Celebrating Norfolk's sporting legacy
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Chris Abbott
Editor
Six deserving athletes inducted into Norfolk Sports Hall of Recognition
Patrick Murphy, one of six athletes recently inducted by the Norfolk Sports Hall of Recognition, was unable to attend the official July 4th ceremony at the Delhi Hungarian Hall.
But he got his much-deserved recognition at his Delhi home.
“Taome (Dedrick), the other co-chair, and myself went to his home and presented him with his medal and plaque, and we gave a little speech,” said Norfolk Sports Hall of Recognition co-chair Jean Montgomery. “All his family was there and his support workers and it was just lovely. They had all his jerseys and coats – everything - and all his trophies displayed. It was so nice to see.”
A distinguished Canadian cyclist, born in 1933 and raised in La Salette, Murphy competed in both track and road cycling, rising to fame in the 1950s and 60s. He went on to win multiple Canadian titles. He competed in the 1956 Olympic Games and 1958 Commonwealth Games and later competed professionally in Europe.
The full 2024-2025 complement of John Axford, Sean Jamieson, David Howard, Walter Krawec and Jim Turkiewicz and Murphy are profiled in today’s Advocate on Pages 17 and 18.
Attendance for the 2026 induction ceremony – recognizing the 2024-25 group - was great, said Montgomery.
“We were just so thankful that so many could be there. John Axford was nominated a few years ago and couldn’t come to the last induction, so we were really glad that he could come to this one,” said Montgomery, who remembers coaching Axford’s twin sisters in Norfolk Youth Basketball.
“It’s really nice to see the families get together and be proud of each other. I also coached Sean Jamieson in soccer when he was young, so I said, ‘Oh, he liked baseball better than soccer…’”
There was big news in Port Dover only a few days earlier when the Axford, a Port Dover baseball grad, and the Toronto Blue Jays announced a major donation.
“The Toronto Blue Jays offered him $50,000 (through Jays Care), and he is sending it to Port Dover Minor Basebal,” said Montgomery. “It’s wonderful – I believe he lives in Burlington now and is also involved in baseball teams there, but he wanted to give back to his home community. It was very nice.”
This year’s inductees represent a diverse group of sports – from baseball to cycling, from rowing to hockey and squash.
“We were fortunate enough to get that this time,” said Montgomery. “It was great.
“I lived in Waterford for more than 25 years… and Jim, Walter and Sean are all from Waterford, so it was just really nice to see that. It was a really nice evening – it all went well – and it’s just nice to see the variety of sports and talent of so many people in our community. It’s wonderful.
“Walter went to Waterford High School and he was involved in track and field. He excelled in every sport there was. And some of his friends from Waterford were there – it was just great.”
2027 INDUCTIONS
Nominations are currently being accepted for 2027 inductions.
“We don’t nominate people, the community will nominate somebody, and there is a selection process,” said Montgomery. “But we need people to nominate athletes – by family members or whoever they know from the community – to the sports hall.
“Sometimes they are people from the community that we don’t know they’ve accomplished so much.”
Nomination package can be downloaded from the hall’s website (norfolkcountysportshall.ca). Or email Montgomery at jeanmontgomery2@gmail.com for more information.
“We also need new board members too. The people who started the Hall of Recognition, we thank them because they did it a long time, but we need new members.”
Application forms to join the Hall of Recognition team can also be downloaded from the website.