1981
Joseph Grant | Hugh MacDermid | Eugene MacDonald | Peter MacInnes | Dr. Donald MacRae | Dr. Paddy Sullivan
Joseph Paul "Kid" Grant
Joseph Paul Grant was born in Alexandria,
March 23, 1884. He was a twin brother of John Alexander Grant, and their
parents were John Alexander Grant and his wife the former Janet Morgan.
Joseph Paul Grant received his elementary education in Alexandria. At this time his given names were shortened by his school boy associates to “Joe” Grant. In 1900, at age 16, Joe Grant enlisted with the Canadian British Volunteer army and fought in the South African Boer War. Joe, following honorable discharge, returned home and proceeded to Northern Ontario and later western Canada to work on construction sites. It was during this period that he became involved in boxing, so much so that in 1908 he was middle-weight champion of Canada. He was now known throughout the country as Joe “Kid” Grant. |
After retiring from the ring, Joe “Kid” Grant enlisted with the First Canadian Contingent that fought so bravely at Calais, Ypres and Eloi, France. Private Grant was reported to be killed in action in May, 1916. A few weeks later Grant, 6763, J.P., was discovered very much alive in a field dressing station. He was hospitalized in 1917 and returned home, June 12, suffering from shock and rheumatism.
Following complete recovery, Joe “Kid” Grant returned to his beloved Northern Ontario. He joined the North Bay police and later became a Game Warden serving in the Hearst, Franz, Geraldton and Oba areas. Joseph Paul Grant died in a hospital in Hornpayne, Ontario, November 14, 1968. He was buried with full Legionary honors in his home town of Oba. |
Hugh "Big Hughie D" MacDermid
Hugh Duncan MacDermid was born, December, 22, 1882, a son of Duncan MacDermid and his wife the former Catherine MacDermid. The MacDermid’s farm home was in the Indian Lands, ninth concession of Charlottenburgh. The original founder of this pioneer home was Hugh Duncan MacDermid’s great grandfather, who had come from Perthshire, Scotland. In his youth Hugh Duncan MacDermid attended the tenth concession public school, and later was a student at Cornwall Commerical College. No exception to the Glengarry trait of shortening given names, he was affectionately known as “Big Hughie D”. |
Big Hughie D was a successful farmer and the MacDermid’s farm eventually comprised lots 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. The rugged farm work developed Big Hughie D to become one of Martintown’s great athletes. He was a fine defence player in hockey, and starred in track and field. However, his athletic forte was tug-of-war. In the role of captain, he led Martintown’s Mighty Men to many an area winning pull, especially church picnics and national holiday sport meets.
Two victories, in particular, were cherished and always will be by Martintown and Glengarry sport fans. The first was the winning pull defeating the famed RCMP team of Ottawa. The second was the Eastern Canadian Championship won at the Ormstown Fair, June 1924, when they pulled to defeat the champion Montreal police team. Big Hughie D retired from farming and resided in Martintown. This popular sportsman and widely known Glengarry athlete died September, 17, 1974. |
Eugene "Gene Sandfield" MacDonald
When Col. A.G.F. Macdonald retired from the editor’s desk of The Glengarry News in 1944, he was succeeded by his son Eugene Alexander. Born on March 29, 1911, his mother was the former Eugenie Hubert of Montreal. The Macdonald family members were known as “Sandfield”, the given name to Eugene’s great uncle, John Sandfield Macdonald, Ontario’s first premier. Hence Eugene Alexander became “Gene Sandfield”. |
The only change in the News policy by the new editor was the innovation of
an editorial page. He also broadened the publishing high standard that was soon
to become recognized and duly rewarded in a tangible way by the Ontario and Canadian
Weekly Associations.
Among those awards was winning the Ontario Weekly plaque for editorial excellence in 1957, 1960-61-62-65-68 and 1969. The Canadian Weekly Association duplicated this honor in 1959-60 and 61. Several more awards adorn the News office walls. The climax was reached in 1969 with the granting of the distinguished service award by the Canadian Weekly Association for meritorious service in the field of weekly newspaper publishing. During all those years editor “Gene Sandfield” was a builder of local sport activities personally and via News reports. He became a devoted golf player and was so enthused with the game that he launched the idea of founding a golf course in the Alexandria vicinity. Speculations of what appeared to be an impossible dream became a reality in 1960-61 with the founding of the Glengarry Golf and Country Club, whose charter directors were inducted in 2011. After retiring from the editor’s desk in 19__, Gene Sandfield continued __ until his death on ____. |
Peter MacInnes
Sport fans may ask on what basis a piper warrants induction into a Sports Hall
of Fame. The reason or explanation began several centuries ago in Scotland.
Caber tossing originated, according to a historical legend, as a result of throwing a suitable trimmed tree trunk across a stream of water to form a foot bridge. Young Scottish lads of exceptional brawn converted the method of erecting a foot bridge to a competitive sport. Those mighty songs tell of chiefly crofters who challenged each other as to who could toss a foot bridge log with the most accuracy and distance. Hence Webster defined this ancient sport of tossing a foot bridge log in these words “Caber, a pole tossed as a trail of strength at Highland Games”. |
Tossing the caber and throwing the stone was followed by the shot putt and the weights that became highlights of a Highland Games program. Again according to an historical legend, piping, solo and by bands, and Highland dancing became a popular attraction that was preceded by athletics at Highland Games.
That Glengarry County, so rich in Scottish heritage, should add the tradition of staging Highland Games was an idea or shall we say an impossible dream of Peter MacInnes similar to “Gene Sandfield” and a golf club. And also like the golf club, speculation became a reality in 1947-48 with the launching of the first Glengarry Highland Games. The results were beyond all expectations. The Glengarry Highland Games are today known throughout North America and overseas especially in Scotland. All as a result of executive strength and co-operation carrying out the idea of the sixth of Kenyon farm boy and dedicated piper, Peter MacInnes, born August 9, 1909, the son of Donald MacInnes and his wife the former Anne Campbell. |
Major Dr. Donald MacRae
Donald MacRae was born December 23, 1896, son of William Donald MacRae and his wife, the former Agnes Burton Campbell. The MacRae home is one of the head water banks on the Scotch River a short distance west of the “Little Bridges” south of Dunvegan. Don MacRae graduated from the nearby Kenyon S.S. No.4 public school. He then attended Maxville Continuation School. His enrollment at McGill as a dental student was interrupted by his enlistment with the Eastern Ontario Regiment. He was later transferred to the Montreal Black Water and proceeded overseas to the World War One trenches in France. |
Following an honourable discharge, Don MacRae resumed his dental studies at McGill. He graduated in 1925 and was now Dr. Donald MacRae D.D.S. He began his dental practice in the New Building, in downtown Montreal. Later he practiced in the Sun Life offices, on the seventh floor.
Dr. Don MacRae’s relaxation from his personal work was his fondness for rifle target shooting. This led to his founding of the Royal Montreal Rifle Association in 1946 and also to his presidency of the Quebec Rifle Association. He later became the Governor of the PQRA. Donald MacRae excelled at rifle target shooting in Canada and the Bisley Ranges in England. Due to his excellent marksmanship and leadership qualifications, he was appointed commander of the Canadian Bisley team. While in England, he was made an honourary member of the National Rifle Association of Great Britian, one of only two Canadians ever so honoured. Later, Dr. MacRae was made honourary life governor of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association. |
Dr. James "Paddy" Sullivan
The Williamstown surname of Sullivan is synonymous with Glengarry luminaries in lacrosse and hockey. Dr. James Arthur Patrick Sullivan, born January 15, 1895, the second son of Jeremiah “Jerry” Sullivan and his wife the former Theresa MacPherson, exemplified the Glengarry tradition by becoming one of the hockey greats in our county, Canada and the U.S. James Arthur Patrick Sullivan, like all those inducted in 1981, was no exception from the Glengarry trait of shortening given names. There was an easy solution in this case; James Arthur Patrick became “Paddy” when he was a wee toddler in his home and his father’s tinsmith shop. |
Paddy Sullivan in his elementary school years was an outstanding player in both lacrosse and hockey, despite his tender age. He completed his high school matriculation year in Brockville Collegiate. He was lured to Brockville to play senior hockey in the OHA. By this time World War One was being fought on the battle fields of France. Paddy Sullivan joined Canada’s fledgling Air Force.
Returning to his beloved Williamstown, Paddy Sullivan and his brother Alex played hockey with Montreal’s noted Royal Bank team, which would later become the Montreal Maroons. Tuition was part of the contract, permitting Paddy to become a dentist like his brother Bill. Paddy Sullivan played a major role in the nucleus of this club that later was granted a franchise in the NHL. Paddy centered the prolific scoring line flanked by Ottawa’s “Hib” Milks and Harold Darragh. The defence was built around Canada’s all time great athlete Lionel Conacher. Roy Worters was in goal. Thus Paddy Sullivan skated from the Black River (River aux Raisins), the Williamstown rink beside Tab Larocque’s barber shop all the way to play with and against many of the hockey stalwarts of the 1920s in Canada and the U.S. Paddy Sullivan – that was his title even in professional life – joined his colleague sportsmen and athletes up there in their deserved Valhalla, October 7, 1975. |