CYAN MAGENTA A4-SY #1 YELLOW BLACK

THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR A4 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2008 LOCAL Hamilton s man Whitey Sheridan mentored young runners from his Runners Roost and inspired many here and in U.S.

BY PAUL LEGALL dan at the Toronto airport in 1956. Dickson had arrived with a track Whitey Sheridan, who died on the team from Alberta and Sheridan drove weekend, is being mourned by the them to Hamilton for Canadian local running community as Hamil- Olympic trials. ton’s most beloved, enduring and They became close friends and trav- iconic figure. elled extensively together as Dickson At 92, he had probably crammed became a kind of surrogate son at the more running miles into his life than Runners Roost. any human being after he caught the Dickson developed into one of Cana- running bug watching the Common- da’s top marathon runners and went on wealth Games from a telephone pole in to represent Canada at the Olympics, 1930. something Sheridan never achieved He became a permanent fixture the during seven decades of running. Around the Bay Race for more than But he came close when he finished 50 years and was the best known third at the 1948 Olympic trials in Canadian in Berwick, Pa., where he Montreal. He was leading the pack competed in a nine-mile race called coming into the stadium where the the “Run for the Diamonds” on Amer- race ended on a running track. He ican since the 1930s. might have been confused about the As a member of the Hamilton number of laps he was supposed to run Olympic Club (HOC) for almost about or just too tired to put on a finishing 70 years, he also mentored a number of kick. But two other runners suddenly young runners including world class appeared in the stadium and sprinted competitors like Gordon Dickson of past him to the finish line. Only the Hamilton and Cecilia Carter-Smith. first two got Olympic berths. A true amateur, he crammed in his He also had a lot of top finishes, but races and running-related activities never won the diamond ring at the while working shifts at Stelco and rais- “Run for the Diamonds,” in Berwick, ing four boys and five daughters with Pa. But he won the hearts of the small his wife of more than 60 years, Eileen. community which welcomed him back “He was the king of the road,” said each year like an international celebri- Carter-Smith, who met Sheridan at a ty. Because of the goodwill he spread track meet a McMaster University Whitey Sheridan, above left, was one across the border, a number of Berwick almost 50 years ago. of Hamilton s best known amateur runners have been coming here to run “He ran the marathon of life and his sportsman. He ran until almost 85 the “Around the Bay.” life was a marathon. He was an excep- years old. To put Sheridan running achieve- tional human being,” she added. ments in perspective, Dickson said, She said Sheridan and his wife, Right, Ed Whitlock left, offers best you have to consider that he spent Eileen, had an “open-door policy” at 40 years in the steel mills and raised a wishes to Sheridan on his 90th birth- their Waterdown bungalow where they huge family while trying to train for welcomed young athletes like herself. day at the Regina Gardens nursing races. “I wouldn’t have won many Each spring, after the Waterdown home where he lived. races either, if I had to do that,” he said. 15-kilometre race which Sheridan or- Dickson last saw Sheridan about six ganized, they’d invite all the competi- months ago at the Regina Gardens tors to the house for refreshments. to run a marathon under three hours, nursing home on Hamilton Mountain Runners inevitably wandered into the remembered Sheridan as a tough com- where he had been living with Eileen, basement where Sheridan had a huge petitor who expected others to work as for several years. They were still living trove of running artifacts known as the hard as he did. in the home when he passed away on Runners Roost. And if you were associated with him, Saturday. Ed Whitlock, 72, of Georgetown, de- he expected you to run. He didn’t put Funeral services will be held scribed the basement museum as an too much pressure on his daughters Wednesday, at 1 p.m., at St. James “Aladdin’s cave of running memora- take up the sport. United Church on 306 Parkside Dr., in bilia.” But their husbands and his sons were SPECIAL TO THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR Waterdown. The trove included old posters, scrap expected to follow the old man, who books, medals and trophies. kept on running until he was almost “He was sort of outspoken, a crusty type of person. But he meant well,” [email protected] Whitlock, the first septuagenarian 85 years old. old character. He wasn’t a polished recalled Gord Dickson, who met Sheri- 905-526-3385 Goodwill Amity closes downtown thrift shop

BY AMBERLY MCATEER Lucinou said. Chapin said that the building could Sam Hanna works with troubled bar in the neighbourhood that turned Business was poor at the downtown be put to better use, and he worked youth at the John Howard Society, into a “crack house” after it closed. Lucky Lucinou peered into the dark location, said Goodwill Amity presi- with the public school board’s youth- above the closed thrift shop. The success of the incoming pro- windows of the Goodwill second-hand dent Paul Chapin, and donations were at-risk program and the community- He hopes the youth program will grams will determine if the neighbour- store on King William Street, where he routinely stolen after hours. run brain injury rehabilitation service. reduce the number of criminally in- hood changes for better or worse, she had shopped for many years. The company spent $26,000 last Both projects will be moved to the volved young people he councils. said. A “closed for business” sign stared year removing garbage from its dona- King William Street building in the But closing the thrift shop “doesn’t “If there’s just going to be more kids back. tion area — an extra expense it couldn’t coming year. make too much sense,” as many of the outside smoking or more writing on The retail store has shut its doors to afford. As well, Chapin says the building’s city’s poorest — who live nearby in the walls, that’s no use to anyone.” make way for a $3-million revamp of the “There were dirty, ratty couches that empty warehouse space will be trans- conditions he compared to the former Longtime resident Leonard Gillard building, which will house services for we couldn’t possibly sell, kitchen food formed into a facility that will help Soviet Union — relied on it for their passes the building everyday. He saw a the disabled, jobless and youth at risk. scraps … We even had dead animals in Hamilton’s poor and disabled find daily needs. lot of shoppers that were “just people “It’s just hard to believe it’s gone,” bags.” jobs. Theatre Aquarius, across the street trying to get by.” from the Amity building, often used “That store did a lot of good … it’s a cheap props from the store for its pro- real shame for this city,” he said, ductions, according to Shari Scandlan, adding that many of the surrounding who works in the box office. buildings are empty. “That’s where Since 1984 Parkdale Vacuum Many women who work at the the- they can put their employment centre AWARDED BEST NEW BEAM DEALER atre bargain-hunted there several … People depend on that store and it IN ALL OF CANADA! times a week, she said. should have been left alone.” NOW SERVING “I wouldn’t want to see it vacant, I’ll HAMILTON... tell you that,” she said, remembering a Special to The Hamilton Spectator ONE SMILE WITH EXCLUSIVE ATTACHMENTS AT A TIME! FROM $449 TO $849 CLASSIC SERIES Before After 21 years of $599 TO $1199 practice in Oakville, SERENITY QUIET SERIES Dr. B has relocated to Hamilton. He is $899 TO $1349 proud to announce SERENITY PLUS the opening of his After new, modern CANADA'S#1 SELLING BRAND! facility in downtown Hamilton. CLEAN, SAFE AIR FOR BREATHING

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