1965 Goalie skates CCM Prolites- size 10 black boot- size 11.5" on steel blade
Robert Clarke Sommerville was born in Toronto, on December 5, 1930. Playing hockey in his early life, he worked his way up to the Junior A ranks, spending 4 years as a goaltender for the Galt Black Hawks. The following two years were spent in the American Hockey League, playing with Philadelphia and Washington.
In 1952, Clarke purchased a small retail business in Cobourg that evolved into Sommerville’s Sporting Goods. Upon arrival, he got involved in the local sports community. He played for the Intermediate hockey team, joined the golf club, pitched in the Town Softball League and joined the executive of the Cobourg Church Hockey League. Quietly, and with a small group of other local sportminded men, a lacrosse league for kids was formed, which operated out of Cobourg’s Memorial Arena. In the mid 1960’s, Clarke, Dick Robinson, Jeff Rolph and Layton Dodge were instrumental in starting and funding a local Junior “B” hockey team, the Cobourg Cougars. Clarke was a Cobourg Cougars’ lifetime executive member. He served in many roles with the team, including General Manager. Clarke was also involved with minor softball.
In 1972, Clarke and his son David coached their “Sinclair Mustangs” to an Ontario Softball Championship. The sporting goods store was a gathering spot for people to discuss current issues. Many important decisions about local sports were made around the store’s famous pop cooler. Clarke was proud and humbled to be involved in the successes of the Cobourg Cougars, the Cold Springs Cats and countless other local teams and organizations.
Throughout the decades, Sommerville’s Sporting Goods has been a staunch supporter of many sports and athletes in various ways behind the scenes. His support of athletes was truly profound.Clarke Sommerville was a good athlete but his true legacy is as a builder of sport. His contributions will have an everlasting impact on our community.
Gord Brooks was born in Cobourg on September 11, 1950 and has the distinction of being Cobourg’s first National Hockey League player. He played his minor hockey with the Cobourg Church Hockey League and spent the 1967- 68 season with Cobourg’s Junior ‘B’ Cougars where he collected 21 goals, 26
assists and 44 minutes in penalties.
Gord played his major Junior ‘A’ years with the Hamilton Red Wings and the London Knights. At the end of the 1969-70 season, Gord Brooks was drafted 51st overall by the St. Louis Blues and spent his first professional season with their farm team, the Kansas City Blues.
From 1971 to 1975, Gordie played 70 National Hockey League games with both the St. Louis Blues and the Washington Capitals. From 1975 to 1980, he played in the North American Hockey League and the American Hockey League where he truly made a name for himself. He played for both the Philadelphia Firebirds and Syracuse Firebirds, averaging 93 points a season for a total of 464. In 1977, his team won the Lockhart Cup as American Hockey League champions.
In 1978, Gord won the John B. Sollenberger trophy as the American Hockey League’s scoring champion and was named to the League’s first All-star team. In 1980, he played part of a season in Klagenfurt, Austria until a knee injury forced him out.
The next year he joined the Saginaw Gears winning an international league championship. Two years after retiring as a pro, he came back to play Senior hockey for Brantford, winning an Allan Cup. Today, Gordie Brooks and his wife Beth live in London, Ontario, close to their children and grandchildren.
Dennis Francis O’Brien was born June 10, 1949 in Port Hope. He learned his hockey in the Beaver Athletic Association and earned a spot on the 1967-68 Cobourg Cougar team that won the Eastern Junior B Hockey League championship. 1968-69 saw Dennis with the St Catharine’s Black Hawks of the OHA as a 19 year old. He played defense in 52 games with 235 penalty minutes.
Dennis, a 6 ft, 195 lb, left-handed defenseman, was chosen 14th overall in the 2nd round of the NHL draft by the Minnesota North Stars. He played 72 games in 1969-70 with the Iowa Stars of the Central Hockey League. He set a league record with 331 penalty minutes. Dennis started the next season with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League.
He was called up and made his NHL debut for Minnesota on November 11, 1970 vs Los Angeles. Six days later he scored his first NHL goal against Glenn Hall at St. Louis. He played a further 27 regular season games and 9 playoff games.
Out of training camp at age 22 in 1971 Dennis was the youngest player to make the Minnesota roster. Over the next 5 seasons Dennis was a stalwart on defense He missed part of the 1974-75 season with torn ligaments in his knee and a broken thumb.
In 1973-74 he led the team with 166 penalty minutes. In 1975-76 he set a team record with 187 penalty minutes. In 1976-77 he led the team with 114 penalty minutes. That year he led team defensemen with 6 goals and 24 points.
On December 2, 1977 after 13 games Dennis was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche. He played 16 games until January 12, 1978 when he was traded to the Cleveland Barons. He played 23 games and on March 10, 1978 he was claimed off waivers by the Boston Bruins.
He played 16 regular season games and 14 playoff games for the Bruins. Dennis thus became the 1st player in NHL history to play for 4 different teams in the same season.
In the 1978-79 season Dennis played 64 games for the Bruins. On June 13, 1979 he was left unprotected in the NHL Expansion Draft. He was re-claimed after Bill Bennett was selected off the Bruins roster. The next season he played only 3 games for the Bruins and 6 with AHL Binghamton. His last NHL game was October 20, 1979 with Boston vs Los Angeles. He did not win a Stanley Cup but did get to the finals with Boston in 1978
Dennis O’Brien, Obie to his teammates, retired in 1980. He played in a total of 592 NHL regular season games and 34 playoff games. He scored 32 goals, 93 assists for 125 total points. He had 1,118 total penalty minutes.
Dennis joined the workforce at the Brookside Youth Centre in Cobourg. In 2002-03 he served as Assistant Coach of the Port Hope Predators of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. He is uncle to NHL player Shane O’Brien.
Reviewed August 2020
Cobourg Cougars metal button- "Cobourg Cougars" green lanyard with yellow "Cobourg Cougars" logo
1993 Cobourg Cougars plaque to Rod Baker- "Cobourg Cougars Larry Wood Memorial Award presented to Rod Baker for his all-round contribution to the Cobourg Cougars 1992-93"
1991 Cobourg Cougars plaque to Rod Baker- "Larry Wood Memorial presented to Rod Baker in appreciation of your dedication and contributions to the Cobourg Cougars 1990-91"
1991 Cobourg Cougars plaque to Rod Baker- "Presented to Rod Baker in appreciation for all your hard work & dedication during the last year Cobourg Cougars 1990-1991"
1990 Cobourg Cougars plaque to Rod Baker- "Presented to Rod Baker in appreciation for your assistance in the campaign for Sine's Carpet Warehouse JrC Cobourg Cougars 1989-90 Many Thanks Dick Taylor Pres"
1982 Cobourg Cougars story in Cobourg Star with photo of Bill Carrigan & Vern MacGregor
The Cobourg Galloping Ghosts are the most famous team in Cobourg sports history. Managed by Fred Dufton, the Ghosts won eight Ontario championships, five after World War II. They were Canadian Dominion champions in 1946, 1948 and 1950. They were the first team in Canada to wear aluminum cleats and the second to wear white uniforms.
