2012
Winston van Putten | Roch Lajoie | Hugh MacGillivray | Marie-Laure Noseworthy | Thom Pritchard
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In 1967 Winston moved to Dorval where he played in the Dorval Fastball League from 1970-1072. He won both the League’s batting crown and MVP in 1970 and 1971. He also played first base in the summer of 1971 with the Dorval 4-Man fastball team.
During his years in Dorval, Winston worked for Nordair at the airport where he sometimes worked evening shifts. When there was a game those evenings, the team’s coach, Tom Brown, would get permission for Winston to miss a couple of hours of work. The team recognized that Winston was such an asset to them that Nordair would pay his hourly wage while he played. Winston married Claire Durivage in 1969 and continued to play in different leagues and in many tournaments, winning MVPs and Championships along the way. In 1977 Winston and Claire, along with their three children, moved back to the SDG area, finally settling for good in his native Apple Hill in 1981. Back in Glengarry, Winston played in the Junior Farmers Fastball League out of Williamstown in 1983 and 1984 where he won Top Right Fielder for the League in 1983. Winston was always known for his speed and his ‘sweet’ powerful swing. Many people who played with or against Winston would claim they had never seen such a small man hit a ball so far. In a career full of memorable moments, one of Winston’s most memorable occurred when he had the opportunity, like Gordie Howe, to play alongside his two sons while pitching for Baker’s Pride in the Alexandria Slo-Pitch League, where he played from 1992-1995, winning the league MVP in 1994 at the age of 50. He also played with his two sons in the Angus Van Putten Memorial Tournament in Apple Hill. After 37 years of playing competitive ball Winston hung up his cleats to watch his boys play, and now he encourages his grandchildren to excel in the great game of baseball, the game he still loves so much. He continues to add to the game by suggesting possible plays and tactics, as any good coach or grandfather would do. His enthusiasm for the game has not diminished and he continues to pass that enthusiasm on to another generation of athletes. Winston loved playing ball, but he has never forgotten his primary role as husband and as father to Gordie, Nancy and Brian. He continues to be a man of integrity, humility and honesty, a role model on and off the field. Winston was a very competitive ball player giving 100% every time he took to the field, but he always demonstrated respect for his teammates as well as his opponents. His love for God and his love for his family shine through in the way Winston acted on the ball field. Many have said, “Not only is Winston a great ball player, but he is a true gentleman” Winston continued to reside in Apple Hill with Claire, his loving wife of 46 years. He passed away on August 26th, 2015. |
Roch Lajoie
Born in Alexandria in 1954, the oldest of three boys, Roch Lajoie spent his early years on a farm in Martintown before returning to Alexandria with his family in the 60s. Roch was an all-around athlete, playing football, track, lacrosse, and soccer at various times in his sporting career. At Glengarry District High School he excelled in sports, playing both junior and senior football, track, and soccer. In 1969-70 he played on the junior football squad that set a record, scoring 25 points while allowing only two per game. Moving up to the senior team, he quarterbacked the senior Gaels from 1971 to 1973 and won an MVP award. Roch also set a javelin throw record of 133.5 feet and was senior track team captain. He took part as well in a wrestling exhibition held at the school, one that showed him that wrestling wasn’t his sport. Because of his proven athleticism and leadership qualities in school sports, he was chosen to attend the Lake Couchiching leadership camp in 1972.
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Roch had learned lacrosse as a youth in Martintown. In 1972 he played for and was a leading team scorer on the Alexandria Glens, a lacrosse team that captured the St. Lawrence Jr. C championship in the Ottawa league. As well he played catcher for the Alexandria Blues in the Connie Mack baseball league in northern New York, but Roch claims their stint in the league was brief as they were “taught” baseball by the Americans, “getting whooped” in the process. He returned to playing fastball in the 1970s, playing on several local teams over the course of 10 years. He also played soccer with the Glengarry Stars for one year, 1972, and played on the Lochiel team in the touch football league from 1976 to1978 playing alongside another of this year’s inductees, Hugh MacGillivray, who quarterbacked the team.
A product of the Alexandria Minor Hockey Association, Roch came up through the divisions, playing for the Jr. B Glens on their championship teams in 1970-71 and the 1973-74. Elected captain and named MVP during that stretch, he was named to the league All Star team twice. Attending the Brockville Braves Jr. A camp in 1973, Roch played one game before coming home to work in the family business. He finished out his hockey career playing in the Industrial league before joining the GTL old timers from 1976 until 2009, travelling with the team to England and Scotland where they played four games against club teams. He also was a member of two Glengarry News Cup winning teams. Naturally enthusiastic, Roch as a player was a leader, a motivator who brought great team spirit to his play and earned respect from the fans, his fellow team mates as well as his opponents. This respect earned on and off the playing fields and ice rinks and the lessons learned there combined with his love of sports, he’s tried to pass on to others in a coaching career that has spanned more than 25 years. As a product of the local hockey program himself, he has always been ready to share his knowledge and character. He began coaching minor hockey in 1972 in the old Glengarry Gardens and in 1984-5 he coached the New Holland Farm Equipment team in the Tykes division. In the 1992-1994 seasons with Mike Ruest, he coached the Seaway AA Rapids. At three different times Roch has also coached the Jr.B Glens, a team he had played for himself; in 1974-75, only the year after he finished playing, he coached with J.T. Hay (himself a Sports Hall Inductee). That year the Glengarry Gardens was condemned and the Glens found themselves playing out of the old arena in Maxville, a tough situation for young coaches. From 1986-90, he coached with Claude Roy, and from 1995-97 he was at the helm with Marc Sauve and Mike Ruest when their team won the St Lawrence Division Championship in 1997. In the 1995-96 year, he also had the privilege of coaching his two sons who were on the team. In all, Roch has coached hockey at some level from 1972 to 1998, using his natural leadership skills and personality to motivate his teams, and to bring the players together to play hard for him. As well as being a recreational golfer (or “hacker” as he puts it), he has also participated in the Raisin River Canoe Race several times. Living in the Alexandria area and married to Marilyn Cameron, Roch has two boys, Cameron and Chancey. When asked about memorable moments in his long sporting career, not surprisingly Roch could not pinpoint a particular one. He replied, “anything that involved sports was great, and playing with great guys, every moment was memorable.” |
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Moving to senior soccer in 1968, Hugh played for McCrimmon/Pine Grove until 1979, winning six first Place championships and seven Cup Championships. He was also on seven Greenspon Cup winning teams in the early 70s. Hugh collected many trophies along the way winning Rookie of the year award in 1968, the MacLeod Trophy for the League MVP in 1969 when he was in a tie as Top Scorer and again in 1972 when he was named Best Back. He won the Macdonell Trophy for the Most Gentlemanly Player in 1971 and 1973 as well as the MacGillivray Trophy for the MVP in the playoffs three times. He captained this team for a couple of years as well as became a director in the Glengarry Soccer League at this time.
Hugh started playing with the Glengarry Stars in the Ottawa Carleton soccer league in 1970 as a junior; after winning both league and cup championships in their division; they were moved to Division 2, where in 1972 they were the only Division 2 team ever to win the ODSA Cup. Promoted to Division 1, the Stars won several tournaments as well as were Division league Champs in 1975, winning the ODSA Cup in 1976 where Hugh scored the only goal in the final game. They won numerous tournaments in the Ottawa League as well. Hugh was Captain and instrumental in the team’s success. The Stars played in Ottawa until the late 1970s and then went to play in the Cornwall League, winning Division 1 in Cornwall as well. The team also played Indoor Soccer in different tournaments in Ottawa and Cornwall where Hugh was selected as MVP in a couple. Hugh was a member of the first Glengarry Stars team to tour England and Scotland in 1971 scoring five goals in the eight games they played. Two years after moving to Ottawa and commuting to Glengarry to play in the GSL, Hugh asked Ron McCormick, a Greenfield native, if he could play for his Ottawa Royals recreational soccer team the following summer. The next Saturday he was playing for their indoor soccer team. For the next 20 years he played for that Division 1 team helping to win 14 league titles along the way. When he turned 35, Hugh began playing for the Ottawa Royals old timers competing with many of the good players he had played with and against in his Glengarry Stars days. He played 1st Division Old timers for 13 years and was on nine league cup winning teams before finishing his career with three years in Division 2. In a tournament that eventually gained the status of the Eastern Canadian Indoor Championship, the Royals were always contenders, losing to Halifax in 1987 in the over 35 division and winning in the over 40 in 1992 against Toronto. Hugh won MVP in 1987 and again in 1996 when they won the over 45 championship defeating a London, Ontario team. He retired from soccer at 50. Although soccer was his main sport throughout his career, Hugh was involved in many others and thrived at them all. In 1975 Hugh and Jerome Poirier organized the Lochiel entry in the new Glengarry Touch Football league with Hugh quarterbacking the team from 1975 to 1982, winning five first place finishes as well as six league championships in those eight years. This team went to the National playdowns in Toronto twice as well as won the B Division in the Provincial North Eastern Tournament in Ottawa in 1982. Hugh played Volleyball at GDHS as well as with the Jr. Farmers at the provincial competition. He also played Jr. C hockey and Broomball for Lochiel for a spell in the late 60s and 70s. In addition He is a “fair, recreational curler” in Ottawa where he has played for more than 20 years. In spite of his many accomplishments on the field, especially in soccer, Hugh remains modest about his success attributing much of it to being “lucky to have been on great teams” while minimizing his own contribution to making these teams great. Hugh, now retired from a career with Bell Canada and his wife Anne divide their time between Ottawa and Kirk Hill. A very successful athlete and a true gentleman on and off the field, Hugh always represented Glengarry with great humility. Hugh MacGillivray, on behalf of all the athletes you played with and against, we welcome you into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame. |
Marie-Laure Ménard Crevier Noseworthy
Marie-Laure Crevier was born June 1919 in the small town of Green Valley, the second eldest in a family of nine. Raised a devout Catholic, she completed the equivalent of grade eight before leaving to help her mother with her siblings and her father, a cheesemaker. During those years with no organized sports, especially for girls, she learned to play softball and skate with well worn skates shared with her brothers.
At 16, she contracted measles as well as tuberculosis and spent more than 2 years in a Sanatorium near Toronto. Her recovery required a long period of rehabilitation, but she was determined to get better, a determination she has shown ever since. During her recovery, she became proficient in all kinds of sewing as well as quilt making. |
In 1947, Marie-Laure married Aimé Ménard and while he was employed as a heavy equipment operator, she maintained the household and raised chickens. In 1962 they acquired the Massey Ferguson franchise in Green Valley. Four years later, Aimé passed away. Determined to go on, she became the first woman in Canada to own and operate an M-F dealership where she worked until her retirement at 65.
Aimé introduced Marie-Laure to curling. He had been involved in ice making on natural ice and he played almost every night as well. She would accompany him, and watch him play. One night she was invited to play as a spare and grew fond of the game. She joined the Alexandria Curling Club in 1956-1957, the first year ladies were invited to join and in the same year helped organize Alexandria’s first Women’s Curling League with four teams. Most ladies were new to the game, and Marie-Laure, schooled by her husband, quickly became a skip. She also continued to spare with the men perfecting her shot making and mastering the perfect draw weight. She remembers her first real game against the club president’s wife, a long 8-ender which she won, earning her the President’s Prize, a medal she still has. The next year, Lancaster couples, without their own rink, travelled to Alexandria to play with and against Marie-Laure and Aimé starting mixed play for the first time. The first competitive trophy she won was the Challenge Cup in 1960, the first year it was awarded. She still has the program to prove it. At 89, in 2008 she skipped her ladies’ rink to win the Jock and Bra Trophy, skunking the men’s team in the process; although, she does admit that the game was played late at night and some of the men had been drinking. Marie-Laure has been skipping rinks for more than 50 years at the Alexandria Curling Club, her second home where she could be found curling several nights a week as well as on the ice or in the kitchen on many weekend bonspiels. After she retired, she had even more time to devote to her favourite sport and she met her second husband, Bud Noseworthy, at the rink. She took up golf at the age of 65 to spend more time with Bud, an avid golfer. She claims she had the choice of learning golf or staying at home a lot. Not much of a choice for a woman like Marie-Laure. Not letting knee replacement surgery slow her down, she is a player who at 92 would still give you a competitive, good game. Adding to her reputation is the legendary pea soup that she brought to the club at least once a month. This year at 93 she has had to curtail both her curling and golf. She is awaiting more knee surgery, and claims that although this year she can’t do anything, when she has her operation, she’ll be “back at work on the ice and on the greens.” In her 55 years as a member, Marie-Laure has seen many changes in her club. In fact in many ways she has lived the history of the club. She was there when the change from natural to artificial ice was made. She was there for the start of both Women’s and Mixed Curling at the club. She was there through the fundraisers and the building of the present clubhouse and she has been there ever since. When asked why she never ran for Club President, she replied that she was too shy to give it a try. For more than 55 years now, her smile, her warmth, her quiet unassuming manner has been a constant at the club. Marie-Laure became a role model to other women in her early years of curling and remains a role model to all today, encouraging curlers and golfers of all ages to continue to play for the love of the game. She understands the importance of balance in sport and life and plays to meet people, stay fit as well as support the community. Few people in their nineties lead active lives. Yet, Marie-Laure Noseworthy does and she excels at it. On behalf of the hundreds of curlers and golfers who have been lucky enough over the last 50 years to have played with you, Marie-Laure, we welcome you into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame. |
In the 60s, Thom moved to England for three years where he took up recreational rugby and “kept up Canada’s reputation for beer drinking.” On his return to Canada in 1969, a friend who had just taken up curling invited him to try his hand. He took to the game and played several years before business forced him to take a break. Taking up the sport again he played out of Montreal west, the Thistle club downtown and Pointe-Claire where he curled until 1987. During this time Thom and his rink won the Quebec Provincial Mixed championship going on to represent Quebec in Timmins in the 1982 Seagram Mixed Curling championships. Never far from sports, he worked for the Montreal Expos as a graphic artist for 16 years as well as doing some designing for the Concordes, Montreal’s team in the CFL in the early 80s after the Alouettes folded.
Thom was part of the Quebec exodus of the late 80s, moving to Dunvegan. He promptly joined the Alexandria Curling club where he played a decade. In the early 90s, he was on an Alexandria team that joined a super league in Cornwall. “Not ones to turn down a good party, the Alexandria team was always the last team to leave,” he recalls. Also part of a curling exchange between Kitchener -Waterloo and Detroit clubs in 1992-93 that celebrated their 75th anniversary that year, Thom designed the logos used. He intends to be back at the 95th exchange this year to participate “in the expected revelry.” In mid-season 1994, he was asked to join Bill Dickie’s Senior’s team from Cornwall. This team seldom lost a tournament and ended up winning the Ontario Senior championship in 1994 in Owen Sound. Thom played third on this team representing Ontario that won the Canadian championships the following year on Jan. 29, 1995 in St. John, N.B. He was instrumental in in Ontario’s win, curling at 74 per cent during the round-robin despite a battle with bursitis which kept him out of 2 games. He made the key shot in the final game, a ninth end freeze which allowed Ontario to pick up 2 points and take the lead. TSN called the shot “the turning point” of the match. He was the first Alexandria club member to make it to the provincial and national senior’s level of competition. “Travelling, curling, drinking, it was a wonderful year,” Thom recalls. The following year the team wasn’t as lucky, even though they were Ontario Senior curling finalists in 1996. Minor nagging injuries these years took their toll and forced Thom to give up curling in 1997 as well as golf at which he was an “average player.” Thom’s greatest moment was the Canadian championships, but it came along late in his career. He always has enjoyed sports for the “day to day part, not the pursuit of championships.” He has great memories especially of curling and meeting loads of people as he played coast to coast in his career. He likens two of his sports, strangely enough rugby and curling, as the only sports “where you beat each other up on the field or rink, then when the game is over, shake hands, and drink together.” A genuine people person, Thom’s reflections on the various sporting events always include comments on the fun that was had, the good times, the lasting friends made. Now retired, Thom still lives in Dunvegan with his wife, Lisa, and two grandchildren. An editorial in The Glengarry News at the time of their Canadian championship commented how fortunate we were to have such a valuable resource in our midst, one who could inspire by his example and one who was always ready to share his knowledge and talent. On behalf of those with whom you have shared this knowledge and talent and as well on behalf of Glengarry which you represented so well on the national stage, we welcome you, Thom, into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame. |