Coverdale Aces

PAUL CURRELLY AND HIS ANGELS

Paul Currelly’s leadership contribution to the longstanding success of the Cobourg Angels is well documented in the records of the CDSHF. Shedding light on the important aspects of Paul’s leadership style might serve to provide insight into how the unparalleled and long-term success of the Angels transpired.

Seen as one story, the narrative connects 6 decades with many worthy individuals contributing to the success for various lengths of time. There is a common thread that links all of these very capable people, players, and coaches alike. Paul Currelly meticulously built an organization that was often one step ahead of the changing circumstances that local sports almost inevitably face.

So, what were the skills that Paul Currelly had that went far beyond the teaching of fundamentals? A focus on detail and organization, an eye for talent (coaches and players) as well as persistence and planning for the next stage of team development.

Little of the long term and sustained success of the Angels could have been anticipated when the foundation of the team and organization was created during the 1960’s. Cobourg Baseball, Legion Branch 133 Minor Softball and Church League Hockey were already in place as athletic outlets for boys. The fact that Paul and his lovely wife Marian had 3 daughters was the first act that directed Paul’s considerable energy towards making athletic opportunities for girls.

At no point would it be suggested that Paul (and Marian of course) claimed that family planning was part of the early beginnings of the Angels story.  As it turned out, perhaps hundreds of girls and young women would end up seeing themselves as a part of a very special sports family. Indeed, many of them would have viewed the Currelly residence as a welcoming second home.

EARLY DAYS

Long before the term “hub” became popularized, a relatively spacious back yard in the east end neighbourhood of Coverdale became a hub or gathering place for the friends and neighbours of the two older Currelly daughters, Carol and Nancy. Time spent there was often dedicated to playing “mildly” competitive games such as tag, running and jumping and of course softball. The kids had a safe and nurturing place to play centred on sports and most probably numerous breaks for snacks. He and Marian initially provided their own equipment from their former playing days. When the Coverdale area kids began house league play, Paul scoured the town and the local district for all manner of used articles. He also sought contributions from people such as Clarke Sommerville (another CDSHF inductee) to round off the considerable stockpile.

As is almost always the case, young children outgrow the limits of the backyard. In the case of the Angels’ story, this may have been the first time that Paul displayed his capacity to adapt to changing circumstances during the long history of the Aces/Angels organization. He helped initiate the idea of developing a house league based on geographic neighbourhoods. Other key founders from the various neighbourhoods included Max Smith, John Copeland, Jack Bevan, Garry Jones, Donald Dunn, and Ross Burgess. Their combined efforts came to fruition as the Cobourg Town League’s inaugural season came to pass in 1963.

Participation in the newly formed league was enthusiastically received by the neighbourhood girls. Registration was held at nearby Merwin Greer School where the Coverdale Aces also played their home games.

During the early years, the Coverdale neighbourhood was amalgamated into the Town of Cobourg and Paul negotiated a deal with the municipality to build a softball diamond located in what is now Peter Delanty Park. This achievement was characterized by a somewhat unique innovation. The topsoil from the construction of Brook Road North was redeployed to the park. Paul, as the story goes, agreed to spread the topsoil himself using a borrowed tractor in exchange for having the municipality build a backstop and infield for a softball diamond.

Of the three Currelly sisters, Patsy ended up playing house league games there while the older sisters moved their games to the Victoria Park diamond. Certainly, Paul’s facilitation benefited his youngest daughter, but he also helped leave a legacy for the Town and the local neighbourhood as a whole. Subsequently, the diamond was suitably named, The Paul Currelly Diamond.

Over the course of the time that the Coverdale Aces played in the Cobourg Town League, the team registered a winning streak of 52 games and numerous undefeated seasons. Ironically, Paul and his teams never again quite reached that level of statistical accomplishment. Yet the early successes, foreshadowed a story of outstanding and enduring achievement that continued even after Paul Currelly had passed.

    SPREADING THE WINGS OF ANGELS

By 1968, the era of house league dominance had ended for the teams that the older sisters, Carol and Nancy, played on. A Juvenile team was formed from the best players in the house league. Now that Paul’s teams played at the central softball venue of Victoria Park, he often could be seen spreading sawdust on the wet diamond or even going as far as borrowing a pump from Cobourg Lumber to make a soaked diamond playable for an early evening game.

Previous to the season, Paul saw the value of having the Juvenile team participate in the nearby well-established Durham League which was principally composed of a group of adult teams. The quality of the league provided a new challenge and motivation for Currelly’s Juvenile team. In that very same year, the Juveniles successfully made the competitive leap by winning the Durham League Championship. The beginning of a new chapter was being written.

NETWORKING PAYS OFF

By 1972, Paul spearheaded the formation of The Lakeshore Juvenile Girls Softball League and his third and youngest daughter Patsy joined the team as a bat girl. Her inclusion as a bat girl was the first step that would eventually see her develop into a first-rate catcher. Both Carol and Nancy had successful early stints as pitching mainstays before they transitioned to infield positions. The Cobourg Angels experienced nearly immediate success as they were PWSA Juvenile Finalists in 1973. This was followed by a league championship in 1975 and two provincial Junior gold medals in 1975 and 1976.

What has always been a hallmark of Paul Currelly’s managing style, namely adapting to the needs, and changing circumstances of his players, manifested itself when Paul helped to establish a new league for his now Midget Angels. Patsy, Paul’s youngest daughter became a catching mainstay throughout the Angels’ most successful era.

Paul’s accurate evaluation of his players’ talent resulted in near immediate results. In 1977, the Midget Angels captured both the Claremont Tournament and the Lakeshore League Championship. By 1979, the Juvenile Angels claimed another PWSA championship as well as a number of provincial tournaments including the well-established local Grafton Tournament run by Dick Raymond. It is probably worth mentioning that the ‘79 team had a 50-7 season record which came close to the 52 wins recorded during the earliest house league seasons.

After 1979, the Angels transitioned to the Junior classification. In 1981, the Angels were provincial finalists, while in 1981 and 1982 the team accumulated a number of tournament and Lakeshore League successes. By this time, Paul may have seen that the team had perhaps reached a competitive ceiling and so, as the 1980’s unfolded, he shifted gears and directions once again. By the end the 1980’s, the decade might have been considered as the golden era for his Angels.

QUALITY ORGANIZATIONS ATTRACT QUALITY RECRUITS

Most highly competitive sports organizations eventually need to recruit in order to maintain or improve upon their competitive position. Once Paul’s teams emerged from a neighbourhood house league format, he began to attract players such as Peggy Kernaghan from the local rural area. The approach would eventually lead to the recruitment of players from Oshawa, north to Peterborough and east to Belleville. An early example of Paul’s approach to recruiting was evident when he recruited players from the surrounding area. Part of Paul’s recruitment strategy was to invite his wife Marian on “Sunday afternoon drives” that inevitably ended up at a prospect’s home. Currelly used his accumulated good will to arrange summer jobs for players in the Cobourg area.

Additionally, before the girls had drivers’ licenses, he would ensure their attendance at games and practices by arranging rides to and from the activity. It must have been evident to almost all of the people associated with the organization that Paul had very high expectations for himself and of course he similarly held high expectations for his players. An excerpt from one of Paul’s season end banquet speeches reveals the understood contract between players and the community they represented...

Our main objective is to have fun, to teach you the fundamentals and guide you through the wins and losses with the proper attitude. We demand a full effort at all times for we know that the harder we work, the more successful we will be. We also want you to realize that when you pull on the green and gold uniform, you represent a lot of people, the Town of Cobourg, Harnden and King Construction, your coaches, your parents, and most of all, yourselves. I must say that we were proud of the way you conducted yourselves this past season.

Outstanding players generally want to have a well-supported and structured environment with high expectations. Early hints of Paul Currelly’s successful recruitment based on the “Angels Brand” was manifested when outstanding Oshawa area pitcher Joan VanderZyden joined the team during the 1970’s. Another significant recruiting move brought in Hastings area player Su Morrow to play first base and pitch. Jim Morrow, Su’s father, would also join Paul Currelly to form a coaching combination that lasted into the 1990’s.

Over the course of the 1980’s, Paul identified considerable talent that would blend with the team’s character and positional needs. His efforts yielded 2 elite pitchers, (Elaine Devlin and Janice Cosgrey), the return of CDSHF Hall of Fame inductee Margie Mathews as well as perhaps the most prolific, fence clearing power hitter in PWSA history, Isobel “Izzy” Nichols. Speedy, hitting outfielders, Lea Ann Quinn and Vicki Wodzak were also recruited while the addition of Cathy Fertile and Lynn Lucas added depth to the infield.

The recruiting efforts yielded impressive results which allowed the Angels to make the competitive leap to Senior Tier II. Joining the Senior Tier II bracket cleared the way for the Angels to eventually leave their mark at the highest Provincial Tier I level. This tier of competition also provided the possibility for the Angels to compete for a Canadian National Championship nearly a decade later.

The decision to join the Senior Tier II bracket immediately paid off! The reorganized 1983 Angels won a bronze medal at the provincials that year and acquired Senior Tier II Provincial Championships in ‘84 and 85 and again in 1987. In 1988, the team was one out away from going to the Canadian Championships and settled for a Tier I silver medal.

Thereafter, Paul began to step back from his lead managerial role but the team continued its success by winning a Tier I Gold medal and with it, an unexpected storybook trip to the Canadian Championships in 1990.

COMING FULL CIRCLE

In 1987, Paul Currelly, along with Faye Gaudet, Su Morrow, Jan (Bevan) Bradford and Bill Zinkie, among others formed a new minor girls’ organization with the appropriate title of Junior Angels. This organization served both competitive and house league female players. Paul was prominent as an organizer while spearheading the recruitment of sponsors and coaches as well as securing the use of playing fields, the purchase of equipment and the establishment of a league for the 4 provincial teams.

The present Angels continue to thrive as a highly successful entity despite a general decline in the sport within Canada. Since its birth, 6 provincial championships, as well as an Eastern Canadian Championship, have been accumulated as preparations begin for the 2022 season.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The impressive accumulation of provincial championships and other accolades cannot be the sole measures of success for someone such as Paul Currelly. A huge number of individuals have been influenced by his efforts and example. Paul’s consistently high expectations and structure provided an attractive environment for those players who had a competitive attitude. He must have held a deep affection and respect for the people who were fortunate enough to have been part of his extended sports family. 50 years is a long time to be so highly committed to creating such an excellent environment for girls fastball players.

Post Script

If Paul and Marian had 3 boys instead of daughters Carol, Nancy and Patsy, there is every reason to believe that a different path would have yielded similar results for all of those individuals fortunate enough to have been included in the journey.

Paul continued to coach into his late years as he joined with longtime friend and beloved Angels coach, Jim Morrow to guide a women’s Intermediate team. As a fitting bookend to Paul Currelly’s devotion to his family and sports community, he volunteered as a baseball coach for his grandson, Matt Williams. One of these teams, The Cobourg Black Sox, won a provincial championship in 1998.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The considerable number of articles, photographs, newspaper articles (Layton Dodge), memorabilia posted on the CDSHF Website, Paul Currelly’s notes and year end speeches and my personal memories from the 1980’s provided the foundation for the article.

The quality of the final version was improved by being granted the privilege of having numerous conversations with Carol Currelly-Burnham, Nancy Williams, and Patsy Hand (the 3 “sissies”). Their enthusiasm, warm memories, anecdotes and unrelenting “fact checking” breathed life into the narrative and allowed me to link the decades together into a story of sorts.

Finally, thanks also go out to present CDSHF Directors, Jennifer Ashley and Don Conway who both encouraged me to take on the task. I hope that my efforts will provide local sports fans and community members, as well as long distance internet visitors, a few minutes of enjoyable reading.

John Hayden Sr.

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

By Patsy Currelly Hand

In April of 1963, the Cobourg Recreation Commission’s John Thorsen published an article in the Cobourg Sentinel-Star to survey an interest in girls playing softball. The article stated, “Some years ago, girls’ softball was a major activity in Cobourg, and recently there has been some interest in its revival”.  Those interested were to contact the Recreation Office. The Commission also asked for interested coaches and officiants to respond.  

A core group of softball builders stepped forward representing their respective neighbourhoods/parks:  Paul Currelly, Max Smith (Coverdale Aces), Jack Bevan, Garry Jones (Central), Donald Dunn, John Copeland (Sinclair) and Ross Burgess (Donegan).  The league was formed for girls 13 years and under (Peewee).  They played a 12 game schedule. Pitchers pitched from 33 feet and teams played 7 innings with a 3 inning minimum.  Central were the overall winners the first year, beating Coverdale in the final game, 38-37!

In 1964, the league expanded to include a Bantam division.  The Bantam division not only had Cobourg teams from Central, Donegan, Sinclair and the Coverdale Angels, but also included Colborne. In the Novice division were Central, Coverdale Aces, Sinclair, Grafton and Baltimore.  Jack Bevan’s Central Peewee team won that year and it is unclear who won the Bantam division – Sinclair, Colborne or Donegan.  

In 1965, the Bantam division expanded further and included Welcome, East Port Hope, and West Port Hope, as well as the Cobourg teams - Sinclair Miskelly Realtors (who won the league), Coverdale Angels and Central.  In the Peewee division were the Coverdale Aces (who won the league, 15-0), Sinclair, Central and Baltimore.

1966 included 4 Cobourg teams (Coverdale Aces, Central, Sinclair and Donegan) in the Peewee division and 4 Bantam teams (Central, Coverdale Angels, Port Hope Dairy Queens and Sinclair Miskelly Realtors).  Coverdale topped both divisions that year. The Bantam Angels, who were coached by George Green and Dave Stewart, beat Sinclair Miskelly Realtors in the Bantam finals. Meanwhile, the Peewee Aces, coached by Paul Currelly & Max Smith, defeated the Sinclair Peewees, completing another undefeated season of 20(W)-0(L) in league play.

The Coverdale Angels and Aces repeated as league champions in 1967, beating teams in the Peewee division from Central, Sinclair, Donegan and Welcome and in Bantam division from Colborne, Central, Welcome, Sinclair and Donegan.  The Coverdale Peewee Aces (Currelly & Ev Walters) complete their third undefeated season in league play with an impressive record of 52 straight wins over 3 years!

As the 1968 softball season approached, Paul Currelly made the decision to combine his existing Coverdale Aces team with the Coverdale Angels team.  He took the colours of the Aces (green and gold) and the name of the Angels.  An all-star Juvenile team was created, which included the top players from the existing town league. The Angels were ready to take flight into the history books!

Reviewed August 2020