RCN sports history: Goodwill between friends
By Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff
After relay-running 140 miles from Crown Point, New York to Montreal in two days, four US Navy and US Marine personnel arrived at Montreal’s Military and Maritime Museum on July 4, 1980. The purpose of the run was to celebrate the 4th of July, the American Independence Day, as well as to show the goodwill that exists between Canada and the United States. The runners carried with them a message from New York Mayor Edward Koch to be delivered to Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau. Five CAF members from CFB Montreal paced their American counterparts from the Canadian border to the museum.
This month in RCN sports history:
1944 – In an exciting finale to the year’s military boxing season, HMCS Avalon in Newfoundland pitted their entire boxing team against the combined forces of the Canadian Army, the RCAF, the US Army, and the US Navy. The 10-bout card brought Avalon its most convincing win of the year, with six wins (three knockouts and three decisions), three draws, and just a single loss. RCN boxing coach Davey Brown said he put the call out to every force in Newfoundland to try their luck against the men of Avalon, and that coaching his team to victory in front of 4,000 spectators was a satisfying moment.
1964 – During a July visit to Norfolk, Virginia, HMCS Bonaventure’s was hosted by the American aircraft carrier USS Randolph for a series of sporting events, with crews competing in softball, volleyball, and basketball. The sailors split the victories, with the Bonnie’s volleyball team, well-conditioned from inter-ship play on board, blanking the Randolph 3-0, while Randolph took a 44-32 win on the basketball court. Randolph won the first softball match by a score of 6-3, and the Bonaventure squad came back later in the week to win the rematch 13-10.
1988 – After a hard-fought game that ended in an overtime goal on Porteous Field, the sailors from HMCS Preserver won the Fleet soccer championship for the second year in a row, taking down HMCS Iroquois by a score of 1-0, with the winning goal scored by LS Pinero.
