant was the Service
also took up officiating, working his organizer, I was the pitcher, Larry
way up through the various levels Keen caught, Kenny Payne played
and eventually earning a Level 5, the first base side, and Harold Murphy
enabling him to referee in the CHL, played shortstop/third base side, with
OHL, and even some international JP Carrier in the outfield. The first
games. game we played was in Lorrainville
From 1978-82, Doug coached the QC and I struck out 19 batters and
Winchester Hawks, leading the team we won the game. The next night we
to back-to-back Gill Cup victories in beat New Liskeard 9-6, and then we
1981 and 82. A few years later Doug lost 9-8 to Kirkland Lake the third
coached the Morrisburg Lions for game. There were about 5,000 fans • Suspension Comfort System ™ ™
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