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CLUB HOLDS INAUGURAL BRAMPTON RFC
HALL OF FAME AWARDS 3rd
March 2007
Brampton Rugby Club marked its
almost fifty years of existence with an inaugural Hall of Fame
Reception at the Clubhouse on Friday
evening, 2nd March 2007.
The 2007 inductees were:
Don Llewellyn: Builder was a
founder of the Brampton and Georgetown Rugby Clubs, which
eventually became the Brampton RFC in 1963. He was originally
from England, and
was an RAF Spitfire pilot,
decorated for bravery with the DFC, in the Second World War. He played his last match for the Club in 1973 at Cedar
Park vs Burlington. Don is inducted
posthumously.
Ralph
"Pops" Lee
Ralph
"Pops" Lee emigrated to Canada from Wales in 1973. He left the
Mumbles Rugby Club,
bound for the Brampton RFC. In his professional career, Ralph was for
25 years an
employee of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. He,
together with other senior Brampton members - Murphy, Boydell,
Page, Blair to name a few – were instrumental in building the Brampton
Rugby Clubhouse. In his role as President, and then as Treasurer, Ralph
kept the club alive by all and every means available to him. Like other
Club stalwarts, Ralph personally contributed financially to the survival
of the Club. He would do anything to help and keep our creditors at bay,
including cooking for 100 at the annual banquet! As a player, he was as competitive as any person
who has ever worn the Maroon jersey,
and his desire to win did not end when he hung up
his boots.
In 2005, Ralph "Pops" Lee passed
on, and he is inducted to the Hall of Fame posthumously.
Sandy Mackenzie Sandy
Mackenzie was inducted as a player, an outstanding Full back for
the Club.
Peter Murphy vividly
describes how Sandy, a man of slight frame, has been the only
man to command the undivid ed
attention of his wife at a Rugby match, because of his heroic
tackling from his full-back position.
Brian
Dickson Brian
Dickson is inducte4d as a player. For Brampton he was a
formidable Number 8 and seemingly without fear, who would in
Peter Murphy's words "rampage through the serried ranks of the
opposition." Among his achievements w as
an appearance for the Ontario Provincial side against the Welsh
National Touring team.
Mark Allison
Mark Allison is again inducted as a player. Mark was an
outstanding prop who played for Brampton RFC then later for
York. Like Brian, he was a member of the Ontario Provincial team
which played against the touring Welsh, and he went on to won
international recognition with the Canadian National Senior
Men's team.
Louise
Pearce Louise Pearce is
inducted as a player. She first played for Can ada
against Wales in the 1994 Women's World Cup in Scotland. In
1993, she was a member of the Club's team which
managed to dethrone Ajax for the
Senior A Provincial crown.
Louise was an outstanding crash ball player and a superb kicker,
both out of hand and at goal.
Julie McGann
Julie McGann is inducted as a player. Julie was a founding
member of the Brampton RFC Women's team in 1989. She was still
playing in 1993, when the Brampton Women's team (inclduing
Louise Pearce) managed to dethrone Ajax for the Senior A
Provincial crown.
Her first international cap was
awarded in 1992
against the United States. Julie was an intimidating player for
many years, and she had a superb tactical vision of the field.
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