35 YEARS AGO - Rescue earns Medal of Bravery

35 years ago

Aug. 24, 1972 – Canadian Forces headquarters in Ottawa awarded the Medal of Bravery to Bear River native Trooper Robert Lester Harris, who suffered burns while rescuing his co-driver from a burning overturned truck loaded with cans of gasoline that were exploding at the time.

Dr. Stanley Curtis of the Department of Agriculture officially opened the Digby County Exhibition in Bear River. The first day was given over to the 4-H program.

Roadside brush cutting work was offered by the provincial government to clam diggers thrown out of work by a closure of the area’s clam beds.

Col. T.E. Connors assumed command of CFB Cornwallis, succeeding Capt. (N) H.R. Tilley.

Digby MLA Joe Casey said recognition in Nova Scotia for the late boxer Sam Langford was long overdue. He was speaking at a Weymouth Falls ceremony unveiling a plaque to commemorate the boxer, who died in 1956. Casey said Langford’s name was a household word when he was growing up.

Among those at the ceremony was Halifax boxer Dave Downey, a nephew of Langford.

Kevin Locke stole home in the first and second innings, setting the tone for the Little League quarterfinals playoff game as K of C edged Kiwanis 13-12. Kiwanis responded in the second game, winning 23-4 behind the brilliant pitching of Greg Skinner.

James Garner and Lou Gossett were starring in ‘Skin Game’, playing at the Little Cinema.

50 years ago

Aug. 22, 1957 – Premier R.L. Stanfield threw a switch to begin power generation at the new Ridge hydroelectric plant on the eastern Bear River. Along with the existing Gulch power plant at the Head of the Tide, the province was getting 10,000 kilowatts of power from the river.

Bear River Blue Sox smothered Weymouth Monarchs in three straight games for the right to meeting Digby in the quarterfinals of the Nova Scotia Intermediate baseball playdowns. Among the series stars was pitcher Jim Saunders, who came within an ace of a no-hitter in the opening game.

At the Capitol Theatre was ‘Anastasia’, starring Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brynner.

60 years ago

Aug. 21, 1947 – Survivors from the sinking of the scallop dragger ‘Dale Maxwell’ arrived home in Digby. The newly built vessel, one of the largest in the fleet, went down off Westport after breaking its main shaft.

A large front-page advertisement from the provincial government advised people to avoid large crowds through the fall because of the potential for contracting poliomyelitis. Parents were cautioned especially to keep children out of large assemblies, like movie theatres, because of the risk from the infantile paralysis.

Maureen O’Hara and John Payne were the stars of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’, playing at the Capitol.