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CYO celebrates 54th
season
As far as I know Mayor Joe McCaffery Hasn't
declared tomorrow "CYO Hockey Day in St. Catharines" but perhaps it's
simply that he doesn't want to blow his own horn.
Mayor Joe is not old enough to have played when the CYO hockey leagues
started 54 years ago on Martindale Pond and other outdoor locations but he
is typical of the people who have kept things perking since Day One.
McCaffery was a player, coach, manager and, until he began his reign at
city hall, was president of the association which now includes five
parishes and 30 teams.
The day-long celebration will recognize the 50th season of playing at
Garden City Arena and the 54th year the league has operated.
Only the Winter Club (figure skating) has been a tenant as long at the
downtown facility.
The founders in 1934 were the late Father Stanley Cassin, Oz Darte who
died late last year, Jeff Alexander and George Howard.
Mr. Alexander and Mr. Howard are in the south and unable to attend.
However, Joe Sheehan who was a driving force in the CYO leagues for 30 or
more years, will be among those who have accomplished to much for so long.
Year of planning
CYO hockey secretary Kathie
Zutell and treasurer Bill Keogh have been mainly responsible for organizing
the reunion with the help of current president Archie Reynolds, his
executive and dozens of others on numerous committees.
As the second of four generations in CYO Hockey, it figured that Mrs.
Zutell would be a key figure in the Saturday gathering.
She is the daughter of George Howard, mentioned earlier among the
founders, and with her sisters Mary and Jackie has kept the CYO statistics
for 30 years. Kathie and her husband Alan have a son Michael and a grand
nephew Nathan Howard now in the league.
Anther son Walter Zutell played nine years and is now a referee.
There are third generation situations with the Darte and Granton families
and several others. George Darte, son of co-founder Oz Darte played CYO
and now he and his wife Marilyn watch their sons Gregory and Christopher
in action. Frank Granton played in the league in the 1940s, he and his
wife Margaret's son Thomas played in the 1960s and a grandson Christopher
Lavel is carrying on the tradition.
Especially during the era of Father Cassin, CYO teams played in many
sports - Church league and provincial basketball, most grades of baseball
and lacrosse from the lowest minor to senior B.
The hockey also included a senior All-star team for several years in the
1940s when the championship teams in St. Catharines would play their
counterparts from Toronto in every age class from peewee or bantam to
adult in day-long tournaments in both communities.
Joe Cheevers, who played little hockey but was a lacrosse star and
assistant arena manager, made his annual appearance for the city CYO
seniors and what he lacked in skating ability he more than made up in
determination.
I probably shouldn't mention this but for the St. Catharines - Toronto
confrontations, players such as Archie Katzman not known as a practicing
Roman Catholics, was often to be found in the local lineup. I have no
doubt that Toronto used similar "ringers".
While the number of age groups has been reduced, there are more teams now
and girls are eligible to play, including Katie, the daughter of president
Reynolds.
A full day
The
Saturday program will start at Garden City and Rex Stimers arenas with a
family type skating party between 2 P.M. and 3:00 p.m.: an old-timers game
for former players and past or present executives and coaches at 3 p.m.: a
current players' all-star match at 4 p.m. followed by the dedication of a
trophy and memorabilia case in the lobby between the rinks at 5 p.m.
A pay-as-you enter buffet is scheduled at 7 p.m. plus nostalgic songs
from the St. Catharines Singing Saints which is internationally-famous
group from the local chapter of Society for the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA) and
finally a dance.
This is an event which should be supported and remembered by the
thousands who have been a part of this city's longest-running sports
program. Thanks
to the St. Catharines Standard.
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