Cobourg Kiwanis Juveniles

Paul Currelly was born in Port Hope, Ontario on September 3, 1926. He moved to Cobourg in 1952 and resided there until his death in 2004. Paul was an all-around athlete and played basketball, baseball, softball, hockey, football and was a crosscountry runner.

He enjoyed bowling and golf and was well known as a competitive curler. Paul Currelly was a respected backfielder for Cobourg's renown footballteam, The Cobourg Galloping Ghosts from 1947-1952. The 1950 Galloping Ghosts Program described him as a "Good-steady football player that can always be counted on for an all-out effort-a good team player all the way", a philosophy and attitude he was to instill in many players and teams that he went on to coach. In 1958, Paul coached Cobourg's Kiwanis Juvenile "A" Baseball team bringing an Ontario Championship to Cobourg. Paul was instrumental in founding of the "Cobourg Girls Softball League" in 1963. That same year, he coached the Coverdale Aces. This team was the prelude to the Cobourg Angels Girls Softball Organization.

These teams went to win 5 Ontario Championships along with numerous tournament and league championships against teams from much larger centres, all under Paul's tutelage. In the late 80's Paul spearheaded the formation of the Cobourg Junior Angels Organization providing young girls with place to play rep and house league softball. He was both an organizer and a coach.

Paul finished his coaching career by returning to boys baseball and coached the Cobourg Bantam Blacksox to an Ontario Championship in 1998. Hard work, dedication, perseverance and a commitment to team and community were essential attributes taught by Paul. He received numerous awards and honours, both local and provincial over the years, but perhaps his proudest moment occurred in 2004 when the Town of Cobourg dedicated a cairn in his honour on the site of the former Victoria Park Ball Diamond and named the roadway around it, "Paul Currelly Way".

William (Bill) J. O’Neil was born in Oldcastle, Ontario, on December 28, 1924. As a youngster, Bill had a great love of sports and played both baseball and softball. He coached youth baseball for a number of years in the village of MacGregor, not far from his hometown. Bill started work with General Foods in Windsor, Ontario, at the age of 18. In 1963, he moved with the company to Cobourg, where he went on to make a significant impact in the athletic community. Bill coached the local General Foods sponsored team in the Cobourg Men’s Softball League from 1963 to 1970.

He coached Juvenile and Junior Ontario Amateur Softball Association (OASA) teams that also played in the Cobourg Men’s Softball League from 1971 to 1990. He was the coach of four OASA Juvenile “B” championship teams during the 1970’s. Over the years, Bill O’Neil received numerous honours and awards for his outstanding dedication to sports in the Town of Cobourg. In 1976, Bill was named Cobourg’s Sportsman of the Year. In 2002, he was saluted for serving 40 years as Treasurer and a volunteer with the Cobourg Men’s Softball League.

On November 17, 2004, the main building at Legion Fields was named “The Bill O’Neil Pavilion”. The Ontario Amateur Association recognized Bill by presenting him with the F.R. (Frank) Feaver trophy as Ontario’s “Mr. Softball”. During his coaching career, Bill was always the cool, calm and collected field manager. Over the years, he never abused an umpire or a player but would discuss and reason a solution to its conclusion. He respected the game and all those involved. Bill O’Neil was a unique individual.

He gave back far more to the sporting community than he ever took and was a true gentleman. Bill O’Neil was a great role model and an incredible asset to Cobourg and District’s athletic community.