When he was 8-years-old, Terry Lewis was gaining attention on all-star teams in both Hockey and Baseball earning commendations from no less than Layton Dodge, who proclaimed him “a star in the making”.
In 1966, Terry helped his Novice All-Star hockey team become the OMHA Zone Finalists during the winter and the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association Tyke A champions in the summer. Two years later in 1968, that same group of talented youngsters would claim the 1st ever “Little NHL” B Championship. Attending C.D.C.I. East, Terry would be a part of the Midget COSSA Championship Basketball team in 1970 and the Junior COSSA Championship Football team in 1971.
On the ice, Terry would join the Cobourg Cougars Junior C team for the 1971-72 season. That season, the Cougars were OHA finalists, with Terry finishing third in playoff scoring. The next year, 1972-73, saw the Cougars finish the year as Central and Eastern Ontario Junior C Champions with Terry sharing the laurels of being the top scorer.
The 1973-74 season brought Cobourg its first-ever OHA Championship with Terry as the team’s Captain. Terry was instrumental in the Cougars success, capturing the league’s scoring title and Most Valuable Player Award. In addition, his 162 penalty minutes set a new team record, his 88 points were a new single-season league record, and he would add 71 points in group and provincial playoffs. A versatile player, capable of playing both forward and defense, and often asked to, 1975-76 would be Terry’s final season with the Cougars, a season that saw the team reach the OHA semi-finals.
A couple of years later, Terry returned to the Cougars as the team’s Co-Coach, before taking over as Head Coach in 1979-80, guiding the team to a first-place finish and a spot in the OHA quarter-finals.
On the ball diamond, Terry joined the Cold Springs Cats fastball team in the late 1970’s, and played as a left-handed throwing shortstop when the Cats captured the Ontario Senior A Fastball Championship in 1980. Years later, with his main contribution coming from the pitching mound, Terry helped lead the Cats to three consecutive Canadian Masters Championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999, and was named the top pitcher in the 1997 championship.
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.
