SPORTS AND RECREATION

In the earlier years the people of this community were engaged mostly in farming and fishing and it was not possible for them to become involved in all kinds of sports, however, traditionally they were always sports minded and it was in the field of hockey competition that was to receive the most attention over an important period of history. Hockey activity seemed to fit in with the farm work pattern where the winter season was a time when peOple planned to ease up on the busy work schedule and do other things.

In the early 1930’s James A. (Jim) MacGregor promoted hockey by helping to organize the first hockey team in Lot to which actually played in competition. Prior to this time a great many boys and young men had played a lot of pond hockey and a great deal of talent had been developed especially in skating skills. Members of that first team were - Jim MacGregor, Eldon MacLean, Frank MacLaren, Charles Yeo, Wilfred Lyle, Harold Yeo, Lloyd Yeo, Wesley Pye, and Bill Cuthbert.

The first games were played on Burke’s River which runs in from Malpeque Bay and separates land now owned on the East by Leigh Clark and on the West by Frank NlacLaren. A crowd would gather after a storm and clean the snow off an ice areawhich would be about the same size as a modern rink and it was used for hockey games, hockey practices and skating for everyone who wished to take to the blades.

Jim MacGregor coached and managed the teams in these early years and at first competed with a team from North St. Eleanor’s. It was not long before Clarence Carr and Harland lnman ioined the Central team and for many years they would play the entire game on defence and provided ’ great strength to the team.

At this point the team entered competition in a league centred in Wellington where they had a modern rink completely closed in at that time but which was destined to be demolished in later years. In those days the roads were not kept open and travel to Wellington was by horse and sleigh,‘ usually up the ice on Grand River and Ellis River which ran all the way to Wellington and the ice often provided a good road although care had to be exercised with respect to ice conditions as there was always a danger of driving into open water. ..N\any ”hockey expeditions” took place up the ice to Wellington and it was a miracle that not a single'ac- cident occurred as they would always be returning home in the dark of night. It is no exaggeration to say that many of those good horses could make the trip without being reined.

During these years of early competition Southwest Lot to was also developing hockey players at a rapid rate and some of them played with

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