Page 35 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 95

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Continued from page 34
Gary played two years of Jr. B
with Baril, a team sponsored by city
alderman Norm Baril, who later,
along with Jim Larin became coach
and GM of the Cornwall Royals. In
1968 Gary joined the Royals who
were playing in the Montreal Metro
League which became part of the
QMJHL one year later. In a game
against Drummondville, Gary had the
honour of scoring the first Cornwall
Royals goal in the QMJHL.
Following the 1969-70 season both
Gary and Royals goalie, Billy Smith
were drafted by the Los Angeles
Kings. Smith played for two years
in the Kings system before being
claimed by the New York Islanders in
the expansion draft and going on to
win four Stanley Cups with the Isles.
Issue #95 December 2020 35
from Finch, Gary enrolled in the CJEP purchased Primrose Manor, a family
program and joined the Junior Varsity business that was just recently sold.
hockey team. The following year,
Gary continued playing hockey over
1972, Gary was back in Cornwall the years, joining the Cornwall Hubs
studying business at St. Lawrence
in 1978 and playing with them until
College and playing hockey with the
2017. A father of two, Gary coached
Road Runners. Two years later St. sons Patrick and Jamie for about ten
Clair College in Windsor recruited
years. Jamie, a former Cornwall Colt,
Gary. “I had worked five summers at attended Dartmouth College in New
Ontario Power Generating (OPG) as a
Hampshire on a four-year hockey
gardener and had developed a passion
scholarship, played minor pro in the
for gardening and landscaping, so I ECHL, CHL and in Europe, and is
went to St. Clair for two years and got
presently a scout with the New York
a horticultural degree.” Rangers organization. Patrick is an
Gary captained the hockey team IT computer specialist with Fortis/
during his time at St. Clair. During his Cornwall Electric.
first year with the team, the only game
Gary sums things up by saying,
lost was the CCCAA championship “My wife, Camille and I officially just
game in Sydney, NS where they lost
retired at the end of July at aged 70
to Canmore, Alta. by a 4-2 score. The and as I look back on life in general,
following season St. Clair travelled we had a very good upbringing, thanks
to Canmore and won the Canadian
to our parents and our involvement in
College Championship. sports, which helped us develop a lot
Returning to Cornwall, Gary of lifelong friendships along the way.
worked at Domtar for two and a My greatest achievement in life was
half years before going back to the birth of my two sons and for that I
St. Lawrence College to finish his am extremely grateful. My wife and I
business degree. He then started a look forward to spending quality time
landscaping company specializing in with all our kids and grandchildren,
interlock and foundation planning, and perhaps a little travel to some
which eventually grew to the point of faraway places, once COVID-19 is
having six employees. In 2000, Gary over.”
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nineteen and it was my first time on
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hockey career in the minors. I had
played left wing my whole life, but
they wanted me on defence because
I skated well backwards. It was just
a matter of time until the cuts came
down from the pros and I got bumped
out.”
Having some friends at Loyola
College, including former Royals 711 Pitt Street, CORNWALL
Bill Markell and goalie Rocky Martin 613-932-2584