Athletic affiliation celebrates 100 years of creating Moorefield ‘tremendous ball city’

MOOREFIELD – The Moorefield Athletic Affiliation acknowledged a century of creating the group the native vacation spot for , old school ball recreation.

Residents, a number of of whom had performed on the Hilltops women’ staff or volunteered with the affiliation, gathered for the celebration held contained in the Maryborough Neighborhood Centre on Ball Avenue on June 10.

Ball regalia surrounded the room, replete with archival pictures and newspaper clippings from the Neighborhood Information and Drayton Advocate, offering a glimpse into the previous when Moorefield, in accordance with a 1993 Neighborhood Information story, was referred to as “tremendous ball city.”

“What a bunch of historical past we’ve happening right here,” Mapleton Mayor Gregg Davidson remarked.

“I don’t suppose we’ve anyone 100 years previous, however Invoice Cummings will likely be arising shortly — he’s shut,” Davidson quipped to a lot laughter.

Cummings spoke of occasions when bleachers on the ball diamond have been packed, as they have been that Saturday, drawing the likes of Detroit pitchers Booker Thomas and Edward Johnson.

An article within the Drayton Advocate harkens again to 1954 when Thomas and Johnson have been in Moorefield and ball video games reportedly stored “followers on edge.”

“We will bear in mind when to see ball at its greatest you needed to journey to Toronto or Detroit,” the article states.

“Now, they’ve the actual factor at Moorefield,” it continued. “You’re in Moorefield Floodlite Park – wowie!”

“However there was no minor ball,” Cummings stated on Saturday.

After, it will be these minor ball video games that introduced households collectively and stored youngsters coming again for generations.

“We had huge tournaments right here yearly,” Cummings recalled, noting the cash raised allowed for one more ball diamond to be constructed in addition to fencing and lighting to be put in.

“Anyone that got here and performed, even from different cities, nonetheless discuss enjoying in these tournaments,” Cummings stated.

The Hilltops gained the primary all-Ontario championship, and successive minor ball groups continued to convey house trophies all through the Nineteen Eighties and onward.

“The remaining is principally historical past,” Cummings stated.

Politicians, together with Perth-Wellington MP John Nater and MPP Matthew Rae, and county councillor Earl Campbell have been available to current certificates of recognition to the affiliation.

Representing the township with a certificates was councillor Marlene Ottens, who stated “it’s such a thrill to see a celebration of 100 years; it’s simply a tremendous accomplishment and we hope there’s one other 100 years after this.”

Gerty Ottens teared up when making some transient feedback of because of everybody who got here out for the centennial celebration.

For the previous 30 years, she has been the go-to for the affiliation. However this yr will likely be her final, she introduced.

With round 200 youngsters stated to be enjoying ball within the sunshine-soaked ball diamonds that day, it made for ending to her last season.

“It’s fairly thrilling how many individuals are right here,” Gerty stated as she was pulled in several instructions by folks eager to know if she actually was shifting on.

Certainly she is. The time has come after many years of summers devoted to softball, she stated.

Bev Might, who held Gerty’s function at one time, was additionally in attendance.

Might is taken into account liable for bringing minor ball to Moorefield in 1974, and performed a key function for the subsequent 11 years by bringing the group collectively on the diamonds the place video games have been generally held six nights per week.

To maintain the affiliation alive, extra devoted volunteers like Might and Gerty are wanted.

Actually there’s a number of time concerned in convening groups, organizing recreation schedules, dealing with last-minute hiccups, orchestrating repairs and even ensuring the funds line up.

However for those who requested both of the ladies if it was value all of it simply to listen to the cheers and whistling coming from the households exterior after the thwack of a ball hitting the bat, they’d actually let you know it was.