Cobourg

One would be hard pressed to detail the history of the Cobourg Men's Town (Fastball) League without devoting a chapter (and probably two) to the accomplishments of Craig Minifie. Possessing a rare combination of power-hitting and defensive prowess, in the forty-eight-year history of the league he is the All-Time Leader in Hits (473), Runs (288), Home Runs (65), Doubles (68), and RBI's (274) while ranking third All-Time in Games Played (471). Adding 7 Cobourg Town League Championships along the way, Craig was awarded the league's Most Valuable Player Trophy on five separate occasions in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, and 2000, all while playing for the Grafton Jays. Craig's talent and accomplishments were not limited to the Cobourg Town League – far from it. At the same time that Craig played in the Town League he also played in the Port Hope – Cobourg Industrial League and the Hamilton Township League, and one year in the Peterborough City League, where he won a Championship. 

With that schedule it often saw him play at least five Fastball games a week, and at multiple positions, from the pitching mound, to the infield and the outfield. In 1981 Craig was chosen by the Hamilton Township League as the player best combining sportsmanship and ability, and was given the Perc Baker Memorial Trophy. Beyond our area, Craig starred for the Rutherflo team that won the 1994 Men's Intermediate B Championship, the 1995 Men's Intermediate A Championship, the 1997 NAFA World Series AA Championship (where he was named to the All-World Team), the 1998 Eastern Canadian Intermediate B Championship, and the 1999 Eastern Canadian Men's Intermediate A Championship. With Colborne's Master Team, Craig added to his already extensive trophy case, winning the Canadian Master's Championship in 2004 and 2005 and the Provincial Master's Championship in 2006. 

He then joined the Cobourg Force and won the Ontario Master's Championships in 2007 and 2008. In 2014 he helped the Cobourg Force win the 2014 ISC World Over 50 Tournament. The Force also won the 2015 the ASA Master's Championship where Craig was named to the All-American team as well as leading the tournament in home runs. In 2017, three years later, Craig received the honour of being elected to the Ontario Master's (Fastball) Hall of Fame.

When Lionel Gutteridge passed away in 1991, Layton Dodge paid tribute to him in the pages of the Cobourg Daily Star, writing that “Gutteridge leaves an indelible mark on the fabric of sport in our town … it was his efforts as a volunteer administrator that set him apart from the crowd and led to his touching a lot of people”. 

A lifelong resident of our community (with the notable exception of his military service in the Second World War) “Tut’s” list of positions and contributions as a volunteer is immense. A founding member of Cobourg Legion Minor Softball in 1957, he also served as the association’s first-ever President in 1960, and for over twenty years as their Equipment Manager. 

His time and administrative talents were not limited to our town’s diamonds; as he was also an executive member of the Cobourg Community Hockey League, including serving as CCHL President, while acting as a referee and later in life, alongside his wife Gladys, as the Gatekeeper for Cobourg Cougars home games. In recognition of his years of volunteer service he was recognized with the Cobourg Legion Branch 133 Certificate of Merit (for 30 years of service to minor sport), was bestowed the status of Lifetime Member of both Cobourg Legion Minor Softball and the Cobourg Community Hockey League, which named their Coach-of-the-Year (House League) trophy in his honour. It should also be noted that he was a skilled golfer, claiming the Dalewood Golf and Country Club’s Senior Championship six times (in the first nine years of the event). A month after his passing, and acting upon a suggestion by Layton Dodge, the name of the park that was located beside his home, formerly known as the Stuart Street Park was formally renamed the “Lionel “Tut” Gutteridge Memorial Park. 

“In his later years, when the existing Legion softball executive purposely avoided assigning him any specific duties because of his personal health problems, Tut was miffed,” wrote Layton after his passing. “Even then, he still wanted to contribute. That’s the kind of doer he truly was. To the very end, we respected “Tut” Gutteridge for all he accomplished and what he stood for. We were proud to consider him a friend. We shall miss him. Cobourg will seem a little poorer, a little emptier now that he has gone to a better place – but his legacy will live on here forever”. 

In the long history of sports in our community few people were as memorable or as beloved as Bill Elliott. He was known by everyone who crossed his path as “Cowboy”. Moving to the area in 1964 to take on a new job, “Cowboy”, who spent his youth near Ivey, Ontario playing Baseball in the summer and Hockey in the winter, went looking around for a team to play on. Soon he gravitated towards a fastball team in the Cobourg Town League in need of a catcher, which in turn led him to the Cobourg Mercantile Hockey League where he tended goal. “Cowboy” would become a fixture of both leagues for the next three decades as well as in too numerous to count dart leagues, bowling teams, horseshoe and golf tournaments. 

In demand as a Fastball Catcher, he played for the Oshawa Tony’s team that won a Senior A Men’s Fastball title in 1978. Two years later he was a part of the Cold Springs Cats team that won a Senior A Provincial Championship and then finished in fourth place at the Nationals in Saskatchewan, where “Cowboy” set a record for most put outs in one day. He also played with the Masters Version of the Cold Springs Cats that won three consecutive Canadian Men’s Fastball titles in 1995, 1996, and 1997. 

For many however, Bill will always be remembered as a tireless advocate for sports in our community and his fundraising skills were legendary. Wherever “Cowboy” was a 50/50 draw ticket or a charitable Euchre tournament were never far behind. 

Over the years, he raised thousands of dollars for local hockey teams, baseball teams, various community causes, and for those individuals in need. The words “no” and “can’t” were not in his vocabulary and more often than not he wouldn’t wait for someone else to take the initiative on a pressing need, especially when he could fill that role. In 2021, Bill was recognized for all of his work through the years with Cobourg’s Citizen of the Year Award, a fitting tribute for a man who gave so much of himself – his talent, his energy, and above all, his time – to our community.

Chances are that if you played a competitive game of basketball in the last 5 decades either locally, provincially, or at the national level Bruce Covert refereed one of your games. After playing both football and basketball at C.D.C.I. East for 5 years, Bruce, a lifelong resident of our community, turned his sporting attentions to the officiating side of the game which has resulted in a distinguished 50-year career. Locally Bruce was one of the founding members of the Cobourg Board of Basketball Officials. Over the years he has not only officiated but served in a variety of executive roles as well. 

Provincially Bruce was member of the OUA Basketball Panel for 30 years; a designated crew chief for 24 of them. He refereed more than 600 OUA league and exhibition games, more than 75 OUA playoff games and 12 Wilson Cup games (OUA Men’s Provincial Championship). 

He has officiated for 40 years in the OCAA and worked 4 OCAA Men’s Provincial Championships. Bruce officiated 10 OFSAA High School Championships. Nationally Bruce officiated 16 Championship tournaments: 14 U Sport Men’s, 1 Premier Men, 1 Premier Women, officiating 4 Gold Medal Games and 2 Consolation Finals. As well from 2010-2016 he had a 6 year stint with the National Basketball League of Canada. Internationally Bruce was an official at the 1985 World Masters Games in Toronto. For 10 years he refereed games involving Canada vs other countries traveling throughout Ontario. 

As well he officiated the Iqaluit Aboriginal Games, the Barbados Invitational, and the Nassau Bombay Shootout. In 2012 he was only the 7th Canadian official to be awarded IAABO Life Membership. In addition to his on-court work Bruce has served as an OUA supervisor, a provincial and national evaluator, and most importantly, as a mentor to fellow officials. 

For 25 years Bruce was the director of all OABO summer camps, training more than 1000 OABO officials, including over 90% of the current OUA and OCAA officials in Ontario, plus countless other officials from outside of the province. Bruce has left an indelible imprint on the sport of Basketball in Ontario. In 2016, Bruce was the recipient of the John A. (Wink) Willox Award from the Canadian Association of Basketball Officials in recognition of “outstanding contributions made to basketball and basketball officiating”. He also received the Ontario Association of Basketball Officials Life Membership. The highest award the association can give.

Referred to by Ron MacLean as Cobourg’s “Ms. Everything”, Jen has devoted a large part of her life to sports in our community; first as a player, and then as coach, a teacher, an executive member, a trusted mentor to so many, and as a tireless volunteer to countless teams, sporting organizations and athletic events. Jennifer first distinguished herself on the local sporting scene when she joined an All-Star Fastball team sponsored by Cobourg Tony’s Pizza. In 1977, that team captured the Ontario Bantam B Championship. 

In 1980, Jen began her 11-year stint with the renowned Cobourg Angels, helping them to win 4 Ontario Championships. She started her rep hockey career in Cobourg and then joined the Rice Lake Rebels, winning 2 Provincial OWHA Championships with them during the 1980’s. After graduating from C.D.C.I. West in 1982, where she was valedictorian, Jennifer attended the University of Toronto where she graduated with both Physical and Health Education and Teaching Degrees. 

During her five years at U of T, Jen played Varsity Hockey with the Lady Blues and won four OUAA (Provincial) championships. She also rowed varsity in her first year. Since then, she has won 8 more Provincial OWHA hockey Championships with Cobourg teams (4 as player; 4 as coach). Jen has coached hockey for over 30 years, as well as many other sports including track & field, fastpitch, basketball and more. Her CCI girl’s team earned the OFSAA Sportsmanship Award in 2016 and finished 4th in the Province. In Master Sports, she has been a three-time Gold Medalist in Women’s Softball at the World Master Games with the Canadian Free Spirits (Australia, Italy, New Zealand), won an Ontario 55+ Provincial Hockey Championship, won 3 track and field golds at the 2024 Canada 55+ Games (shot put, discus, and javelin), was the 2024 Ontario Masters Throws Triathlon Champion, and won a Masters Women’s slo-pitch provincial championship. 

She has also competed provincially in broomball and volleyball. Jennifer has volunteered her time for countless events, initiatives, and executive boards. Some of her proudest moments have been her major volunteer roles at events like the Parapan Am Games, Invictus Games, World Jr. A Challenge, RBC Cup, 55+ Ontario Games, OFSAA officiating and more. In 2015, she was presented Cobourg’s “Layton Dodge Athletic Award” for her “contribution to Cobourg’s Athletic Community in terms of skill, sportsmanship, participation, and leadership”

Few athletes are fortunate enough to be considered elite in one sport. Rarer is that athlete who is considered elite in two sports. Dave Waldie, born on April 8, 1965, in Campbellford and a life-long Alnwick-Haldimand resident, was a standout at the rink and the diamond. At five-years-old, Dave started playing Cobourg Church Hockey, and from Novice through Minor Midget he would be the Most Valuable Player and leading scorer every year. In 1980, he led his Major Bantam team to an All-Ontario championship, a first for Cobourg. The next year, as a sixteen-year-old, he suited up for the Cobourg Cougars and was named the OHA Jr. C Rookie-of-the-Year. 

Drafted by the OHL’s Cornwall Royals, he would split his first year between Cornwall and Newmarket (Tier 2), and then join the Royals full-time for the next two seasons, amassing 99 points in 1984-85. At the end of the year – due to a clerical error - Portland of the Western Hockey League was able to pick him up as an overage player. Dave enjoyed his greatest season in 1985-86, lighting the lamp 68 times, adding 58 assists for 126 points. He was named the WHL Rookie-of-the-Year and made the WHL first all-star team. He also won the Bill Anderson Sportsmanship Award for best leadership and dedication, and the Pat Shugog trophy for the MVP of the playoffs. That year Portland hosted the Memorial Cup. In four Memorial Cup games Dave tallied seven points. With his junior career now over, Dave had tryouts with both the Detroit Red Wings and the Hartford Whalers before eventually signing a contract with the Peoria Rivermen of the IHL. He played in eleven games, recording two goals and three assists before deciding to retire from pro hockey. 

He wouldn’t leave the game behind, exchanging his skates and a puck, for a pair of running shoes and a ball. He became an integral part of four Cobourg Ball Hockey League Championship teams. Dave’s success in hockey was matched by his softball accomplishments; 1 OASA All-Ontario Squirt Championship, 2 Peterborough Men’s Town League Championships, 7 Cobourg Town League Championships, 1 OASA Intermediate ‘A’ Championship, 1 OASA Intermediate ‘B’ Championship, 1 OASA Masters Championship, 2 OASA Masters Silver-Medals, 2 Canadian Masters Championships, 1 NAFA Championship, and 2 appearances in the ISC World Fastball Championships. 

Art Ravensdale was born on January 5^th, 1911 in Bolton, a town in Greater Manchester in England. At some point, Art made his way to Cobourg, attending the Cobourg Collegiate Institute (CCI), where he was an academic and athletic standout. His name appeared regularly in results from track meets at CCI and other schools. The Ravensdale Trophy was created in his honour and was presented to the top all-round male athlete each year until 1960. In 1929 Art won the 120-yard hurdles at the Canadian Championships in Banff. He won again in 1930 in Toronto, 1931 in Winnipeg, 1932 in Hamilton, 1933 in Fort William and 1934 in Montreal. 

Art's career was almost tragically derailed when he broke his hip while playing rugby at CCI, but with a combination of determination and hard work, he recovered completely. In 1930, in addition to winning the Provincial and Dominion Interscholastic Championships Art competed for Team Canada at the British Empire Games, held in Hamilton. Art graduated CCI in 1929 and took up studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Representing Marquette, he ran the 120-yard low hurdles in 13.2 seconds, giving him a share of the World Record. The Milwaukee Journal stated “Ravensdale, a hurdler… set municipal records that will probably stand for years.” He also set a new Canadian record at the Dominion Championships, beating the previous record by 4/10’s of a second in the 120-yard low hurdles. 

In 1932, Art took home first place at the Canadian Track and Field Olympic Trials in the 100-meter hurdles and with that, he went on to represent Canada at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics later that year. In 1934, Art once again represented Canada at the British Empire Games in London, finishing fourth in the 120-yard hurdles. One year later, Art retired after being recognized as the Canadian Hurdling Champion for seven consecutive years (1928 to 1934) and returned to where it all began, CCI, where he coached the next generation of track and field youngsters. Years later, Art received a very special honour from the Town of Cobourg, when Ravensdale Road was named after him. 

In his 1990 induction to the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame Larry O’Connor was cited as “the outstanding hurdler in Canada during the 1930’s setting many Canadian records”. “Larry” was born in Toronto on September 22, 1916. When Larry was 13, his father was appointed to the bench as County Court Judge of Northumberland and the family moved to Cobourg where Larry enrolled at Cobourg Collegiate Institute (CCI). Larry’s reputation as an extremely talented athlete preceded him and he immediately began training with fellow Cobourg resident Art Ravensdale – a hurdler already setting records. Larry was chosen for further training at the Ontario Athletic Commission Camp on Lake Couchiching where he distinguished himself by being the first boy to swim to an island one mile away. He competed at track meets in the area. 

After graduating from CCI in 1934 Larry attended the University of Toronto. He joined the Toronto West End YMCA Club and the Varsity Blues Intercollegiate Track and Field Championship Team where he trained alongside Jim Worrall. Both competed at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Summer Games. In the 110m hurdles Olympic final Larry would finish in sixth-place establishing a personal best time of 14.8 seconds. After the Olympics, Larry’s career took off as he went on to set Canadian records in the 110-meter-high hurdles, the 120-yard-high hurdles, and the 220-yard low hurdles. In 1937, at the annual Maple Leaf Gardens Track Meet, Larry set a new world indoor record in the 60-yard-high hurdles. At the 1938 British Empire Games, held in Sydney, Australia, Larry was a gold-winning member of the 4x110 yard relay team and a silver medalist in the 120-yard-high hurdles with a time of 14.2 seconds, the third-fastest in the world that year and a Canadian record that stood until 1963. 

A year later, Larry raced to a time of 14.8 seconds in the 110-metre-high hurdles, setting a new Canadian record that stood until 1964. Larry was awarded the Norton Crow Memorial Trophy (for the Canadian Amateur Athlete of the Year) and the John W. Davies Trophy (for the Outstanding Track Athlete of the Year). He was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1968, University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, and Athletics Ontario Hall of Fame in 2013.

Fran Jay never played a sport, but it would be impossible to tell the story of Baseball and Hockey in our community without her. In our community and beyond, she played a critical role in the growth and acceptance of woman’s hockey. A lifelong resident of Cobourg, Fran married Ron Jay on October 26, 1963. Ron was heavily involved in Baseball locally, and it didn’t take long for Fran to gravitate towards the administrative side of the sport. Joining the executive of the Cobourg Baseball Association, Fran took on countless tasks; organizing tournaments, running fundraisers, housing and feeding visiting umpires, arranging accommodations for visiting teams, working the canteen to name but a few.

 In 1987, after many years of service, she was awarded the “Curtis Products Award”, given to the person judged to have contributed the most to the Cobourg Baseball Association. While attending a Toronto Blue Jays game, Fran and Ron were featured on the stadium Jumbotron in recognition of their contributions to Baseball and were referred to as “Mr. and Mrs. Blue Jay from Cobourg”. Fran and Ron had two children, Brian and Brenda. When Brian played hockey, Brenda always tagged along. When Brenda was old enough to play in Cobourg, she wasn’t allowed a chance to play with the boys and there was no girls team. So began Fran’s legacy as an advocate for girls’ hockey. 

Although she didn’t start girls’ hockey in Cobourg, she spearheaded the creation of the United Counties Hockey League (later known as the Lakeshore League) which provided girls’ teams a chance to play against girls’ teams in other towns. In 1982, Fran became the first ever Girls Governor on the CCHL executive and brought her administrative talents to her newest passion. Later she would be elected a Life Member of the CCHL in recognition of her efforts. Eventually, Fran would join the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association executive as a Regional Director. A board member from 1993 to 1999, she was the team liaison for international teams and organized the 1997 and 1998 Senior AAA Women’s Provincial Championships that were held in Cobourg. She also helped to organize the 1997 Women’s World Championships, held in Kitchener, and was involved with the Canadian Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. 

One would be hard-pressed to find an athletic pursuit – Hockey, Softball, Basketball, Football, Track & Field – that Al Fenton did not excel in. A regular competitor at Kawartha, COSSA, OFSSA throughout his high-school career, Al’s athletic talents were on constant display. In 1967 he established six new records in six Junior events at C.D.C.I. West’s Field Day. He followed that up by winning 3 races at the Kawartha meet in Peterborough. Then in Oshawa he took home the COSSA championship in the 100- and 220-yard sprints. At the OFSSA championship in Hamilton Al ran a personal best in the 100-yard sprint. 

Al was also a valued member of the West’s Junior Harrier team, regularly competing in Kawartha Cross-Country events. He was one of three Cobourg runners chosen in 1967 to compete at the first Central Ontario-Maritimes track & field meet, held in St. John, New Brunswick. That same year – in team sports – Al was the top scorer on the Bantam ‘A’ Basketball team and was voted the Outstanding Junior Football Player by his teammates. Surprising no one and considering his many accomplishments, a just-turned 16-year-old Al was chosen as Cobourg’s ‘Athlete of the Year’ in 1967. 

Outside of school athletics, Al also played both All-Star Hockey and Softball. In 1968, along with many of his teammates, Al made the jump from Midget All-Star Hockey to the Junior B Cobourg Cougars, where he would be a prolific centreman for the next two seasons. In Softball, his talent at the plate and on the mound, helped his Dairy Queen team capture Provincial OASA championships in 1970 and 1971. Thanks to his athletic and educational prowess, Al received a four-year Division 1 Hockey scholarship at Colgate University, graduating with a BA in 1974. 

Upon invitation, he attended the Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Camp that fall before returning to Cobourg to work at General Foods, play Fastball in the summer and Mercantile Hockey in the winter. At the same time he studied for his MBA from Western University. Upon receiving his MBA in 1978 Al, along with his young family moved to Wooster, Ohio where he settled into his life’s work, and was instrumental in introducing the sport of hockey to a generation of youngsters through the development and organization of Wooster’s Youth Hockey Club Program.