While some might say the Stanley Cup is the
guest of honour at this weekend's Greater Sudburians are Good
Sports weekend in Copper Cliff, there will be opportunities to
meet some of the city's sports heroes.
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Part of the local sports exhibits
for this weekend's Greater Sudburians are Good Sports
event in Copper Cliff. |
Dave Newell, who is originally from Copper
Cliff, is the assistant director of officiating for the NHL. He
will be the featured speaker Sunday
afternoon (June 5) from 2 to 3 pm at
McClelland Community Centre.
Newell was a promising young player, but when
he was in his early teens he was told by a Toronto Maple Leafs
scout that he was too small to play professional hockey.
His father, Jack Newell, a well known referee
in the area, took his son under his wing. Newell was hired at
the age of 21 by the NHL and had a colourful 23-year career as
a referee.
In 1990, Newell was appointed to an
administrative position in order to provide continuing service
to the league in an advisory capacity to younger
officials.
Jeno Tihanyi, who has been actively involved
in coaching swimming at the national and Olympic levels for
several decades, will speak Friday evening at 7 pm at McLelland
Community Centre.
Tihanyi's coaching achievements include 16
world records and two Olympic gold medals.
Tihanyi was recently named to the Canadian
Olympic Hall of Fame and is best known for coaching Olympic
gold medalist Alex Baumann.
Tihanyi will be joined by Canadian Junior
Figure Skating Champion Meagan Duhamel to talk about what it
takes to be succeed in amateur sport.
The Stanley Cup will only be available for
viewing Friday. The cup and its escort will fly to Tampa,
Florida, Saturday for a special event with the Tampa Bay
Lightning, the 2004 Stanley Cup winning team.
The Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit, something no
one will want to miss, will celebrate local NHL stars: Glen
Murray, Herb Kewley, Sebastien Laplante, Todd Bertuzzi, Eddie
Giacomin, Toe Blake and Oliver Maltais.
Numerous hockey trophies will be on display
with the exhibit. They include the Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Trophy. This trophy, presented to the league
by the Montreal Canadiens in January 1999,
goes to the leading goal scorer in the NHL season.
Jim Fortin, the curator of Sudbury Museums,
has been collecting local sports memorabilia to be displayed
this weekend.
Fortin says many citizens have been very
generous with their donations of items for the exhibit.
This is an all-sports weekend. Every effort
has been made to celebrate high school sports, local soccer
leagues and women's sports.
Local exhibitors will include Sudbury
Spartans, Sudbury Sprinters Speed Skaters, Sudbury Regional
Soccer Association, Sudbury Canoe Club and the Sudbury Dragon
Boat Festival.
Memorabilia on display will include team
jerseys, school yearbooks and photographs.
People who attend the weekend activities will
have a chance to win some fabulous prizes which include a
Darryl Sittler hockey stick, and tickets to
Blue Jays games.
And don't forget the ball hockey game with
the City Hall All-Stars and the Sudbury Wolves, Saturday at 11
am at the Copper Cliff Curling Club.
This weekend has been made possible by the
city's hardworking museum and library staff.
