Media Advisory - Provincial plaque to commemorate The Flying Frenchmen and Didier "Cannonball" Pitre Français
RENFREW, ON, Jan. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Join the Ontario Heritage Trust, in partnership with the Town of Renfrew, for the unveiling of a provincial plaque commemorating "The Flying Frenchmen," three Francophone athletes – Jean-Baptiste "Jack" Laviolette, Édouard "Newsy" Lalonde and Didier "Cannonball" Pitre – who were part of the original Montreal Canadiens. The unveiling takes place in Renfrew where Pitre played for the Renfrew Creamery Kings (Renfrew Millionaires) before joining the Montreal Canadiens. The plaque unveiling will kick off Renfrew's annual Frewfest Winter Carnival and will be followed by a hockey game.
| Date: |
Friday, January 20, 2017 |
| Time: |
7 p.m. Reception |
| 7:45 p.m. Unveiling of provincial plaque at centre ice |
|
| Location: |
|
| 1 Ma-Te-Way Park Drive |
|
| Renfrew, Ontario |
|
| Photo op: |
Official unveiling of the provincial plaque at centre ice prior to hockey game |
Following the formation of the Montreal Canadiens in 1909, Laviolette, the team's playing-manager and captain, assembled a roster that included Lalonde and Pitre. During the Canadiens' first decade, Laviolette, Lalonde and Pitre formed the core of the team, establishing its signature playing style and leading the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup in 1916. Dubbed "The Flying Frenchmen," the three players later earned a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame for their prolific careers.
This provincial plaque is the last of three unveiled in honour of "The Flying Frenchmen." The first plaque, in recognition of Jean-Baptiste "Jack" Laviolette, was unveiled June 23, 2016 in Belleville, Ontario. The second plaque, in recognition of Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde, was unveiled July 21, 2016 in Cornwall, Ontario.
The Ontario Heritage Trust's Provincial Plaque Program commemorates significant people, places and events in Ontario's history. Since 1956, 1,276 provincial plaques have been unveiled.
The Trust gratefully acknowledges the Ontario Office of Francophone Affairs for its assistance and the Department of Canadian Heritage for its financial contribution to this provincial plaque through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on French-Language Services.
Aussi disponible en français
Ontario Heritage Trust
@ONheritage
heritagetrust.on.ca/
SOURCE Ontario Heritage Trust
Kimberly Murphy, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Telephone: 416-325-5074, Email: [email protected]
Share this article