Because Ferryland has such a rich sports history, the organizers of a commemorative board that was unveiled at the Regional Arts Centre last week had to limit the photos in it to just ones where championship trophies were on display. Helping to unveil the shadow box were, from left: Ron White, Cyril Walsh, John Kavanagh and, in the foreground, Gerald Hynes. Mark Squibb photo
By Mark Squibb
A new shadow box display highlighting a number of gold medal hockey and softball teams from Ferryland’s storied past was unveiled at the Regional Arts Centre in Ferryland last Tuesday.
“In Ferryland, sports, from the beginning, was a guiding force that kept the community together, and resilient, and unified,” said organizer John Kavanagh.
The photos range from the 1960’s thru to the 1990’s.
“We could only fit 12 pictures, and to determine the 12 pictures, we picked out the championship teams with the trophy in front — that represents success,” explained Kavanagh.
The decision to include team photos also bolstered ideas of teamwork and camaraderie that Ferryland is known for.
The unveiling was a time for folks to reminisce and share stories about the days of old, such as one story shared by Mayor Aidan Costello about a rainy day on the shore many years ago.
“We were playing in the Southern Shore Tournament, we were in Pee Wee at the time, and Wayne (Barnable) was coaching,” said Costello. “We were in the championship against Bay Bulls. And after the fifth inning, Bay Bulls was leading us by two or three runs. And Wayne was coaching us on, and saying ‘Come on boys, we haven’t lost a game of softball to Bay Bulls in our lives, and this isn’t going to be the first. And with that, the rain started. We got into the sixth inning, and she opened up. And Bay Bulls wanted to call it off. But Wayne said, ‘No way.’ Anyway, to make a long story short, we played the seventh inning in torrential rain— and we won.”
Last week’s ceremony was the culmination of an effort that began when a number of volunteers, including John Kavanagh, Jerome Curran and Wayne Barnable, hosted a celebration and award show recognising over 50 years of Ferryland’s sport history, particularly that of the Ferryland Flyers hockey and softball teams.
Kavanagh said the unveiling of the new display caps off that award ceremony in an official fashion.
“The 2019 ceremony was a 50-year reunion for folks to come together and celebrate 50 years,” said Kavanagh. “But after that, there was no physical memory that we could put our hands on. So, I started gathering information from local ball players and hockey players about putting something together, and we came up with the shadow box.”
The shadow box will be paired with a framed photo of seven founding members of Ferryland sports, which was unveiled during the 2019 celebration. The members include Paddy Healey, Eric Furlong, Bill Morry, Angus Maher, Joe Barnable, Stan Barnable and Gerald Hynes.