‘It’s all about helping the kids’
Leaside Baseball president Birnie always happy to pitch in
Howard Birnie was simply happy to get a shortened baseball season off at Leaside’s Talbot Park this summer.
The president of the Leaside Baseball Association and executives from every other summer sport were forced to pause their regular summer seasons while the world battled with COVID-19. Ultimately, with the approval of health officials, with players and parents observing strict protocols, and with the City of Toronto extending park permits into October, baseball was played at the corner of Eglinton and Bayview, as it has been since 1945.
The games were played with home-plate umpires standing behind the pitcher’s mound, and with players bringing lawn chairs so they could spread out instead of congregate in the dugout. The teams were grouped in bubbles of no more than 50. And there were no championships, just games. But they played.
Now Birnie and the Leaside league are keeping up with another tradition: donating to the Proudfoot Corner of the Toronto Star Santa Fund.
“It’s all about helping kids,” the 82-year-old Birnie said.
Birnie, who began playing baseball in 1952 and has been a pillar off the Leaside association and baseball in Ontario ever since, has maintained the league’s Santa Claus Fund tradition for decades now. He remembers Mort Greenberg, the pied piper of the Proudfoot Corner, urging him to donate to the fund back when Greenberg was a cameraman shooting local sports for CBC.
Greenberg worked every last contact he had for the Corner, drumming up thousands of dollars each year. Then he’d march to the Star newsroom and, in grand fashion, proudly drop off a cheque.
“(Greenberg) used to come by the park and cover our midget tournament,” Birnie said.
“The fund was big with Morty, he always said it was for the kids, and that there was no reason we couldn’t make a donation.”
Birnie could also draw on Carmen Bush, who dated back to the 1940s as an associate director with the Columbus Boys Club. Bush was also a fixture at Talbot, and with baseball around Toronto.
Star columnist Rosie DiManno recently told a story about Bush and how his kindness sparked a tradition with the Marchese family, whose sons Vito, Tony, and Mario are mark
ing five decades of delivering gift boxes for the Star Santa Fund this Christmas season.
Birnie and the Leaside Baseball Association usually honour a local hero, and this year it’s Jim Garvie, who passed away recently after over 40 decades of helping kids in both baseball and hockey.
“He was a Leaside guy … he was around for 40 years, he helped everybody, he helped single moms with their kids in hockey and baseball, and after every game, he’d buy all the kids a soft drink or something,” Birnie said, adding that Garvie will be inducted into the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame.
With Christmas drawing closer, the Proudfoot Corner and the Star Santa Fund are well into the tradition of delivering some 45,000 gift boxes to needy kids across the GTA.
As always, donors are giving to the cause:
James Fitzgerald and the
Old Farts Poker Club have been long time supporters of the Proudfoot Corner and remember their dear friend, Doug Robertson, “who died much too young 24 years ago” …
James Aldcroft sends $100 in memory of Gail Aldcroft … Cecil Bechamp offers $100 in memory of son Andre, who “cared for others” … The Etobicoke Hockey Club gives $500 “in memory of passed members” … David Smyth adds $250 in memory of the great Carmen Bush, who helped local kids in sports for decades.
Loran Skebo gives $50 …
Frank Leung sends $50, with a mention of Dennis Leung and family … Russell Sewell offers $100, with a mention to Sue and Peter … Pamand Walt Okihiro give $100, with a tribute to the
Crosswinds Golf and Country Club … Joe Pizzale sends $100, with mention to Ivy and Sophie Pizzale … Rick Dominico sends $100, in memory of “my dad, Tom Dominico” … Brian and Lynne Ferguson offer $100 too.
Mark Greenberg sends along $36 in memory of the much loved Mort Greenberg …
Mark Hughes chips in with $200 … Roy Vardy has $100 in memory of the Toronto Telegram … Leasa Adamsgive $100 in memory of Judy … Nino Miksic offers $100, in memory of Judith Knelman … Peter Weber donates $200 … Another $200 comes from Gerry Brine.
Robyn Matsumoto, another great friend to the Corner, sends $300 … Murray and
Heather McGuire add $50 … Randy Orr sends $250 ... Gail McBean, Stephen Gerry, Peter Ferguson and Wayne and
Dianne Bridger all give $100 …
John Spencehas $100 in memory of Joyce and Gordon Spence … Stephen Maria Bastarache sends $50 in memory of Leonard … Mrs. Tafflyn Welch adds $100 in memory of Kerry and Michael Welch …
Paul Carson has $100 in memory of Mort Greenberg … and
Randy Ruiters gives $100 in memory of Joe and Josy Ruiters.
Robert Faulds sends $500 … Dorothy and Evelyn Hart offer $25, and Benjamin Hart and Rachel Hart give $25 each … John and Janis Hagen give $200 … Josee Gauthier adds $35 here … Former Star sports editor Phil Bingley chips in $150 ... Michael Bell sends $100, in memory of William and Margeret Bell … Steve Dryden sends $150, mentioning Clair and Miles Thacker mentioned … Chris Wong sends $25 in memory of H.Y. Wong … Michael Kudrac gives $100, as do Robert and Arlene Sproston … And John Gelmon’s $100 are in memory of Joe Gelmon. Kelly and Mike Buchanan, long time supporters of the Proudfoot Corner, want to remember “two great Mikes taken too soon: Mike Rodwell and Mike Kemp. Missed always by friends and family” … And Amy Peters sends $150 “on behalf of Chase, Tuscan and Carlotte, who wish that all kids have a gift to open this Christmas.” That’s what the Proudfoot Corner and the Star Santa Claus Fund are all about.