Westville Sports /
The "Alpha" Baseball Club,
1876 / Burns Dunbar: A Great Left Fielder
/ The
Sporting Career of George Dawson /
Jimmy
Hawboldt - The Westville Runner /
Sports /
The Westville
Windmill: Bobby Allen /
Babe Ruth at Westville
Westville’s Sporting Accomplishments
1906: Westville won the Pictou County and Maritime cricket championships.
1909: Westville won the league hockey title. The league consisted of New Glasgow, Stellarton, and Pictou; Westville won the baseball county championship
1910: Westville repeated as county baseball champions; Westville won the county rugby championship.
1930: Westville won the Pictou County High School League baseball championship
1944: Westville won the Pictou County Juvenile championship.
Individual Athletic Achievements
Harry Saunders – once scored
124 runs in a cricket match played in Westville.
Leonard Leadbeater – set of
quarter-mile speed-skating record in Saint John, N.B.
Burns Dunbar – one of the
greatest left-fielders in Maritime baseball.
Bill “Hook” MacDonald – one of
the finest hockey players in the town.
Westville Rink Largest East of Montreal
Westville – In 1899 Simon Murray of Pictou Landing built a skating rink on North Main Street, said to be, at that time, the largest rink east of Montreal.
Many will recall the building with its center ice surface for hockey and the outer area for skaters. With its beehive stoves in the dressing rooms to add comfort for the customers, the rink was the scene of much gaiety during the winter months.
After conducting the rink for a number of years, Mr. Murray sold out to M.G. Archibald and D.C. Fraser. Mr. Fraser subsequently moved to New Glasgow and sold his interests to Mr. Archibald, who carried on until the rink was destroyed by fire in March 1928.
-
The Evening News
-
March 1, 1968
Burns Dunbar: A Great Left-Fielder
During the great baseball years of the 1920s and ‘30s in Westville, Burns Dunbar was one of the many stars. An early sports editor of the local daily called him one of the great left-fielders of all time in Maritime baseball. He was an electrifying type of player who came through when the chips were down in the late innings of the game.
Burns competed with the great Westville teams during the time of the intense Maritime rivalries between Springhill Fencebusters, the Yarmouth Gateways, Halifax Cardinals and St. Stephen, N.B. At that time the Fencebusters was a household name with star players like Hank O’Rourke and Ackie Allbon.
During his career, spanning from 1922 to 1934, Dunbar was noted for his hitting base-running, and his sensational catches in the left field. Many baseball writers of that era pegged Burns as a player of major league caliber.
His capabilities were not altogether limited to the field or at the plate. In the coaching box he was a master of every trick, capable of rattling the opposing pitcher. Off the field, he was known as a great friend and gentleman of the highest order.
He died on March 24, 1974, at the age of 72.
Westville – Maritime Cricket Champions, 1906
In 1906 the Westville Cricket team won both the Pictou County and the Maritime championships. Members of the team were Giner Trough, Tob Wilson, Jack Hamilton, John Lormier, Jack Semple, J. Roy, Michael Muir, Rod Johnson, captain Dave Roy, Murdock Gray, Jim MacNeil, Alex Sutherland, George Dawson, Bell Roy, Kenny Nicholson, Harry Saunders, Jim Saunders, Alex Jamieson and Bob Steele.
Westville Native To Be In Hall of
Fame
March 31, 1966
In 1909 Westville won the Pictou County Baseball Championship. Team members were John Duncan Fraser (1B); Frank Condon (2B); Murdock Gray (3B); Alex Muirhead (LF); Charlie Lockhart (RF); Bob MacGillivray (SS/P); George Dawson (CF); Harry Saunders (P); Jim Saunders (P); Jack Campbell (C); Alex Nelson (manager); and J.W.H. Sutherland (club president).
Holding the game ball, dressed
in top hat, suit, tie, H.A. (Allie) McQuarrie was quite
serious about his role as manager of Westville's Baseball
team of 1909. McQuarrie, later Mayor in 1916, was a
prominent businessman and the local undertaker. Others
are l. to r.: front row: Lala Muirhead, L.F.; D. Thompson,
Mascot; George Dawson, C.F.; middle row: Jim Michaels,
Pitcher; Walter Troop, Catcher (both from the U.S.A.); Hugh
(Hockey Jack) Jack Campbell, Capt., 1st base; Robert
MacGillivray, S.S.; Frank Condon, 2nd base; back row; Dan
Angus MacDonald (Springhill), 2nd base; Shan Emery, Coach;
McQuarrie; Hugh Ellis, R.F.; Simon Higgins, 3rd base.