Bonds between winning team members last a lifetime
In 1945, a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel, introduced a song You’ll Never Walk Alone.
The 1963 Liverpool team of the English soccer league adopted it as their song and since then many other teams have used the song’s message in a variety of ways.
Many team coaches in their inspirational speeches before championship games have uttered “Win this and you’ll never walk alone again.” This year Peterborough has hosted three “40th anniversary” reunions of teams. That message re-emphasized to the now near seniorcitizen members of the three teams four decades after their achievements, especially after their reunions, is exactly what the song title proclaims; they will never walk alone again.
Last May members of the 1978 Canadian Field Lacrosse team, 1978 World champions, had a reunion in the city. The Century 21 Lakers recognized them at the season’s opening game. Six of the members of the team are from Peterborough and area. This was the second time the team had gathered but in the interim of they had lost some members.
What grew out of this past reunion that seems to play into this mantra is that the email network set up to plan the event has continued.
The team members now regularly share announcements of personal events that have relevance to the group. That one weekend together here in the city has definitely drawn the team much closer.
Later last summer the 1978 Peterborough Red Oaks senior lacrosse team, 1978 Mann Cup champions, also held a reunion. This team, mainly from Peterborough, was thrown together after the Ontario Lacrosse Association had banned many Peterborough players who had played in the 1974-5 disbanded professional lacrosse league. Given little chance this team melded together and won the Canadian title.
Their gathering this summer was unique in that most of the team members were in regular contact with each other around the city but they had never had a reunion. That evening, with the Century 21 Lakers wearing replica sweaters of their team, seemed to draw them much closer, according to the players.
A few weeks ago the 1978-79 Petes hockey team, 1979 Memorial Cup winners, gathered together for their 40th anniversary reunion as part of a Petes homecoming event.
Since practically all the members of the team came to the city to play, the 1978-79 team had in many cases not seen each other since the Petes 50th reunion in 2006 or before. Though they were part of a larger gathering they did golf together on a cold Saturday morning and were introduced prior to the Petes game on Saturday evening, Oct. 13.
Again like the other two teams, they seemed to have developed a special close bond that comes with struggling through a championship season together. Also, in the case of the three teams, 40 years has exacted a toll. Each of the three teams has lost members over the years. Each team seem to realize how much more important that bond among themselves has become over the intervening years.
Groups with commonalities from all walks of life regularly gather to relive the earlier years. In sport with teams regularly changing personal, a winning season holds special meaning.
These bonds become so much more important years later. With the numerous methods of staying in touch, teams from more current eras are more likely to establish that bond earlier than the three teams gathering in Peterborough this year.
As much as fans of teams enjoy seeing these team members together years after their accomplishments, the real value of these reunions is the re-bonding of the members as the years take their toll. Don Barrie is a retired teacher, a former Buffalo Sabres scout and a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame. His column appears each Saturday in The Examiner.