Softball

          COBOURG TOWN LEAGUE
 

                   TABLE OF CONTENTS

   Career Batting Leaders  ……………………….    3

   Career Pitching Leaders ……………………….   6

   Town League Awards & Champions ………..  8

   Yearly Statistics & Reports
   2002 ……………………………………………….   13
   2003 ……………………………………………….   26
   2004 ……………………………………………….   42
   2005 ……………………………………………….   60
   2006 ……………………………………………….   64
   2007 ……………………………………………….   70
   2008 ……………………………………………….   74
   2009 ……………………………………………….   78
   2010 ……………………………………………….   86

                                                     Career Battings Statistics for Active Players 1  …….  90

                                                     Career Pitching Statistics for Active Players 2 .……. 171

                                                     All-Time Batting Statistics – All Players …………….. 188

                                                     All-Time Pitching Statistics – All Players     ………… 215

                                                          1 Includes all players Active in the last 5 years plus anyone with 500 Careers AB’s

                                                                    2 Includes all players Active in the last 5 years
 

    Download 223 Page PDF 1962-2010 CTL Stats & Awards

By Patsy Currelly Hand

Cobourg Angels, Junior Angels, & Surrounding Teams 

1987 was a very successful year for the Angels.  With the loss of a few players and the addition of a few, the Angels were successful in acquiring another Ontario Senior Tier II championship vs. Sarnia.  Devlin pitched all games during the championship with 30Ks, 6 walks. The team were finalists in Senior Tier I with Elaine being named MVP pitching 43 innings. The team also were Metro League Champs.  Members of this team were:  Nancy Cronin, Patsy Currelly, Suzanne Morrow, Leah Anne Oulahen, Jacki Oulahen, Elaine Devlin, Barb Snedden, Jackie Dusenbury, Nancy Jane Dalgarno, Lynn Tracey, Debbie Gillis, Jennifer Dalgarno, Vicki Wodzak, Coaches: Ray Bickle, Jim Morrow, John Hayden, Scorer Sharon Greavette. 

As Paul Currelly was not on the field with the Angels, he along with veteran Angels, Faye Gaudet, Jan Bradford, current Angel Suzanne Morrow and Bill Zinkie formed the Cobourg Junior Angels.  This gave girls an opportunity to play rep ball in the squirt, novice, bantam, midget and juvenile division.  The current Angels put on clinics to teach girls the basics.  Paul spearheaded a new league, the Lakeshore Girls Softball Association and contacted centres along the lakeshore for the Cobourg girls to compete with.  This organization continues today and has grown to include house league teams.  

1988 brought with it many changes. The team moved up to Senior Tier I and played in a league which included teams from Chinguacousy, Cedar Hill, Agincourt, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Bramalea, Tonawanda (New York), Dorchester, St. Clements, Oakville, Kitchener, and St. Catharines.  Many weekends were spent on the ballfield playing double headers with the western teams.  Sandy Claus pitcher/player/coach joined the coaching team as well as Art Dalgarno (scorer).  

Paul Currelly returned to coach first base, Morrow on third.  They were Ottawa tournament champs and led their division throughout the year.  In the Tier I Ontario championships they went to the finals and lost to Oakville 4-2. Elaine Devlin was MVP at this tournament and was subsequently picked up by Oakville to go to the Canadians in Newfoundland.  She had an ERA of 0.64 over 42 innings. 

1989 marked the end of an era.  The team did well, winning the Milverton Classic Tournament, they ended up 2nd in the Senior Tier I league.  Elaine was picked up by BC to go to a New Zealand International Tournament and Jackie Oulahen got a tryout with the Canadian National team to represent Canada at the worlds, however it was not to be as she fractured her finger before tryouts. As a team, things started to break down off the field. During the season, Patsy and Paul Currelly decided it was probably going to be their last year. They didn't announce this so no one else on the team really knew. 

At the end of the season, a group of players decided that they weren’t happy with the direction the team was going and a handful of players called a player meeting to voice their opinions about their desire to invoke a staff change. As with many successful teams, individual egos can cloud good judgment and greed can replace gratitude. Comments were made that did not “sit well” with everyone.  The result was the Currelly’s followed through with retiring from the team. Jim Morrow and John Hayden followed.  Others left the team, too, including star pitcher, Elaine Devlin. The players were left without a coach and without enough players to field a team. 

Fortunately for them, the 1990 season progressed somewhat as planned.  Harnden and King agreed to sponsor the team.  A team from Scarborough coincidentally named the Angels had folded due to lack of players and they contacted the Cobourg girls to see if they could join forces.  Charlie Fraser stepped into coach as well as ex-Angel Marg Matthews, and former Angel pitcher Janice Crosgrey returned. The team did well and played in the Senior Tier I loop for regular season play and were able to capture the Ontario Senior Tier I Championship and went to the Canadians finishing 5th overall.  

Members of this team were:  Teresa Hutchison, Tami Waters, Su Morrow, Nancy Jane Dalgarno, Jennifer Dalgarno, Kirsten Leis, Nancy Cronin, Marilyn Lang, Jackie Dusenbury, Jackie Oulahen, Isobel Nichols, Janyce Gunn, Barb Sneddon, Janice Crosgrey, Sherry Hoffman. (Mary Jo McCarthy, Lyn McMahon, Wendy Dobbin and coach Marg Skillen were picked up for the Canadian Championships). At provincials, Isabel Nichols was the batting champion and Jackie Oulahen was named MVP. The Senior Angels continued for the 1991 season and competed in the Senior Tier I league but due to lack of players they folded after that season. 

The Junior Angels organization however picked up the torch.  1990 was an amazing year for the Sophomore Junior Angels coached by Paul Wakely and Henry Heideman.  Having gone to the finals in 1988 and 1989, they successfully won the Ontario title vs St. Catharines .  Marianne McMillan was the tournament MVP batting .471. Members of this team were: Marianne McMillan, Launa Foreman, Christina Winkworth, Tracey Davis, Lorrie Calbury, Lori Hibbard, Dianne Gray, Charlene Winkworth, Kelly Moore, and Karen Rose.

1992 saw the coaching duo of Paul Currelly and Jim Morrow reunite on the field to coach the Junior Angels Wimpy Mineral Intermediate team and later the Morrow Transport Intermediate Angels, along with coach Bryan Rose.  They continued to coach together until the 1995 season.  

1994 brought another Ontario title home to Cobourg.  The Jr. Angel Junior Tier II team coached by Pat Mowat were successful in capturing the title against Owen Sound.  Kristen Buttars captured the top pitcher award in the tournament and Connie Sturzenegger was the top hitter batting .667, including 1 HR, 3 triples and 6 singles.  Members of this Ontario Championship team were:  Kristen Buttar, Sharon Taylor, Connie Sturzenegger, Angie Adams, Anne Macklin, Janice McIvor, Racquel Nelson, Joanne Chadwick, Kelly Bax, Krissy Doherty, Kerri-Lee Dahmer, Ted Hook (coach) and Pat Mowat (coach). 

As time progressed and there was no longer a Senior Angel team, the “Junior” was dropped from the Angel team title.

2000 brought another Ontario title to Cobourg in Bantam Tier II, coached by Steve Jones, Joe Brouwers, Faye Gaudet and Greg Oulahen. The team beat Brampton in the finals and the team members were:  Amy Shannon, Stephanie Jones, Melissa Henke, Kristel Gallagher, Sarah Winter, Sarah Clarke, Julia Hayden, Liz Oulahen, Kelly Nalysnyk, Megan Brouwers, Dana Spicer, Karlee Haynes and Laura Burnham.   

In 2003, another Ontario Championship Gold medal was achieved by a Cobourg Angel team.  In the Midget category, the Angels defeated Ajax in extra innings to claim the title.  Members of this team were:  Arianne Allen, Alice Sutcliffe, Dana Spicer, Sarah Clarke, Amy Shannon, Stephanie Jones, Jessalyn Glinski, Sarah Winter, Kelly Nalysnyk, Dawn Armstrong, Erica Prins, Head coach Bill Shannon, Manager Susan Spicer, and assistant coaches Steve Jones, Andrew Allen, and Paul Currelly.

In 2008, 2009 and 2010 Dave Clarke’s Angels accomplished 3 consecutive Ontario Titles in Junior Tier II, a feat not previously achieved in the history of the Angels.  Members of this very talented team were in 2008:  Erica Dewey, Nicole Blake, Erin Dewey, Lisa Clarke, Allie Rutherford, Alex Oosterhof, Breann Coulson, Sarah Clarke, Sam Harrison, Christina Murchie, Taylor Cook, Coaches Dave Clarke, Steve Jones, Kerry McDonald and Angie Adams Darlinson (asst. coach).  

The 2009 team won four straight games to clinch their second Junior Tier II Ontario title.  Christina Murchie pitched all four games beating Halton Hills, Cambridge, Brampton and Ancaster. The highlight of the final game was an out of the park home run by Erin Dewey but it was her sister, Erica Dewey, who earned the tournament MVP.  This team included:  Erica Dewey, Nicole Blake, Erin Dewey, Lisa Clarke, Allie Rutherford, Gina Maloney, Sam Harrison, Nikki Wilson, Christina Murchie, Taylor Cook. Head Coach Dave Clarke, coach Steve Jones, Assistant coach Sarah Clarke and Manager Kerry McDonald.  

2010 would bring yet another Ontario Junior Tier II title to this team.  An achievement yet to be matched by any Angel team, past or present.  The Angels would beat Brampton in the final by a huge margin of 12-5!  Team members were:  Allie Rutherford, Lisa Clarke, Nikki Wilson, Taylor Cook, Erin Dewey, Jess McIntyre, Erica Dewey, Christina Murchie, Julia Bateman, Gina Maloney, Nicole Blake, Sam Harrison, Coach, Dave Clarke, Steve Jones, Mike Murchie and Manager, Kerry McDonald. 

Most recently, the Cobourg Angels represented the Town winning the Eastern Canadian Softball Championship, Novice Tier 2 in 2017 and were coached by Faye Gaudet, Kate Reed, Kristen Lalande and Chris Lalande. Players included Amelia Pettipas, Reagan Lalande, MacKenzie Mamers, Braelyn Farrell, Megan Geurts, Taylee Herman, Grace Rice, Ava Hughes, Megan Sheehan, Macie Hackney, Lilah Klassen, Kaycee Craig, (Madison Depencier from the Chatham Eagles was picked up for the Canadians).  Depencier won the top pitcher and batting recognition but it was Cobourg’s Reagan Lalande who would win the overall MVP honours for the tournament.  

The Cobourg Junior Angels organization continues to this day with both house league and rep teams in the mite to midget division.  What began as a dream for one man has flourished into an organization where girls not only learn and enjoy the game of softball but discover the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, fair play and a positive work ethic, building self-esteem and confidence.  

Many, many Angels have returned to the ball field to pass these values to the next generation either as a coach, a manager, scorekeeper, executive member or supporter. The positivity of sport continues.

Cobourg Angels
1987      Ontario Senior Tier II Gold medalists vs Sarnia, Ontario Senior Tier I finalists vs Dorchester. Ontario Regional Gold Medalists vs Belleville, Metro League Champions.
1988      Ontario Senior Tier I Silver Medalists vs Oakville, Ottawa Tournament Champions
1989      Eastern Division Senior Tier I League Champions, Milverton Classic tournament champions vs St. Catharines
1990      Ontario Senior Tier I champions 

Cobourg Junior Angels Ontario Champions 1990-2020
1990      Ontario Sophomore (previously Juvenile) Championship
1994      Ontario Junior Tier II Championship
2000      Ontario Bantam Tier II Championship
2008      Ontario Junior Tier II Championship
2009      Ontario Junior Tier II Championship
2010      Ontario Junior Tier II Championship
2017      Eastern Canadian Novice Tier II Championship

Updated August 2020

By Patsy Currelly Hand

Cobourg Angels, Junior Angels, & Surrounding Teams 

It was the dream of an avid sportsman, a man named Paul Currelly – to one day see “top notch” women’s softball in Cobourg.  The dream started small with his first team, the Coverdale Aces, in 1963.  They had great success and a bantam team was formed in 1964, the Coverdale Angels.  As the girls got older and the town league began to form, Paul saw an opportunity to put Cobourg on the softball map.  

He combined the two teams, taking the colours (green and gold) from the Aces and the name of Angels from the bantam team.  He recruited top players from the existing Cobourg District Town League, landed two co-sponsors, Harnden and King Construction and Burley Bus Lines and formed the first Cobourg Angels team.  

They were entered as Juveniles (under 16) in the Durham County Ladies Softball League.  The first coaches were Gord Burdick, Ev Walters and Currelly.   They fared well in their first year, playing Intermediate teams from Port Hope, Newcastle, Courtice, Bowmanville and Whitby and they advanced to the finals but lost to Port Hope.  In their Provincial Juvenile C playoffs they made it to the semifinals.   Members of the first team were:  Nancy Currelly, Carol Currelly, Jackie Keeler, Anne DesMarteau, Brenda Lemmon, Dianne Stacey, Maxine Smith, Maureen Smith, Connie Byrne, Peggy Kernaghan, Janice Bevan, Nancy Brooks, Janice Rowe, Candace Cane. 

In 1969, Cobourg’s Martin Sunoco Intermediate team coached by Huck Matthews joined the league.  The Angels won the league during regular play but it was the Intermediates who won the play-offs that year.  The Martin Sunoco team would go on to win several Durham County Crowns and went to the Intermediate B semifinals – key players on that team were:  Judy Bevan, Judy Bowen, Helen McAlpine, Sylvia Hall, Doris Matthews, Cheryl Batley, Carol Currelly, Brenda Cochrane, Mary Hoy, and Sue Reynolds.  In 1970, the Angels were finalists in both the league and the Juvenile A provincial finals.

1970 marked another important girl’s softball event in Cobourg. Ken Petrie and Audrey Warner’s Martin Sunoco team won the first Ontario Minor C championship held by the Provincial Women’s Softball Union of Ontario (PWSU).  Members of this team were:  Eve Fenton, Donna Dolley, Barb and Darlene Warner, Kim and Sue Gallagher, Lee Cane, Faye Oliver, Carol Jones, Mary Checkley, Joanne Drury, Debbie Cochrane, Joanne Ferguson, Theresa Callaghan, Cindy Newman, Sandy Vorvis, Lori Dowle, Nancy Wielonda. 

The Angels continued to play in the Durham County league in 1971 adding Jeff Brooks to the coaching staff. In 1972, the Harnden and King Angels entered the Lakeshore Juvenile League with teams from Oshawa, Ajax, Claremont, Whitby and Port Perry. The Angels won this league in both 1973 and 1974.

1972 also saw Cobourg Sinclair Mustangs under Clarke Sommerville, David Sommerville and Don Dunn defeat Oshawa to win the 1st PWSU Ontario Squirt Championship.  Members of this excellent club were Marg Matthews, Chris Gallagher, Tracey Bourne, Nancy Sommerville, Julie Gallagher, Julie Nairn, Elaine Warner, Janice Thompson, Wendy Stewart, Regan Lewis, Lori Dolley, Theresa Karpinski, Sharon Oakman and Roberta Fisher. 

Girls’ softball was flourishing with the YMCA/YWCA operating a town league that at one time had up to 22 teams, including PWSA teams.  Others prominent in this league were Don Dunn, Keitha Rollings, and Ken Petrie who also operated the Cobourg Saints, very successful Midget and Juvenile teams. 

1975 & 1976 saw the Angels move successfully into the Junior B category.  Coached by Bill “Buzz” Foote and Paul Currelly, they were able to capture the Provincial Junior B championship in consecutive years.  This was one of Currelly’s top teams and they were:   Judy West, Joanne Jackson, Nancy Currelly, Judy Davey, Joan VanderZyden, Donna Todd, Peggy Jamieson, Faye Oliver, Marg Matthews, Sue Foote, Pat Richardson and Joanne Drury (1975), Tracey Bourne (1976).  This team won the Lakeshore League in 1975 and were finalists in 1976.

Ending on a “high note”, Currelly decided it was time to recreate the Cobourg Harnden and King Angels. His younger daughter Patsy was bantam age and because two of his players on the Ontario championship team, Marg Matthews and Tracey Bourne were still eligible to play Midget, he decided to enter a team in that category in the Lakeshore League. The year was 1977 and Bill Foote continued as coach, along with Currelly.  Jim Morrow joined the team that year and brought with him his larger than life personality.  

The Angels successfully won the league, the Claremont tournament and were provincial semi-finalists in Midget Tier II.  Members of this first team were:  Marg Matthews, Tracey Bourne, Patsy Currelly, Leah Ann Goody, Suzanne Morrow, Nancy Sommerville, Andrea Todd, Julie Godawa, Vikki Etchells, Carol Gutteridge, Rosemary Spry, Kathy O’Neill, Buttons Hogan, Bobbie Ann Hutchings, and Nancy Jane Dalgarno.  Moving up to Juvenile in 1978 they accomplished a record of 38 wins and 10 losses including tournament championships in Claremont and North York as well as going to the Juvenile A finals against Dundas. They also won the Grafton tournament against a respected Cobourg Tony’s Bantam team.  

The Cobourg Tony’s later to be known as Cobourg Oilers established themselves in 1976.  This club under the direction of Faye and George Oliver played 3 years as Bantams and 2 seasons in the midget category.  Their accomplishments were very extensive winning Lakeshore crowns, this league was under the direction of Ken Petrie and later Art Dalgarno.  In 1977, they won the PWSA Bantam B championship and in 1978 went to the finals, losing to Stratford.  

Moving up to midget in 1979 and 1980 they each won regional honours only to lose out in the finals.  The Ontario championship team included: Jackie Dusenbury, Jane Choiniere, Jackie Oulahen, Sandra Tuttle, Cathy Williams, Judith Curtis, Dianne Beatty, Ann Clarey, Jennifer Dalgarno, Cathy Dunn, Cathy Rowden, Susan Cane, Carolyn Darling, Connie Oliver, Elaine Warner and Donna Hutchings.

1979 would bring this Angel team their first All-Ontario Juvenile A Championship under the new PWSA system, winning the 14-team regional playdowns held in Cobourg and then the 9 team Ontario finals held in Rockwood.  With a season record of 50 wins, 7 losses, they were Lakeshore League champs as well as Trenton and Grafton tournament champs.  Members of the all-Ontario team were:  Marg Matthews, Suzanne Morrow, Sue Taylor, Bobbie Ann Hutchings, Patsy Currelly, Buttons Hogan, Nancy Jane Dalgarno, Tracey Bourne, Angie Quinn, Donna Hutchings, Nancy Sommerville, Leah Anne Goody, Vikki Etchells, Paul Currelly (coach), Jim Morrow (coach), Rod Baker (business manager) and Janet Hynes (scorer 1979-1983). Some of the Tony’s players would also play on this team during the regular season namely Jackie Dusenbury, Jennifer Dalgarno and Jane Choiniere.  

1979 saw girl’s softball flourishing in Cobourg:  The YMCA league had co-ed T ball, girl’s ball in the squirt, novice and juvenile divisions; rep ball teams were represented by the Sommerville’s bantams, the Tony’s midgets and the Harnden and King juveniles.  Traditionally, Legion ball was for boys but as the years progressed many talented girls played alongside the boys.  The Legion had teams in atom, squirt, peewee and bantam.

In 1980, the Angels moved up to the Junior division winning the Lakeshore title over rival Lakefield and were Carp tournament champions. In 1981, the Angels and Tony’s personnel combined, strengthening the team. During this season the infield went 100 plays without a single error! They were finalists in the Junior Tier I Ontario championships and Lakeshore League. 1982 added pitching coach John Hayden to the roster. The Angels won the Lakeshore League and Oshawa and Belleville tournaments and repeated as Belleville tournament and Lakeshore league winners in 1983.

1984 brought the first Senior Tier II Ontario championship to Cobourg (vs Waterloo).  The team ended the season with an impressive 44 wins, 6 loss record, including a 34-game winning streak. Highlights of this year included a third consecutive Belleville tournament championship as well as two pitchers throwing no hitters during regular season play, Suzanne Morrow and Elaine Devlin.  

By winning the Tier II championship, the team qualified to enter into the Senior Tier I Ontario Championships.  Although they finished 6th overall, their presence was known including an exhaustive 17 inning win (pitched by Devlin) against Agincourt. Harnden and King continued their 17th consecutive year as team sponsor. Members of the winning Ontario title team were: Susan Taylor, Nancy Cronin, Margie Matthews, Suzanne Morrow, Leah Anne Goody, Nancy Jane Dalgarno, Elaine Devlin (37-5 pitching record), Jackie Oulahen, Lee Anne Quinn, Jennifer Dalgarno, Isobel Nichols, Vicki Wodzak and Patsy Currelly. Paul Currelly, Jim Morrow and John Hayden were the coaches.

As there was no residency rule and the closest team east was Pickering, Currelly had the opportunity to further strengthen his team.  1985 saw a repeat of the 1984 roster with a few additions. Cathy Fertile, from Oshawa, who had played on many Senior Tier I teams, joined the squad. Janice Crosgrey, from Claremont, strengthened the team’s pitching and Lynn Lucas, from Belleville, added depth to the infield.  

Currelly would refer to this team as one of his best and they were successful in securing another Ontario Senior Tier II title.  Highlights of the final game versus Norwich included 2 out of the park home runs by Isobel Nichols.  Sue Taylor won the batting crown for the tournament with a .600 average and Devlin received an honourable mention. (Devlin allowed only 2 runs in 20 innings, walking 2 and striking out 18 for an era of 0.77).  The team continued their success by winning the Metro League Championship. Jackie Oulahen and Elaine Devlin were selected for the 1985 Junior Ontario team and played in the Summer Games in New Brunswick, winning a gold medal.  Elaine also received a softball scholarship to Sam Houston University in Texas.  

1986 saw a change at the helm of the Angels.  Veteran coach Paul Currelly stepped off the field due to health reasons but continued to work in the background.  Joining Morrow and Hayden was coach Ray Bickle. The team found themselves as finalists in both the Senior Tier II championship as well as at the Mildor Classic.  The highlight of the year was a no-hitter thrown by pitcher Janice Crosgrey. 

Cobourg Angels 1968-1990
1968      PWSA Juvenile Semi-finalists to Richmond Hill – Durham league finalists to Port Hope Knights.
1969      Durham County League winners
1970      Juvenile A finalists lost to Eringate. Durham County finalists lost to Cobourg Intermediates
1971      Juvenile A semi-finalists to Eringate. Durham County semi-finalists to Bowmanville
1972      Juvenile A semi-finalists to East Guildwood and Lakeshore Juvenile semi-finalists to Oshawa
1973      Juvenile A finalists to Burlington. Lakeshore Juvenile Champs over Port Perry
1974      Lakeshore Juvenile champs over Port Perry
1975      Ontario Junior B champs over Brookville – Lakeshore League champs over Lakefield
1976      Ontario Junior B Champs over Hillsbury – Lakeshore     finalists to Lakefield
1977      PWSA semi-finalists to Burlington, Lakeshore Midget champs. Claremont tournament champs
1978      North York Super series juvenile champs, PWSA Juvenile A finalists to Dundas, Lakeshore champs over Napanee, Claremont tournament champs
1979      Ontario Juvenile A champs over North Bendal,  PWSA regional champs over Glenfield and Lakeshore Juvenile champs over Oshawa Shamrocks, Trenton                          Tournament champs
1980       London tournament finalists to St. Catharines, Lakeshore Ladies fastball champs over Lakefield, Carp tournament champs.
1981      Belleville tournament finalists to Ottawa, Metro tournament finalists to Don Victoria, Junior Regional Bronze medal winners to Milverton, Junior finalist and silver medal winners to Oakville – Lakeshore Ladies fastball league finalists to Lakefield.
1982      Belleville tournament champs over Lakefield, Oshawa tournament champs over Toronto Stardex, Pembroke tournament consolation winners over Carleton Place.  Lakeshore ladies fastball league winners over Lakefield.    
1983      Belleville tournament champs over Oshawa MCL, Bronze medal regional winners at Belleville and bronze medal winners in Tier II finals in Barrie to Norwich. Fifth place at Senior Tier I to Mildor. Lakeshore Ladies Fastball League Champs over Belleville.
1984      Ontario Senior II gold medal Champions over Waterloo, gold medal regionals over Elmvale, Belleville Tournament Champs over Oshawa M.C.L. Seventh at  Senior Tier I championships to Kitchener. Metro League finalists to Toronto Spartans
              Record 34 wins in a row to start season.
1985      Ontario Senior Tier II gold medal Champions over Norwich, Metro League Champions
1986      Silver medalists Ontario Senior Tier II championships loss to Sarnia, finalists Mildor Classic

Updated August 2020

Layton Dodge Loved His Home Town, Sports

By Cecilia Nasmith Dec 10, 2013 Northumberland Today

Layton Dodge's chair at Sommerville's is empty.
Dave Sommerville, owner of the downtown Cobourg sporting goods store, has been reflecting on what to do with it since hearing of Dodge's passing on Sunday.

Since his retirement as Cobourg's premier sports reporter, Dodge has been a regular in the store, taking the chair Sommerville's father Clarke used to occupy. It started out as a chance to enlist the Sommervilles' help in identifying the rafts of old sports photos he was giving away, and evolved into one of his favourite places just to hang out and visit with people.

Sommerville was one of those legions of Cobourg kids who grew up looking forward to the Wednesday paper because of Dodge.

"We ran home, grabbed the paper and opened it to the sports page to see if our name was there," he recalled.
Born March 14, 1937 to parents William and Kathleen, Layton Dodge grew up in Cobourg and attended Cobourg District Collegiate Institute (currently CDCI West) when it was the only high school in town. He went directly from high school to working for the Cobourg Sentinel Star, a precursor of Northumberland Today, his friend Rosie Bateman said.

By virtue of his life-long attachment to his home town, Bateman added, he always had a story to share — such as the fact that Col. Gordon King, after whom the library is named, was his Latin teacher.

Retired councilor Bob Spooner first encountered Dodge as a reader. He had been involved in sports reporting himself before he and his wife began looking to move to Cobourg in 1970. They picked up a copy of what was then the weekly Cobourg paper and, turning to the sports page, Spooner recalled, thinking, "Whoever is writing this is really doing the community a service."

Little kids hitting a home run, young goalies making a save, minor athletes who might never rate a mention in a bigger paper had their names there in print, Spooner said. "I thought, 'I have to meet this guy, because he writes so honestly and his information is really accurate.'"

That winter, Spooner got his chance when he began coaching minor hockey. They became instant friends, he reported.
Doing play-by-play hockey coverage for the local radio station in 1972, Spooner often met up with Dodge. Together, they broke down the barrier between print and electronic media when Dodge began doing occasional guest commentary.

"The public liked his analysis, his accuracy, his honesty. He never had a bias if he liked a coach or a player from the other team," Spooner said.

Longtime close friend Rod Baker remembers Dodge's support of the Cobourg Cougars Junior A hockey group, as well as for the young people in town. He remembers how much Dodge contributed to his own three children's lives when they were growing up in Cobourg through his work at the home-town newspaper.

"I think he was one of the best sports writers in this area and could have gone further. But he was very happy in Cobourg," Baker said.

"Layton was probably the biggest promoter of a lot of good athletes in Cobourg, but he would always find a way to get the average athlete — the kid who would never get noticed — to get his name in the paper if they had a good hockey game or made a good catch playing ball. He made the average athlete important. He had an uncanny way of doing that," Sommerville said.

He was also impressed with the range of sports his friend covered.
"If it was out there, he covered it," Sommerville stated.

Dodge would even hold off on his summer holidays so as not to miss covering the giant annual ball tournament in Grafton, where he would help with the announcing or do whatever else they needed.
"The only way you knew Layton was on vacation is, there was no sports in the paper. He would still be at all the games, but no sports in the paper.

"Cobourg has been so fortunate to have someone who cared so passionately about the town, so passionately about the youth of the town, and he showed it in many different forms," Sommerville said.

A modest individual, Dodge made substantial donations to organizations but also made the quieter substantial donations — paying for the high school wrestling tournament, for example, or even making significant contributions to the university and college educations of young people in need.

"He did so many things for so many people behind the scenes, the stories could be endless," Sommerville said.
A few years before Dodge was forced to retire earlier than he perhaps would have liked for health reasons, the editor combed old newspapers for a compilation of his best work for a book that was titled Spotlight On Sports.

A later publisher, Darren Murphy, found that Dodge remained deeply involved in the newspaper regardless.
“He would stop by regularly with some kind of a news tip or just to say hello to everyone," said Murphy, who is now publisher and regional advertising director of Eastern Ontario for Sun Media.

"He had a way of brightening up the entire building when he entered, and his contributions to the Cobourg sports community will never be forgotten.”

Cobourg Mayor Gil Brocanier said Dodge was an icon in the town.
"For so many years, he gave so much to so many people," Brocanier said.
"It's incredible, the work he did and the way he made so many young people growing up in Cobourg playing all sports feel important. He made it his mission to give almost every athlete — regardless of the level they were playing in — he made every effort to give them their 15 minutes of fame by mentioning them or something they had done in a particular game.

"It's a terrible loss to the sports community, and the community as a whole," the mayor stated.
"What really makes me happy is that he lived long enough to see the new sports complex," Spooner said.

As council's parks and recreation head during the project, he recalls how thrilled Dodge was with news of the facility and how he supported it with a donation that paid for the press box.

The Layton Dodge Press Box is the second town amenity that bears his name. Spooner recalls sitting down with the parks and recreation advisory committee prior to the opening of Legion Fields in July 1996 to name the three diamonds.

"The first name that cropped up for one of the diamonds was Layton Dodge," Spooner said.

In the end, the vote was unanimous to name the diamonds after Dodge, Clarke Sommerville and Jack Bevan.
Dodge will be missed very much, Bateman said. "I know how devoted he was to the youth of the town, and sport and the community. I think his legacy is that he inspired the youth of our town to be the best they could be in sports, and in life in general," she stated.

From seeing his friend spend so many pleasant days in that special chair in his store, Sommerville would characterize Dodge as the voice of reason.

"He could always find some middle ground and come up with a logical and reasonable solution. It's something I saw a lot of times that I found fascinating. He would sit back and watch it all and, in a heartbeat, come up with the right answer," he said.

Fairness extended to his sports coverage, which would occasionally single out a visiting player from a big city like Toronto. If a friend or relative sent a clipping to the young player, Sommerville said he would get a call to ask for 15 more copies, because that player would never get that kind of recognition in a bigger community.

And when a local player deserved a wake-up call or a slap on the wrist for any reason, Sommerville added, Dodge could deliver it in such a way that the player would remain on friendly terms with him afterwards.

"I think that gift was born out of his love for the community," he said.
In the end, he said, Dodge earned a singular honour — being known by a single name.

"In Cobourg, everybody knows Layton. It doesn't matter if you're 12 or 100, everybody knows Layton as Layton — or, in our case, Scoop. Nobody asks about Layton Dodge. It's Layton or Scoop. I think, over the course of time, with everything he's done for this community, he has gained that kind of recognition," Sommerville said.

"He deeply loved his mother and his family. He deeply loved Cobourg — the sports community and Cobourg in general.
"His legacy will live on and on and on, not only as a sports writer and member of the community, but also as a human being. There are not many people like Layton."

At Dodge's request, there will be a private graveside service at Cobourg Union Cemetery. A funeral service will be held in Trinity United Church Thursday at 1 p.m., and a celebration of his life will be held at the Cobourg Community Centre at a later date.

Reviewed August 2020