Huron-Perth Boomers Summer 2023

A FREE magazine for adults 50+ 

Summer 2023 – Volume 8, Issue 2 

HISTORY 

play ball! 

Baseball has deep roots 

in southern Ontario 

OPINION 

Returning 

to yourself 

RECREATION 

Weekend warriors 

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FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Did you know this past winter in Ontario was the darkest in 80 years? The 

grey skies seemed to be never-ending, and I can’t specifically recall a day in 

the depths of winter when the sun was shining. 

Despite the fact we haven’t jumped right from winter to summer – April 

threw a true spring at us with a mixed bag of temperatures – I think everyone 

in Huron/Perth will be hoping for a long, hot summer. Having received 

some beautiful days early in April and into May, I think we may be on track 

to replenish our Vitamin D stores this summer. 

We have another fantastic edition, this being our 8th summer issue we’ve 

published since launching in Spring 2016. Elizabeth Cooper writes about 

Scott McKowen, a scratchboard artist based in Stratford, as he shares some 

beautiful images of his art. Peter Morrissey, a respiratory therapist from 

Grand Bend, shares his expertise on how to manage and live with COPD. 

Local historian Mat Johnson asks the question, “Was the first baseball game 

played in Canada?” and introduces us to the Canadian Baseball Hall of 

Fame in St. Marys, Ont. Jo Davis writes about finding purpose and meaning 

after the age of 60, while Helen Orr has done just that and shared the 

details of her hiking group’s 890 km trek along the Bruce Trail. 

CONTENTS 

Scott McKowen art • 4 

Living with COPD • 8 

Baseball Hall of Fame • 14 

Returning to yourself • 20 

Weekend warriors • 24 

Recipe • 30 

We all know summer seems to go by more quickly each year, with gettogethers 

with family, barbecues, summer recreational activities and the 

regular everyday tasks we do to keep a household 

running. It’s a challenge to sit back and soak it all 

in, but my hope for you this summer is that you 

find the time to slow down and enjoy it – Old 

Man Winter will return soon enough. 

Amy Irwin, Publisher 

Huron-Perth Boomers 

SUMMER 2023 

Publisher 

Amy Irwin 

amy@huronperthboomers.com 

Magazine Design 

Becky Grebenjak 

Huron-Perth Boomers welcomes 

your feedback. 

EMAIL 

amy@huronperthboomers.com 

PHONE 519-524-0101 

MAIL 

P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0 

Huron-Perth Boomers is distributed for free in Huron and Perth 

counties, and is published each March, June, September, and 

December. Distribution of this publication does not constitute 

endorsement of information, products or services by Huron-Perth 

Boomers, its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors and 

advertisers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Huron-Perth 

Boomers reserves the right to edit, reject or comment on all material 

and advertising contributed. No portion of Huron-Perth Boomers may 

be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT 

Light revealed 

SCRATCHBOARD ARTIST HAS A DISTINCTIVE STYLE 

BY ELIZABETH BUNDY-COOPER 

4 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

y Elizabeth Bundy-Cooper 


Even if you don’t know Scott McKowen’s 

name, chances are you’d recognize his work 

in an instant. He is, quite simply, one of the best 

scratchboard artists in North America, and his 

distinctive style could never be mistaken for that of 

anyone else. 

Born and raised in Michigan, the illustrator, graphic 

designer and art director has made his home since the 

mid-1980s in Stratford, Ont., where he creates iconic 

theatre posters and graphics for performing arts 

companies around the globe. Anyone who attends 

theatre regularly is bound to have encountered 

his striking and meticulously executed imagery at 

some point – and that’s not even to mention his 

contributions to the publishing industry, which 

include the covers for an eight-part Marvel Comics 

series, his art direction of a book featuring the 

theatre and dance production photography of David 

Cooper, and three volumes of his own artwork. 

Even in a city as rich in talent as Stratford, with its 

large community of renowned actors, craftspeople, 

authors, directors, painters and other artists, Scott 

holds a place of special eminence. So, when I arrived 

at his home studio on a snowy February morning, I 

was giddy with excitement at the prospect of meeting 

such a master of his craft. 

So what is scratchboard illustration? A technique 

SUMMER 2023 • 5


by Elizabeth Bundy-Cooper 

off; it is certainly not a clean art form,” he chuckled. 

His workspace, complete with a friendly housecat 

named Virgil, includes an illuminated magnifying 

glass on an adjustable arm, with an eye loop attached 

for viewing more intricate details – much like what a 

jeweller would use for setting fine gems. 

Scott McKowen at his home studio. 

akin to traditional wood engraving that dates back 

to the 15th Century, it’s something of a throwback 

in our modern world of digital imagery. Perhaps it 

can best be described as the opposite of drawing on 

white paper with a black pen. 

Scratchboard artists use sharp instruments to cut 

lines into a board of hard white clay that has been 

coated with a layer of black or other dark-coloured 

ink. The image is thus created not by applying ink 

but by scratching it away to expose the underlying 

surface. Colour, if required, can then be added 

digitally, yielding results as rich and dynamic as any 

full-colour painting. 

There’s something visceral about carving a white 

line into a black surface with a sharp blade – and, 

because it’s a reductive process, it’s also considered 

one of the most difficult artistic techniques. When 

you create by cutting away, you can’t fix mistakes. 

I ask McKowen if his floor is covered in black dust 

and remnants. 

“I have a little brush handy to keep my board cleaned 

After a tour of that space, and of Scott’s large digital 

Mac studio filled with stacks of artwork from his lifedrawing 

classes, we settle into his little modern living 

room, flanked by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on one 

side and light-flooding windows on the other. There 

he tells me that his skill and love of the arts came 

from his parents – his mother was a sign painter and 

silk-screener, while his father was a choir director in 

Michigan. 

“My mother taught me all about lettering and 

colours,” he said. “I knew about typestyles and fonts 

before I could read and write.” 

Graduating in 1978 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine 

Arts, Scott interned under artist Sam Viviano, who 

subsequently became art director for Mad magazine 

in New York City. In 1980, his love of theatre drew 

him to Stratford, where, with his student theatre 

posters and résumé in hand, he applied to work at the 

Stratford Festival. Instead, however, he was quickly 

snapped up by the advertising firm of Parsons and 

Associates. 

His big theatre break came in 1985, when the Grand 

Theatre in London, Ont., engaged him to create 

season posters and production images. It was there 

that his unique scratchboard style caught the eye of 

Christopher Newton, artistic director of the Shaw 

Festival repertory company in Niagara-in-the-Lake. 

It was the start of a long association – Scott has been 

art directing and creating the Shaw’s season posters 

and house programs ever since. 

The Shaw Festival isn’t the only major theatre that 


y Elizabeth Bundy-Cooper 


hires him regularly. He has also worked extensively 

for the National Ballet of Canada, the National 

Arts Centre in Ottawa, and Canadian Stage and 

Theatre Calgary, and he has also created artwork for 

other leading cultural institutions all across North 

America, including New York’s Roundabout Theatre 

Company, the Denver Center for the Performing 

Arts, Seattle Rep, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago 

and the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. 

In addition, he has illustrated the covers of more 

than 30 books, including, in 2003, Neil Gaiman’s 

eight-part comic book series Marvel 1602, set 

in an alternative universe in which superheroes 

battle supervillains in an imagined version of the 

Elizabethan era – quite apropos for an artist based 

in Stratford! 

“I love historical assignments,” Scott agreed. “I love 

researching and coming up with a modern concept 

to hundreds-of-years-old plays.” 

When a visual artist achieves renown, public demand 

will often prompt the publication of their work in 

book form, and his case has been no exception. A 

Fine Line, published in 2009, is his personal selection 

of more than 200 full-colour and black-and-white 

reproductions, including commentary about each 

assignment and its solution. 

His most recent hard cover book is a stunner. In Light 

Revealed, McKowen builds on his first retrospective 

with a further selection of 285 images. He provides 

a detailed analysis of each piece and describes what 

influenced his design. He includes images of the 

reference works and source material he consulted 

during the conceptual process and talks about the 

struggles he had arriving at a design solution. 

The praise lavished on Light Revealed includes this 

from Neil Gaiman. “It’s hard to decide what’s cooler 

about Scott McKowen’s poster art: the astonishing, 

elegant design and linework, or the way he tips your 

preconceptions on their head and does something 

unexpected with every assignment.” The public 

clearly agreed. At a book signing at Stratford’s 

Fanfare Books in November 2022, the copies sold 

out in less than two hours. 

Scott and his wife Christina Poddubiuk have also 

published an adorable book comprising the complete 

Twelve Days of Christmas card series that they 

launched in 2001. Instead of traditional storybook 

images from the song, the cards – which the couple 

sent to friends and family each year – feature birds, 

farms, ponds and rural settings from their own Perth 

County. 

“We finished the project in 2012,” Scott said, “and 

Firefly Books published it as a whimsical holiday gift 

book entitled My True Love Gave to Me.” 

When asked why he continues to make Stratford 

his home after 42 years, the artist says he loves the 

community of artists in the city. He admits that in the 

sleepy months of Stratford’s winter, with the theatres 

closed and the restaurants operating on reduced 

hours, he can get more work done. To relax, he runs 

weekly life-drawing classes at the local art gallery, 

listens to music and opera, and does a lot of cooking. 

To wrap up our conversation, I ask him if he has 

a favourite quotation or axiom about his work that 

he’d like to share. 

“If it were easy, anyone could do it.” 

Scott McKowen and his wife, accomplished theatre production 

designer Christina Poddubiuk, run their company, Punch and 

Judy, out of their Stratford home. Writer Elizabeth Bundy- 

Cooper is a freelance writer and fundraiser in Stratford. 


HEALTH 

£iving 

AND WELLNESS 

with 

COPD 

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE IS A COMMON, BUT OFTEN 

PREVENTABLE, DISEASE BY PETER MORRISSEY 


y Peter Morrissey 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 

is a common, but often preventable, lung disease 

that affects approximately 10 per cent of adults in 

Ontario. 

The disease is a major public health concern and, 

according to Stats Canada, is the sixth leading 

cause of death across the country. 2 Furthermore, 

individuals with COPD often require frequent use of 

health care services. Prior to the pandemic, COPD 

was a leading cause for hospital stays in Canada, 

second only to childbirth. 3 

Sometimes called chronic bronchitis or emphysema, 

COPD is defined as a heterogenous lung condition 

characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms 

(dyspnea, cough, sputum production and/ 

or exacerbations) due to abnormalities of the 

airways (bronchitis, bronchiolitis) and/or alveoli 

(emphysema) that cause persistent, often progressive, 

airflow obstruction. 4 

Simply put, COPD is a disease that blocks airflow 

in and out of the lungs. It is variable, meaning that 

it presents differently in terms of symptoms, flareups, 

and disease progression. It is also chronic 

and progressive, meaning it does not go away and 

worsens over time. 

Although the risk of developing COPD is influenced 

by a combination of genetic and environmental 

interactions that occur over a person’s lifetime, 

COPD is typically the result of chronic exposure 

to an inhaled irritant. The most common irritant 

responsible is cigarette smoke, meaning that in most 

cases the disease is preventable. When exposed to an 

inhaled irritant our lungs react with an inflammatory 

response, which is normal and usually short lived. 

Long-term exposure to an inhaled irritant however 

causes chronic inflammation, leading to irreversible 

changes to the lungs and a newly elevated 

inflammatory response. 

HEALTH AND WELLNESS 

It is important to note that not all cases of COPD 

are caused by smoking. Other causes may include 

chronic exposure to occupational dusts and 

chemicals, second-hand smoke, wood smoke and 

other biomass (organic materials), as well as frequent 

lung infections as a child or genetic predisposition. 

COPD develops gradually and can be wellestablished 

before symptoms merit medical attention. 

Therefore, if you are at risk for developing COPD, it 

is important to take preventative steps and ask your 

health care provider about early screening. 

COPD diagnosis 

Many individuals remain undiagnosed, and it is 

estimated that only 45 per cent of people with COPD 

have received testing to confirm their diagnosis. 5 

Thus, screening individuals at risk is essential, with 

a focus on those who have a smoking history, though 

individuals exposed to passive smoke, occupational 

dust, chemical and/or biomass, as well as those 

with a history of asthma and/or severe childhood 

respiratory illnesses, should also be considered. 

COPD diagnosis is confirmed with a lung function 

test called spirometry, which measures the amount 

of air a person can forcefully exhale in one second 

(FEV1) and the total amount of air a person can 

forcefully exhale following a full inspiration (Forced 

vital capacity-FVC) to provide a ratio. The FEV1/ 

FVC ratio is used to determine the severity of airflow 

limitation or obstruction. In a normal healthy lung, 

the FEV1/FVC ratio is 0.8 or greater, meaning 

normally 80 per cent or more of your vital capacity 

can be exhaled in the first second of a forced 

expiration. COPD is objectively confirmed with an 

FEV1/FVC ratio less than 0.7. 4 The Global Initiative 

for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) uses 

this ratio to categorize the severity of obstruction 

and stage COPD progression. 

In addition to spirometry testing, a patient’s history, 



by Peter Morrissey 

(flare-ups), relieving symptoms, improving exercise 

tolerance, managing comorbidities, and reducing 

mortality. 5 

COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide. 6 

Consequently, efforts to reduce mortality have been a 

long-standing goal for COPD management, and the 

strategies outlined below are all critical in achieving 

this goal. 

and other diagnostic tests such as chest X-ray or 

CT scan can be used to rule out other lung diseases 

or complications. Since COPD develops gradually, 

early detection is an important first step in the 

management and mitigation of disease progression. 

COPD management 

COPD may be irreversible and progressive, but 

once diagnosed there is opportunity to enhance the 

well-being and quality of life through management 

strategies. 

Though family physicians, nurse practitioners, 

respirologists, nurses, and respiratory therapists 

may all be involved, ultimately the individual is at 

the centre of their disease management, making it 

important that those affected to ask their health care 

providers for information, receive self-management 

education, and be referred to exercise and 

rehabilitation services as needed. 

According to the quality standard published by Health 

Quality Ontario, the goals of COPD management 

include slowing the progression, reducing the 

frequency and severity of acute exacerbations 

Considering smoking is the main risk factor for 

developing COPD, quitting is the most effective 

way to slow the progression of the disease. Speaking 

with your health care provider to discuss cessation 

aides and resources in the area is a good first step. 

Here at the Grand Bend Area Community Health 

Centre, we offer the Smoking Treatment for Ontario 

Patients (STOP) Program, which provides up to 26 

weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, 

gum, lozenges, inhalers) along with guided support. 

For those interested in a more self-directed approach, 

STOP also offers an online version of the program 

called STOP on the Net. 

As previously mentioned, smoking is not the only 

inhaled irritant that can result in COPD. If you are 

chronically exposed to an inhaled irritant at work or 

at home reducing or eliminating your exposure to 

the inhaled irritant is vital. 

COPD is exacerbation-driven, meaning the 

disease progresses more rapidly with increased 

frequency and/or severity of flare-ups, which is why 

preventing or reducing flare-ups is imperative to 

slowing progression. A COPD exacerbation refers 

to an acute increase in frequency and/or severity 

of symptoms, such as shortness of breath, cough, 

and sputum production, including an increase in 

the amount, colour, and/or thickness of sputum. 

These symptoms may increase simultaneously or 

independently of each other, and any change in 

symptoms from baseline should be taken seriously. 

However, individuals with COPD can experience 


y Peter Morrissey 


chronic day-to-day symptoms that are not a cause 

for concern. That’s why it’s important for individuals 

with COPD to understand their baseline symptoms 

and when they may be in an exacerbated state. 

A variety of different factors include, but are not 

limited to, respiratory infections, inhaled irritants 

such as environmental pollutants (smoke, air 

quality), changes in weather, emotional distress, 

and comorbidities can trigger an exacerbation. 

Compliance with inhaled medications, keeping up 

to date on vaccinations, avoiding known respiratory 

triggers and being mindful of your overall health can 

help prevent and manage exacerbations. 

COPD action plan 

There are generally signs that an acute exacerbation 

may be imminent. Having a COPD action plan is a 

great tool to recognize an increase in symptoms from 

baseline, providing guidance on what medications to 

take or increase. It can also provide patients with a 

standing prescription for emergency medications 

to help prevent hospitalization. All individuals 

with COPD who have frequent and/or severe 

exacerbations should have a COPD action plan 

made with their health care provider. 

COPD is commonly characterized by shortness 

of breath, cough, and sputum production, all of 

which can have a significant impact on quality of 

life. Among these symptoms, shortness of breath is 

the most debilitating and can contribute to extrapulmonary 

manifestations such as anxiety, depression, 

cardiovascular disease, and muscle deconditioning. 6 

Those who experience it often feel fear and avoid 

activity, which results in deconditioning, which leads 

to worsening shortness of breath and contributes to 



by Peter Morrissey 

symptoms similar to COPD that may go unnoticed, 

such as breathlessness in heart failure and lung 

cancer, or fatigue and reduced physical activity in 

depression. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and treat 

comorbidities as part of the management of COPD. 4 

a downward spiral of health. This is why alleviating 

shortness of breath is key in COPD management. 

Evidence suggests the most effective way to 

improve physical activity and alleviate symptoms 

is a combination of self-management with exercise 

and medication. 6 The Canadian Thoracic Society 

recommends the use of inhaled long-acting 

bronchodilators to reduce shortness of breath, 

improve exercise tolerance and improve health status. 

Bronchodilators are inhaled medications that relax 

the smooth muscle that wraps around the airways. 

In addition to bronchodilators, patients may also be 

prescribed inhaled corticosteroids, which are meant 

to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Since COPD is a 

variable condition, health care providers may prescribe 

a variety of medications depending on specific 

symptoms, disease progression, and/or exacerbation 

history. For those who remain symptomatic despite 

optimal therapy, the research supports enrollment 

into a pulmonary rehabilitation program. 

As the chances of COPD diagnosis increase with 

age, the likelihood of having another chronic health 

condition or comorbidity is common. These diseases 

may be related to, or occur independently, of COPD. 

Though the presence of comorbidities impact 

COPD, the disease severely impacts the outcome 

of others, most notably comorbidities that exhibit 

COPD can be life-altering, making it crucial to 

understand the disease for effective management. If 

you’re at risk, it is essential to undergo screening and 

diagnosis. Afterward, working with your health care 

provider to develop a treatment plan that includes 

education, exercise and self-management strategies 

is key to achieving optimal outcomes. At the Grand 

Bend Area Community Health Centre, we offer the 

Better Breathing Team, a program that targets anyone 

who is experiencing breathing difficulties as the result 

of a chronic health condition, most notably COPD. 

Anyone can be referred by their health care provider 

or self-enrol by calling the centre or going online. 

If the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre 

is not an option for you, ask your health care provider 

or search online for COPD education programs in 

your area. 

References 

Gerhson, A. S., Mecredy, G., & Ratnasingham, S. (2017, 

October). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Ontario, 

1996/97 to 2014/15. Institute for Clinical Evaluative 

Sciences. Retrieved April 2023, from https://www.ices. 

on.ca/Publications/Atlases-and-Reports/2017/COPD. 

Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2022, January 

24). Leading causes of death, total population, by age group. 

Retrieved April 2023, from https://www150.statcan. 

gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/ 

Peter Morrissey is a Respiratory Therapist at the Grand Bend 

Area Community Health Centre. Programs include smoking 

cessation, spirometry testing, and COPD education, exercise 

and assessment services. For more information, visit: https:// 

gbachc.ca/programs-services/better-breathing-team/. 


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HISTORY 

Canada’s game? 

EVIDENCE MAY PROVE THE FIRST BASEBALL GAME WAS PLAYED NORTH OF 

THE BORDER BY MAT JOHNSON 

Though baseball is universally recognized as America’s game, historic 

inconsistencies exist about when and where the first game of modern 

baseball was played. The consensus among American historians has the 

inaugural game taking place in New Jersey on June 19, 1846. 

However, credible evidence exists to indicate that the first baseball game 

was in fact played in Upper Canada (now Ontario) on June 4, 1838, in 

the town of Beachville, a community located between Woodstock and 

Ingersoll. 

In the May 26, 1886, issue of the Philadelphia-based Sporting Life, 

St. Marys, Ont., native Dr. Adam Ford recalls in detail witnessing a 

“baseball-like game” in 1838 in Beachville. This documented, first-hand 

account adds significant substance to Canada’s claim of hosting the first 

organized baseball game. 

The bottom line is that there is still a vigorous debate about this subject, 

and it probably won’t end any time soon. As baseball historian Ron 

McCulloch notes, “No one person can be credited with inventing baseball. 


y Mat Johnson 

HISTORY 

Above: The 1868 farmhouse that was the original hall of 

fame before the addition in 2017. 

Bottom: One of several baseball fields at the Canadian 

Baseball Hall of Fame 

Instead, constant refinement of rules and regulations by 

many people gave us the game we have today.” 

Undoubtedly, the roots of the game lie in an English 

game called rounders. Arriving in North America in the 

1700s, rounders was considered a children’s game that was 

played with various rules that were often decided by the 

participants. Typically, like baseball, rounders involved a 

pitcher, batter and bases. Batters ‘struck’ at the ball and 

ran around designated bases. In order to stop the runner, 

fielders would try to hit them with the ball as they ran. 

The game played on June 4, 1838, was the 

central attraction in what was a holiday 

celebration recognizing the end of the 

Upper Canada Rebellion (in which combat 

effectively ended in December 1837, though 

further bloodshed would take place), and the 

birthday of King George IV (1762-1830). 

The game was played “on a nice smooth 

pasture” in which the playing field itself 

was a five-sided shape. Beyond the unusual 

configuration of the field, the Beachville 

game had many similarities to the game 

played today, including foul balls or what 

were referred to at the time as ‘no hits.’ 

Interestingly, Dr. Ford makes reference to 

a ruling that if a batter struck (swung) and 

missed, but the ball was dropped by the 

catcher, the strike didn’t count, foreshadowing 

Major League Baseball rule 5.05(a)(2) in 

which a third strike must be caught in order 

to record an out. 

As baseball continued to evolve as a sport, 

Canada’s relationship with the game similarly 

changed. By the early-1860s, a collection of 

amateur clubs had begun to form, particularly 

across what is now Ontario, and they helped 

to spread the game. With no particular 

league structure to determine champions 

at the time, controversy quickly developed 

over which club reigned supreme. In the 

Woodstock Sentinel of July 17, 1863, for 

example, the Woodstock Young Canadians 

claimed the title of Canadian champions 

following a 15-game winning streak. This is a 

dubious assertion as the club turned down a 

subsequent challenge from George Sleeman’s 

Guelph-based Maple Leaf baseball club to 

defend their claim of being Canada’s best 

team. 

These same Maple Leafs were the first 


HISTORY 

by Mat Johnson 

Canadian team to gain international notoriety. The 

club participated in the amateur baseball world 

championships beginning on June 29, 1874, in 

Watertown, New York. The tournament pitted eight 

amateur teams against each other in a round-robin 

format that saw the Maple Leafs not only proving to 

be “gentlemen all,” (as reported in the Watertown 

Daily Times) but winning the tournament with a 

thrilling 13-10 win over the Easton P.A. Eastons, who 

were described by the same paper as a “muscular set 

of fellows.” The beautiful 87 F summer day featured 

not only the championship game, but a band, 

throwing contest, and wrestling match. 

In the years following the Maple Leafs’ international 

success, baseball continued to grow in popularity 

across the quickly expanding country. Playing fields 

of differing dimensions were a common sight in many 

communities, however, it was London, Ont., in 1877, 

where WJ Reid constructed a world-class baseball 

facility that is still in use today. Swampland adjacent 

to the Thames River was drained and cleared for a 

baseball stadium named Tecumseh Park. 

Memorabilia from Canada’s national 

women’s baseball team. 

Though used regularly for the next six decades, 

the stadium fell into disrepair in the early-1930s. 

Coming to the rescue of the grand playing field 

was the Labatt family of London brewing fame. 

They purchased and donated the park to the City of 

London, while also footing the bill for over $10,000 

in upgrades (over $175,000 today). 

Today, Labatt Park remains the oldest continually 

used baseball stadium in the world. Its unique 

early stadium architecture provides fans with the 

unforgettable experience of watching baseball 

the way the game’s early enthusiasts did over 100 

years ago. Today, the London Majors of the semiprofessional, 

Ontario-based Inter-County Baseball 

Association call the historic grounds home. 

By the beginning of the 20th Century, baseball had 

exploded in popularity in the densely populated 


y Mat Johnson 

HISTORY 

U.S. With railroads providing comparatively rapid 

travel between cities, organized leagues had formed 

and the playing rules were standardized. By 1903, 

Major League Baseball had begun to take on a 

similar structure to what it is today. The original 

National League, which was primarily based on the 

east coast of the U.S., reached an agreement with 

the American League, which was centred in the 

midwest, to compete yearly for the World Series, 

which saw the champion from each league square 

off for the title. 

Items from the hit movie, A League of Their 

Own. 

Though Canada would not have a Major League 

team until 1969 when the Montreal Expos joined the 

National League, followed by the American League’s 

Toronto Blue Jays in 1977, Canada has a storied past 

of minor league affiliations and independent league 

professional teams, from which many baseball stars 

began their climb to fame in Major League Baseball. 

Canadian baseball fans today passionately debate 

what qualifies as the greatest moment in this country’s 

baseball history. Many would point to the Blue 

Jays’ first World Series win in 1992, or Joe Carter’s 

World Series-winning homerun in 1993, complete 

with legendary Blue Jays broadcaster Tom Cheek’s 

famous call of, “Touch ’em all Joe, you’ll never hit a 

bigger home run in your life.” A younger generation 

of fans might argue that José Bautista’s infamous bat 

flip homerun against the Texas Rangers in Game 

5 of the 2015 American League Division Series 

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HISTORY 

by Mat Johnson 

World Series rings given to (from left) 

the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the 1992 

and 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. 

matches the Carter long-ball for drama. 

Though there is no definitive answer, a consensus can be reached 

that Canada has a unique and storied relationship with baseball. 

Preserving Canadian baseball memories and moments must be a 

priority as baseball is more than a game in so many communities. 

It is woven into the very fabric of Canadian culture. 

Fortunately, baseball history has a permanent home at the 

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located in St. 

Marys. Officially opened in 1998, the Hall of Fame and museum 

originally occupied a vintage farmhouse (dating from 1868) in the 

small southern Ontario town of 7,650 residents. The facility was 

established following a bidding process involving 12 Canadian 

cities vying to host and on Aug. 25, 1994, St. Marys was chosen 

over Guelph. 

A jersey of former Blue Jays slugger José 

Bautista, as well as items from Montreal 

Expos greats Vladimir Guerrero, Tim 

Wallach and Dennis Martinez. 

Since 1998, the museum has undergone many changes, including 

a renovation in 2017 and the addition of 2,500 sq. ft., which were 

designated to provide secure storage for artifacts and house an 

extensive library. Today, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and 

Museum is a must-see for Canadian baseball fans, and, with four 

immaculate playing fields, it is an ideal venue for baseball games 

and tournaments. The museum itself hosts meticulously crafted 

displays and memorabilia highlighting not only Canada’s general 

baseball history, but also its most important teams, players, and 

builders who helped popularize the game in this country. The Hall 


y Mat Johnson 

HISTORY 

Studying human history involves identifying cultural 

elements that greatly influence the path of societies. 

Sport is one of these elements that must considered 

when looking at the overall picture of Canada’s 

history. Baseball, like any sport, is more than just 

a game. It reflects the changing currents of society 

through its stories and people. Wins and losses, and 

heroes and villains are all part of the story. 

Thankfully, through the efforts of the Canadian 

Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, this important 

story is safe for future generations to explore. 

Vancouver Asahi memorabilia. 

room is a journey in nostalgia for baseball fans of any 

age, with notable individuals from every generation 

represented. 

Mat Johnson is the owner of Marathon of History, a historical 

interpretation company located in Durham, Ont. To learn more 

visit marathonofhistory.ca or follow Marathon of History on 

Instagram and Facebook. 


OPINION 

Returning 

to yourself 

Finding purpose and meaning 

after age 60 BY JO DAVIS 


y Jo Davis 

Who knew we’d be talking about finding purpose 

and meaning after age 60? Hasn’t the time 

for that passed? Our younger lives were filled with 

busy-ness – careers, caring for children and elders 

and community service – so much purposeful living! 

Wasn’t this supposed to be the time to slow down 

from all that? It might be… but what if it’s not? 

What if we are feeling a little lost or stuck? This can 

be a normal response to this era of not being in our 

well-worn roles. While it might be time to take things 

a bit slower, there is no reason why this time is not 

equally as precious for living a life of meaning and 

purpose – and even transformation – to something 

we never imagined. 

One thing I am finding beautiful and meaningful 

about this time is spaciousness. If we are fortunate 

and privileged, we have space and time to slowly 

marinate in what this era can offer. I have often 

referred to this time as a “Second Spring,” a time of 

reinvention, growth and rebirth, and also a returning. 

The following quote from writer Emily McDowell 

always strikes me as a profound way of imagining 

possibility. “Finding yourself ’” is not really how it 

works,” McDowell said. “You aren’t a $10 bill in last 

winter’s coat pocket. You are also not lost. Your true 

self is right there, buried under cultural conditioning, 

other people’s opinions and inaccurate conclusions 

you drew as a kid that became your beliefs about 

who you are. ‘Finding yourself ’ is actually returning 

to yourself. An unlearning, an excavation, a 

remembering of who you were before the world got 

its hands on you.” 

OPINION 

So, if in fact you want to engage in some 

“marination,” some excavation, and returning to a 

self before the world got its hand on you, there are 

some great places to start. Most importantly, start a 

process to make your values concrete. 

Values are our inner compass. They help us 

determine our path according to what is important 

to us, help us make decisions and live our best life. 

We are not often asked to consider our values. They 

are generally held unconsciously and arrive through 

osmosis from our family of origin or through 

experiences. If we are unhappy or feeling stuck often 

our values are being squashed. Or simply, perhaps, 

we are unaware of the possibilities available to us if 

using our “true north.” Values are present in every 

part of our lives including work, relationships, leisure 

activities, community and learning. 

I suggest writing down your Top 5 values and 

identifying how much you are living them out on a 

scale of one to 10. Make sure each value statement 

is action-oriented (how you want to be or act) and a 

full sentence, not just one or two words. For example, 

“I value being a leader in my community (9/10).” 

Values can also be aspirational. You could say 

something like, “I want to spend time on activities 

that support my mental health such as being in 

nature (4/10).” 

Not living out a deeply held value (like your 4/10) 

might be a reason for your stuckness or purposeless 

feelings. 

Once you have established your values, spend some 

time with them. Journal, have conversations with 


OPINION 

by Jo Davis 

partners or friends, and consider the following 

reflective questions: 

• How did these values find their way into my life? 

• Have they changed over time? 

• Why are some values being squashed or not lived 

out? 

• Where am I living my fullest life? 

• What is important about this exercise? 

• What is at stake? 

After reflecting and feeling comfortable (and honest) 

about what you have written, it is important to take 

stock and determine some action steps to make 

needed changes in your life. 

For example, using the statement above, “I want 

to spend time on activities that support my mental 

health such as being in nature (4/10),” might 

indicate some action is needed. Brainstorm ideas 

of how to get yourself into nature more often. No 

wrong answers! 

This could be: 

• Ask my partner to walk outside after dinner once 

per week. 

• Go to the trail outside of town on Saturday. 

• Explore a new city park. 

• Sit under a tree for 30 minutes. 

The possibilities are endless. Rinse and repeat this 

process of reflection and action for any of your value 

statements that are feeling a little “less lived” than 

you want. 


y Jo Davis 

OPINION 

Values are only one step towards living a life of more meaning and 

purpose. Other areas to consider include developing a life purpose 

statement. Learn to rest without guilt or needing to earn it. Find joy 

in small moments. Tame your inner critic. Find your inner wise-elder. 

Develop mindfulness. Practice acceptance and return to yourself. The 

possibilities are endless. 

This is a new era in your life. Take action on what’s important to you! 

Jo Davis is the founder of Jo Davis Coaching and Facilitation, a personal development 

coaching practice that serves women who are leaders both in their lives and careers. For 

over 25 years, Jo was a leader in several charitable and not-for-profit organizations 

and in her community. In 2019, she left her long-time career and started a new one 

as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) through the Co-Active Training 

Institute (coactive.com). In 2020, she started her private practice. Jo lives in downtown 

Kitchener with her husband Paul. They have two sons, and they dream of one day 

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RECREATION 

Weekend warriors 

on the Bruce Trail 

HIKING GROUP WILL COMPLETE 900 KM TRAIL IN 

TOBERMORY THIS SUMMER BY HELEN ORR

y Helen Orr 

RECREATION 

We are coming to the end of our odyssey. “I sent 

a video to my brother-in-law on my birthday,” 

Rod said. 

He’s 73 this year, made taller by his gelled hair, which 

is as stiff as his inflexible knees. “I said, ‘I’m glad I 

did it, but I’m never going hiking again.’” 

Rod has been our cheerleader, egging us on with, 

“Whose idea was this? Oh my God, I’m going to 

die.” And at the end of each hiking day, “Is that the 

car? Sweet baby Jesus, Hallelujah!” 

Discovering the secret world of hikers was like 

uncovering a hidden truth, at least for me. There 

were 10 in our initial group that planned to complete 

the Bruce Trail in four years, all 890 km, about 220 

km per year. Some within the group, who answered 

the initial email invitation by Rod’s wife Diane, are 

seasoned hikers. They have seen the country I have 

sung about every morning of my school career with 

every other Canadian voice. I wanted to be closer 

to nature. I wanted to peel back the bark and see 

underneath. I wanted to discover the land that is your 

land and my land, the one I have barely glimpsed 

in commutes on the 400 highways across Ontario. I 

looked around the group at body types and ages and 

decided I was able. I was in my mid-50s that first 

year, on the young end of the assembled. My mother 

always assured me that my low centre of gravity 

gives me stability. A blonde ponytail faces down the 

encroaching greyness at my roots. 

I was on board to support Diane’s goal, to become 

part of a post-retirement dream team. Hiking 

sounded doable and I committed to the “road 

less traveled.” The Bruce Trail is the Camino de 

Santiago of Canada – at least that’s how we looked 

at it. Why travel abroad to hike when we have so 

much to see here? It is the country’s oldest and 

longest footpath and extends from the bottom of the 

Niagara Peninsula at Queenston to Tobermory at 

the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. 

Enjoying the view and the red chairs after climbing to 

the top at the ski resort in the Blue Mountains section. 

Our first excursions were along the Niagara 

Escarpment and through the Dundas Valley. Diane 

and Jane spent hours poring over the Bruce Trail 

Guide, the encyclopedic Bible of our trek. Cars 

needed to be coordinated so drop-offs and pickups 

were clear, sometimes happening in a parking 

lot, and sometimes just a quick pullover on a ‘not 

maintained in winter’ sideroad. 

“You know I’m in another hiking group, where we 

all take turns planning the hikes,” Dorothy said, last 

year. I was quick to say, “I like the way we do it.” 

Leasa backed me up, “Diane likes to plan.” 

Diane laughed and continued to skip-hop us to 

different starting points. We take a deep breath in 

late April or early May, plunging into the map of 

the day at 9 or 10 a.m. and exhale slowly over the 

course of spring, summer and autumn, stepping off 

again sometime in the late afternoon, depending on 

the technical difficulty of the terrain. 

Our hiking group hails from Stratford, Waterloo, 

Strathroy, and the London area. We began hiking 

in 2016 with a goal of completing the trail over four 

years, in 15 to 20 km increments, so we could make 

it work for everyone. 


RECREATION 

by Helen Orr 

hours in the company of a hiking goat farmer who 

led us for a 10 km leg of his day when we had finished 

ours. I am lonely for him, unable to understand his 

self-confidence in this wilderness isolation. 

In my first season, equipment is a revelation. “Cotton 

kills,” Jane said. Diane showed me her Ziploc bags, 

not just for sandwiches but also for used toilet paper. 

My son assures me Diane is right, “Leave no trace.” 

Rod and Diane have multiple hiking poles. Diane 

is streamlined from frequent and varied outdoor 

activity and she has equipment to spare for everyone. 

There is even rainwear for the backpacks. Bill bucks 

the system and carries his lunch in a plastic bag and 

water in a wine skin (the one in which he used to 

bring booze to football games). He is lean, all of 

him spare, down to his closely shaved hair. He is a 

minimalist, he says. Maybe he has something there. I 

prefer my water in something less laden with history 

and possible bacteria, although I suspect camel-pack 

water in the new-fangled backpacks tastes like camel. 

Flower pot formation part of the rocky wonders at 

Dyer’s Bay in the Peninsula section. 

The Dundas Valley provides beautiful vistas in 

deciduous forests, intermingled with urban life 

and semi-rural residences. There are hooks on the 

ledges of cliffs, permanently affixed, for hardy rock 

climbers. I have heard of unfortunate incidents of 

people falling from the cliffside path, or of climbers 

in trouble on this relatively well-travelled section. 

The dangers are real. 

With these stories lurking in the background, I am 

surprised to meet single hikers anywhere along the 

trail. On the Iroquoia section, we spent a couple of 

Diane’s daughter, Lauren, a national park warden, 

shows up in sandals for one of our hikes. Everyone’s 

benchmark is different. It is “not-a-hiker” Bill who 

carries someone else’s backpack on a “road section” 

of the trail in July. We are in Hamilton near the 

Botanic Gardens, climbing the escarpment at a 

curving, brutal angle. At least from here you can 

see all the hospitals. We add our ages to the 30 C 

weather and arrive at the same retirement ‘90 factor’ 

that triggers this as our last July hike ever. 

St. Catharine’s includes a big chunk of suburbia 

along the Welland canal, one of our first overnight 

stays on the journey. The vertical lift bridge pauses 

our walk as a cargo ship passes. The motel provides a 

continuation of the day’s “slow mood,” watching the 

progress of the silent ships as they climb or descend 

through the locks joining Lakes Erie and Ontario. It 

is soothing to put our feet up on the motel balcony 

rail, a glass of wine in hand and watch the smooth 


y Helen Orr 

RECREATION 

A view of the white bluffs from Lion’s Head 

Provincial Reserve in the Peninsula section. 

passage of these Great Lake go-betweens. 

Both in the early spring and autumn of our second 

and third years, we encounter beautiful, mosscovered 

rock crevices and outcroppings in and 

around Georgian Bay. This is the closest I have 

ever felt to the magical childhood forests of fairy 

tales. We descend into fissures of a prehistorically 

colder climate. I learn the lesson of stopping to look 

around – rubbernecking while walking has its risks. 

We call, “Mind the gap,” down the line. The scenery 

captivates, highlighted by unanticipated sights and 

sounds, like bluebells and pileated woodpeckers. 

Lunch stops are always chosen with care. There 

are any number of waterfalls in conservation areas, 

lookouts from atop the escarpment, boardwalks 

through marsh, moss covered logs and sometimes 

even benches that provide a beautiful resting point 

to digest both food and surroundings. 

On the more travelled legs, we also brush against a 

golf course, a university, a campground, and more 

than one historic site. The trail guide is marvellously 

detailed with our step-by-step progress. 

In the Dufferin Highlands, between Shelburne and 

Lavender, we swat at mosquitoes that keep pace 

with us. They are the reason the leader of the pack 

leaves us and his “fearless” title behind. Bill has a 

low tolerance for things beyond his control. We are 

happy to see “BILL” spelled out in sticks on the 


RECREATION 

by Helen Orr 

mud track when we resume. He is putting a good 

face on his discomfort. We are lagging far behind 

“not a hiker” because he refused to eat his sandwich 

under mosquito attack. 

Above: Rod rocking the hiking poles in the fall in the 

Beaver Valley. 

Below: Following the boardwalk into the trees in the 

Caledon Hills. 

Volcano 

“DANGER” is carved into the mud next. Further 

ahead we are faced with a mini fence of five stick 

soldiers between six rock hurdles spanning the path. 

I worry that he may leap out from behind a tree. Bill 

refrains, preferring to be mysterious. We see “Billroy 

was here,” spelled out in debris and framed by fallen 

branches. Finally, an empty beer bottle stands on the 

horizon. Rena and Leasa usually remember to bring 

a garbage bag to collect unwanted donations such 

as this, and so we hope to improve the landscape. 

We trust the animals won’t be disturbed by Bill’s 

messages. 

The white blazes that lead us along the trail are 

alluring, beckoning us forward like breadcrumbs. I 

marvel at the friendly unseen hands that paint these 

blazes and tend to the trail, different sections allotted 

to the regional trail associations. The members are 

angels of the path. In Sydenham, we meet two burly 

angels clearing away brush with chainsaws. It is early 

in the hiking season and there is still ice and snow 

in sections. They counsel us not to go down Devil’s 

Drop, a rope-assisted staircase that remains covered 

in ice. They’ve had to make several rescues in their 

other capacity as volunteer firefighters. 

Jane and Diane have a look, but I have no problem 

taking a detour that steers us to a Belfountain café. 

The firefighters honk as they drive past. “Glad you 

decided to reroute!” In Blue Mountain, the Trail 

cuts through private property at the edge of a field 

of grazing cattle. The view makes Rod burst into, 

“The hills are alive...” and I’m tempted to join in, 

the surroundings are that inspiring, and the singing 

is joyful. The cattle are a couple of fields away, 

undisturbed as we climb over several stiles. The wet 

spring and the 60 per cent possibility of precipitation 

on this day has us sliding on the path and in our

y Helen Orr 

RECREATION 

shoes. We see a hardwood forest, quite different 

than the mixed deciduous and evergreen forests of 

other hikes. I read The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter 

Wohlleben and learned about the ancient creatures 

surrounding us. 

Hundreds of gallons of water mysteriously and 

silently circulate under the bark of the centuriesold 

trees. With a stethoscope it can be heard, just 

like our heartbeats. The resilience and rawness 

of nature is awe-inspiring to us soft, citified types. 

Fungi have much more purpose than we do here, 

connecting the trees and making resurrection and 

life-everlasting possible. 

I understand how people can feel connected to 

this landscape. I am happy to have made this 

journey but feel like we are an extra layer painted 

on the already perfect natural backdrop. I feel the 

challenge of nature on these treks. The weather 

is more than small talk. Seasons have significant 

meaning. Trilliums in May, deer in the deep woods 

of summer, a spongy floor of cedar here, pine needle 

carpets there, overgrown archives, autumn light in 

deciduous afternoons, rocky caves with secrets and 

the deep bodies of water that lap at the edges of it 

all – we have become witnesses on this path through 

our part of the country. 

impacted our schedule, as has weather and life in 

general, so we were hiking in masks in 2020 and will 

complete the very tip of Tobermory and enjoy a 

celebratory tour of Manitoulin Island this summer. 

The Canadian landscape lies around us, a little more 

ours. We have come a step closer to the truth of this 

land. 

And we all have something to sing about. 

Helen Orr completed her Creative Writing Certificate from 

the University of Toronto continuing education programme 

after retiring from her career as a French teacher and School 

Principal. Her children’s book, Belinda and the Fairy Lair will 

be published in 2023. Her short story, “The Communications 

Officer is Silenced” can be found on ‘Little Old Lady’ comedy 

blog. Helen currently resides in Stratford with her husband. 

Have you had 

your Italian today? 

After starting this journey in 2016, we are in the 

home stretch this season, Tobermory, where the 

great Georgian Bay and Lake Huron merge. COVID 

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FOOD & DRINK 

C oconut cream 

stuffed peaches 

Ontario peaches can be poached a 

day ahead, refrigerated in the syrup 

overnight and stuffed next the day. 

Chilling time: 30 minutes 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Servings: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

4 cups water 

½ cup granulated sugar 

1 cinnamon stick 

4 large ripe peaches, halved and pitted 

4 oz cream cheese, softened 

2 tbsp honey 

½ tsp lime rind, grated 

3 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted 

Instructions 

In large saucepan, bring water, sugar and cinnamon stick 

to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peaches, cut side 

down; add extra water if needed to cover fruit. Press piece 

of waxed paper against surface; cover and simmer for 10 to 

12 minutes or until tender. 

Remove pan from heat and leave stand to cool. Drain and 

peel peaches. 

Arrange halves cut side up in dish. Combine cheese, honey 

and lime rind; mix well. Stir in 2 tbsp of the coconut. Divide 

among peaches, mounding in centres. Sprinkle with 

remaining coconut. 

Chill until set, about 30 minutes. 

*Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario 


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