John Brown Anecdotes

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♦  Angela Kirton remembers John's sense of humour and that he lived life to the fullest. John said that coaching the Elmvale Angels "was the 
    greatest thrill of his life."

♦  Mike Patchell believes that John had the ability to talk to anybody. He knew everybody in the community and beyond. John was a loyal
    friend. He had a nickname for everybody.

♦  Thinking of John, Mike Patchell says that he was a person who had a lot of fun and those with him had more fun. John always said "We're
     not here for a long time. We're here for a good time.".

♦  What was it like to play on Brownie's Angels: By Trish (Downey) Campbell.
     Brownie believed in female sports and the abilities of female athletes. Thirty - five plus years ago, there weren't the opportunities to play at
     an elite level that there are today. Brownie provided the opportunity for us.

     He had high expectations for us and he expected a full commitment on our part. He challenged us to do our very best for him, our
     teammates and ourselves.  I can still hear him shout to me "want the ball" and that phrase resonate with with me to this day, in not only
     sports but in life.

     He taught us to be confident and to succeed and nobody was happier than Brownie when we did win. We learned so much from Brownie
     and we worked hard on improving our skills and how to 'think' the game. His coaching strategy was second to none - he gave us the best
     chance to win every time we played, and play we did....And practise, lots!

     I remember the year we won the Ontario Championship, I had been an infielder all season and the first game of the tournament , he told
     me to head out to left field. Typically, his problem child, I begrudgingly trotted out to the field and and promptly misplayed the first ball that
     came my way.  My error hurt the team and it hurt Brownie.  After a 'Vince Lombardi' style chat at the bottom of the inning , I played the rest 
     of the tourney  in my newly favored position.  After the weekend, I never played another minute in left field.  Brownie had an uncanny way
     of knowing what was going to work and he also knew how to handle the varied personalities, sometimes with a smile and other times with
     a good swift kick in the butt!

     He was a ton of fun and likely the quickest wit of anyone I've ever met.  He angered a lot of umpires with his antics but they never stayed
     mad  as they knew he was generally right.  There was no lazing around the bases either, as you never wanted to hear one of his classic l
     ines shouted to you..."I don't care if you carry a piano on your back, just don't stop to play it."

     Brownie quietly and generously helped many of us.  A new ball glove, dental work after an accident, help dealing with a boss not keen on a
     player having yet another weekend off, gas money, etc., Brownie just wanted us to be able to play and play to the best of our abilities.

     Brownie was a mentor to us. He made us believe in ourselves.  I have certainly tried to carry his wisdom, his humour, and his zest for life
     along with me.  Brownie helped shape what I am and what I've been able to accomplish and I'm sure he had that effect on many of us. I
     look back on my years with the Angels as some of my best ever, and I can thank Brownie for that.

 

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