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BY MICHAEL HAYAKAWA mhayakawa®yrmg. com When the first pitch is thrown out to start the Oshawa City and District Fastball league this sea- son, there will be more than just one team in Stoufl'ville. While the Stouffville Men- nos play their traditional home games at Memorial Park Thurs- day evenings, another local entry will do the same during the same 8:30 pm. time slot at a nearby location. The Stouffville Jones Pools team will make their league debut and play their home con- tests on the new Bethesda Park ball diamonds. Launching the drive to form the Jones Pools entry was Paul Koert, a Stouffville native and renowned lefthanded hurler who played with the the national men’s team along with several high level United States-based lntemational Softball Congress entries. ' Koert, 31, said his interest in forming the ‘team stemmed from his return to Stouffville after residing the last few years in Brooklin. “I’m just trying to revive fast- ball in Stouffirille," he said. “I have a lot of friends who I played Double play: . 2nd fastball team slides } into town g Stou/fville .mmwmmpusucm Sun-Fibun Sec MARKHAM'S, page 24 YOU’VE GOT MAIL? E-MAIL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR T0 JMASON@YRMG.COM leiflohnson sings his own creation, Change the World. during Stouflville Has Talent auditions atlatdlamHallMondayc'lhefinalsofflIeyouthweektalemseardIaretmnorrowat7:30p.m. atdlelebovichtreforArtsand Enteflainment-N'metemondleParkAdmissionisfi'ee. TALENT TIME STAFF PHOTO/SJOERD WI‘TTEVEEN Jim Rae wanted to be an aero engine mechanic when he enlisted in the Cana- dian Air Force, but the military had enough of them, so he became an air frame mechanic. Cyril-Back. who was born in Canada but moved to Britain at three-and-a-half years of age with his family, was drafted into the Brit- ishRoyalAirFotceandwantedtobeapilot. But he was too light, even after six months of trying to gain weight. Stoufiilillefi'iends of to weekend Second World War ceremonies The British military, however, still wanted Mr. Back. Hebecameamemberofthe tactical air force mobile headquarters unit as well as a member of an air sea squadron. The two men never met during the Second World War, but the pair became fast friends during their weekly bridge games at the Silver Jubilee Club for seniors in Stoufi‘ville. The pair will be attending the 65th anniversary of VE Day on Saturday in Hamilton together. “I think (these types of celebrations are) very important to the veterans, I really do," Mr. Rae said. “They bring back a lot of memories ‘Not many of us left’: veterans 1"There are nbt many of us le‘ft." Mr. Back. Council thanking veterans at inaugural municipal event next month/page 18. THURSDAY FOCUS BY SANDRA BOLAN sbolan@yrmg.co'm See mm, page 18‘ 0313mm