This week I thought I would thank Rick Shaver for letting me fill the void left by the passing of Bill Gallant three years ago by reprinting my first-ever Seaway News article. Sure, I kept my first one, and you guessed it, I have them all. Over these three years I have had a blast and enjoy reading your emails agreeing and disagreeing with what I have to say. You may be surprised at how many people just want to see the new rink complex actually get started and how many want to keep at least one of Domtar’s smoke stacks. To Jimmy who thinks I should stick to being a policeman, that’s fair too.

So, in honour of the man I replaced and to thank the boss for letting me have the space, rewind to April of 2006.

Goodbye, old friend and a vulcanized biscuit

Hello, sports fans, nostalgia buffs and plain old, just-siting-down-reading-the-Seaway News folks.

I could introduce myself, but many of you have ran across me from time to time, some because you were looking for me, and some because I was looking for you. For those who have no clue who I am, then why not get to know me each week as I try and fill the void left by Bill Gallant?

Aside from our love of sports, about the only thing Bill and I had in common was the answer to a trivia question that would likely never be asked: Name the nine play-by-play radio voices of the Cornwall Royals? Answer: Bill Gallant—a lot longer than my three games, but hey, I still managed to get behind the microphone when Fred Pletsch was away, which, as you can see in my six years as his color man, was not very often. There’s three right there.

One thing that Bill provided was his peeks into yesteryear. I hope to be able to do much of the same as well as concentrate on current local themes. A sort of what’s hot or topic of the day. When Bill died he took with him a vault of memories and stories that he thankfully wrote about. Tidbits of history are what make a community rich. There are those who say you can’t live in the past. That’s true; however, bringing the past back for a few days is healthy; it can make you smile and it can make you cry. If it does one or the other, or both, it has succeeded.

A while ago a friend found a few old Cornwall Royals pucks, and since I am the guy with over 2,500 hockey pucks (for those interested it’s over 3,200 now), he figured I would most likely have them, but might be able to use them in some way.

I never say no to those six-ounce gifts of rubber, so these were no different. Ah, but one of them was. On the logos written in ink was “Laval Feb. 11th, 1981.” Last year of the Quebec League Royals, another Thursday night, I thought. Funny how your mind thinks. At the time I never thought to call the newspaper and look it up. I figured if there was one guy who could help it was Bill Gallant.

I knew it was the season of the third Memorial Cup and the year after Bill’s book so, The Frozen Stage would, for the first time, be of no research help. I called him up and got his mind thinking: “Long time ago, late in the season, Laval was not that good that year, something tells me it would have been a good night for the home side. I’ll look into it for you. Bye for now and take care.”

Though he could not remember the score—and really, who could?—he was glad for the chance to reminisce. That was better for me than actually coming up with the result a few days later. Something as simple as a little rubber disk that was used in that game back in February 1981 can become part of our history. A real museum piece and part of our hockey lore.

The Royals did win that night 13–1 over Laval Voisins. Scott Arniel scored four and Dale Hawerchuk recorded a hat trick. Some guy named Gilles Crepeau added a pair, and the Complex, only 5 years old, was still a gem of a building. Well, maybe not. The other six radio play-by-play voices are Dave Lafave; George Heath; Jack Miller; Barry Wright; Wayne Waldroff; and Buffalo Sabers’ longtime play-by-play legend, Ted Darling. If you count the short period when there were two stations carrying games during the final season, Denis Chausse would make it 10.

Bill, thanks for laying the blueprint for me and others to follow. Thanks for reading, everyone, and thanks to Mr. Shaver for giving me the opportunity. Email thom_racine@hotmail.com.