Ellsworth Crawford Highlights

.........and he quickly mastered the art of the ‘curve’ and became the star pitcher for the Minesing Club.
         At softball games he played first baseman or catcher and was a powerhouse at the bat.
         He was a part of winning many ball tournaments and championship titles.

1924: Ell was a solid defence man and played on the Minesing Hockey Team that won the 1924 United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) Championship.

1933-34: Ell played for the Minesing Blueshirts Hockey Team, Barrie Town League Champions and team winners of the Capitol Theatre Trophy

1936: Ell started curling in the early 1930’s. Together with Skip Walter Craig, Bob Peacock, Ab Maw and Roy McVittie they won many bonspiels throughout Simcoe County

1940-60: Ell continued his passion for ball coaching and managing Minesing’s great teams in the Barrie Major Fastball League. During this time he also became a first rate Umpire behind the plate and it was very seldom that Ell was razed by the fans. He knew the rules and made few mistakes

1957: Ellsworth, his son-in-law, George Miles, Wray Faint and Logan Cruise won the Canadian Horseshoe Championship at the Royal Winter Fair.

1960-1976: Ell was the Barrie Singles Horseshoe champion 12 times

1967: Ellsworth won the horseshoe singles title at the Sudbury Invitational.

1968: Ell was on a curling team skipped by Walter Craig when they won the 23^rd Annual Orillia Curling Bonspiel.

1971: Ell pitched his way to being the Ontario Senior Horseshoe champion.

1978: William Ellsworth (Ell) Crawford died, at the age of 83, on the ice curling in a senior’s bonspiel in Cookstown. His great heart finally gave out. The Rev G. E. Ashton highlighted Ell’s life by his use of Psalm 23, “The Lord Is My Shepherd”. Many will say Ellsworth was truly a shepherd.

1987: Ellsworth was the first person inducted into the Vespra Recreation Hall of Fame as one of the best all-around athletes in the area. Ell’s daughter, Irene Miles accepted a plaque from Reeve Harry Adams commerating her father’s outstanding contributions to local sports.

2001: Inducted into the Ontario Horseshoe Hall of Fame.

2014: Inducted into the Springwater Sports Heritage Hall of Fame.

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