KITCHENER, ON - Two long-time local fastball enthusiasts were honoured post-humously at the 8th annual Legends of Fastball Classic tournament in Kitchener on Saturday June 25, 2011.

 

Lorne "Gump" Daer, a personable pitcher who toed the rubber for a myriad of teams over a lengthy career passed away April 8, 2011 following a life-time of fastball, a sport hat he immensely enjoyed. He was, until recently, still a wily, effective pitcher, and an enthusiastic and dependable team-mate. "Gump" touched the lives of so many over decades of the sport as team-mates and opponents alike enjoyed the warm camaraderie of the tooth-pick toting moundsman.

 

Doug "Coach" Davies, affectionately referred to as "Grump" for his penchant of seeking an edge in every conversation, closed out a life-long involvement in fastball on January 18, 2011. As a coach, critic, umpire, score-keeper, volunteer, trend-setter and lovable rabble-rouser, Doug was an icon in the glory days of the 19870s-80s of the Kitchener Fastball League.

 

Both personalities, along with Bernie Daly who had passed away too soon in life in 2009,  had their names attached to a tournament division of teams in the recent Legends tournament, for an alliterative 2011 grouping of the Daer, Daly and Davies Divisions.

 

 

Photo #014 - Tom Clancy (right) spoke eloquently on the career of Doug Davies and is joined by Doug's daughter Jenn (centre) and friend Rachael and "Grump's" grandchildren Liam and Reed.

 

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