Ron Gumbley could flat out play baseball.
He starred in the Senior Intercounty League from 1958, when he was named rookie of the year, and played until 1972. He was field manager in 1966 & 67 winning the Ontario Baseball Association crown in ‘67. But the best was yet to come. In 1970 he was a member of the Intercounty Champion Guelph CJOY’s and an all-star outfielder in 1971 when he lead the league in triples, home runs, total bases and RBI’s. He would be named to the all-star team the following year as well.
Ron could also handle a hockey stick. He played Junior B with the ‘Baby Bilts’ and even played a couple of games with the Junior A Biltmores.
He is still a fixture on the Guelph sports scene as the long time owner of the Hockey Shop across from Memorial Gardens. He has fitted more skates than Buster Brown has shoes in helping many generations of young boys and girls to enjoy the sports he enjoyed so much as a boy.
Ron was also a founding member of the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame May 6, 1998
