1995 BELLEVILLE SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

  • Vi Christopher

    BUILDER, BASEBALL

  • Wally Dever

    BUILDER, MULTI-SPORT

  • Madelaine "Maddie" James

    ATHLETE, BOWLING

  • William "Bill" Riley

    ATHLETE, CURLING

VI CHRISTOPHER

BUILDER, BASEBALL

The first lady of minor baseball in Belleville was also the first woman to preside over a provincial baseball association in Canada. Vi Christopher was president of the Ontario Baseball Association for two years and later, as the association's past president she was the Ontario representative to the Canadian Federation of Amateur Baseball. The Belleville native spent 21 years on the executive of the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association and 17 on the executive of the OBA. Meanwhile for more than 32 years she donated her time and efforts to the Belleville Minor Baseball Association, many times sitting on the executive. Christopher was one of the founders of Belleville's annual Golden Bat Bantam Baseball Tournament. While best known for her work in baseball, Christopher also served for many years on the executive of the Belleville Minor Hockey Association, including several terms as secretary, tournament chair and Ontario Minor Hockey Association convenor. Christopher's efforts have been recognized in several ways. She received a Bicentennial Medal from the Province of Ontario in 1984 for her contributions to amateur sport. In 1988 the citizens of Belleville recognized her with a citation and that same year she was honoured for helping to bring baseball to Northern Ontario. In 1992 Christopher was named Ontario baseball's Volunteer of the Year and in 1989 she received a special achievement award from the province for work in the field of fitness and amateur sport. Christopher continues to contribute to minor sports in the Belleville area even as she joins the Hall.

WALLY DEVER

BUILDER, MULTI-SPORT

A fitting addition to the Hall's Builders category, Wally Dever was the architect for many sports in Belleville over more than three decades. However, his contributions to life in Belleville weren't restricted to athletics. Dever was also noted for his work in education, municipal politics and with the mentally challenged. However, few would argue that his contributions to sports here earn him a position in the Hall. And it was sports that also gave Dever his greatest enjoyment. He was an avid bowler who was also heavily involved as a coach in the South Hastings Baseball League in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Hundreds of young men owe a debt to him for his later work with both the Belleville Minor Hockey Association and Belleville Minor Softball. Dever was involved with minor hockey in Belleville for 25 years and was the association's president on two separate occasions. For many years he sat on the association’s Board of Directors and at various times was a convener, coach and manager. In one year alone the remarkable Dever was convener of one division, a coach in another and managed a Select Team. He also coached teams in both minor softball and ball hockey. For many years Dever was mutuels manager at Quinte Exhibition Raceway, overseeing the handling and distribution of tens of thousands of dollars. He was also president of the Quinte Softball League for three years, helping that league return to its position as the dominant men's softball league in the Quinte area. During his twenty years on Belleville City Council Dever was often council's liaison to the Parks and Recreation Department, again contributing to sports in Belleville. Through his work with mentally challenged youngsters he was heavily involved with Special Olympics. The city and his family lost Wally too soon when he passed away at age 57 in 1994.

MADELAINE “Maddie” JAMES

ATHLETE, BOWLING

If you've ever picked up a bowling ball in Belleville there's a good chance Madeline James is the person who taught you how to throw it. An incredible coaching career in the five-pin bowling field stretched from 1963 into the 1990s. And, she was an active five-pin bowler herself, beginning in 1928 and continuing into the 1990s. In 1975, in fact, she bowled a 400 score - nine straight strikes and a corner pin left up on the tenth ball - which she says "took a lot of luck." It was her best game ever. James was also an active ten-pin bowler and member of league executives for many years. For more than 28 years, Madeline James devoted every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon to coaching and teaching five-pin bowling at the Belleville Pro Bowl. Not only was she the coach to bantams, pee-wees and juniors but she was also Secretary and Treasurer of their leagues and organized many of their tournaments. As well, she took many bowlers to new heights in their sport at provincial competitions. James' efforts haven't been ignored. In 1987, then-Belleville Mayor George Zegouras presented "Maddie" with a special plaque in her honour recognizing more than 25 years of coaching youngsters. To coincide with her 75th birthday, she was presented with a special certificate of merit from Quinte MPP Hugh O'Neil and Prince Edward-Hastings MP Jack Ellis. In 1989 Madeline James was inducted into the Zone Youth Bowling Council's Five-Pin Bowling Hall of Fame. Madeline bowled right up to 1992 when a knee problem forced her to give up the sport. She misses bowling to this day and said, "It's always in my heart.".

WILLIAM “Bill” RILEY

ATHLETE, CURLING

Many will think of photography when William "Bill" Riley's name is mentioned, but the area's curling community will tell you that's just one aspect of his remarkable life. A founding member of the Quinte Curling Club, he was the club's president in 1967-68. Three times Riley represented the local club in provincial playoffs and in 1974 was the provincial champion. Earlier, in 1961, he vice-skipped the runner-up rink at the provincial MacDonald Tankard Purple Heart in Ottawa and in both 1967 and 1970 reached the provincial finals in the intermediate division. It was in 1974, in Bracebridge, Ontario that Riley's Quinte rink captured the Seagram Stone Men's Championship. He skipped his rink to 14 straight wins on the way to the championship. Riley's rink would be the only one in the local club's history to accomplish the event. Over the years Riley has skipped many winning rinks at area bonspiels. In 1982 Riley and fellow Rotarians toured curling clubs in Scotland, playing at 19 different clubs. He has an impressive collection of memorabilia connected with the sport. He hasn't just been a competitor (at the competitive, regular league, mixed and senior levels) but also a teacher. Riley has imparted his wisdom to public and secondary school students and recently included deaf students from Sir James Whitney School and the mentally challenged from William R. Kirk school. Riley was on the original committee that launched the Bay of Quinte Men's Bonspiel, which began in the 1960s and continues to this day. Like many others in the Hall, Riley's contributions to society have extended beyond sports. He has been awarded the Gevaert Silver Medal for photography and operated a photography business in Belleville from 1946 until his retirement in 1990. A veteran of the Second World War, Riley is a past-president of the Belleville Sales and Ad Club, a former member of the Rotary Club and works closely with the Concert Brass. In 1991 he received the prestigious Paul Harris Rotary Fellowship.