Ross Babcock played
with the senior Maroons in 1937-38; was involved in
minor baseball and hockey; has been selected in the builder
category.
The late Ross Babcock was instrumental in developing
minor hockey and baseball in Chatham. From 1950 to 1955,
Babcock coached minor hockey teams; in 1952 he was a
director with Chatham Minor Hockey; in 1953 he was elected
vice-president and the next year he became president.
As
president, the Chatham native chaired committees that set
up grading systems for players to provide rules of
conduct. In Chatham Minor Baseball, he coached from 1950
to 1955 and was president of the house leagues in 1952. He
was instrumental in getting funds to develop Jaycee Park
and Kinsmen Park. In 1951, he was named a charter member
of Chatham Minor Hockey Association and in 1952 was the
Kinsman of the Year.
Ross was born in Newbury,
Ontario in 1916 and passed away in Chatham in November
1964 at the age of 48.
- Chatham Minor Hockey
- 1950 to 1955
- Coached teams each year; in 1952 became a
director of Minor Hockey; 1953 was chosen as
vice-president, and in 1954 was president..
During this period, chaired committees to set up a
grading system for players, to provide rules of
conduct, and set up general rules for the
association. Represented Chatham at Ontario
Minor Hockey Conference; organized first referee
pool; organized a dinner of appreciation for
coaches, managers, and referees; was registrar; in
charge of publicity and allocation of extra ice
time; proposed and helped implement the concept of a
full-time coach for all teams. After his first
heart attack in February of 1955, resigned as
chairman
- 1960
- After returning to the Association,
proposed, along with Bob Ostrom, chaired a
committee to implement a clinic system to teach
skills to all youngsters. He also recommended
splitting leagues into A and B categories so that
players were competing on equal level, having
all-star teams from one level compete against teams
from a higher level, and wearing same colour
uniforms for all all-star teams
- Chatham Minor Baseball
- 1950 to 1955
- Coached teams every year, including 1953 Bantams
who won the first OBA championship for the CMBA ; he
convened one of the house leagues each year; 1952
served as president of the Association. He was
instrumental in getting Jaycees to provide funds to
build Jaycee Park for the squirt league, as well as
getting the Kinsmen to build diamonds at Kinsmen
Park for pee wee baseball. Proposed the hiring of a
professional coach in 1953, Jack Fairs was
hired which led to CMBA teams becoming very
successful at the provincial level of competition
Awards and Recognitions
- 1951
- Was a Charter Member of Chatham Minor Hockey
Association
- 1952
- Kinsman of the Year and, Chatham Daily News
Sportsman of the Week
- 1955
- Made Life Member of Chatham Minor Hockey
Association
- 1965
- Hockey trophy for Squirt League renamed Ross
Babcock Memorial Trophy
- 1968
- New North Side Park renamed Ross Babcock Memorial
Park by city council
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