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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shoutout goes to Putnam native Norma Martell. Raised in the “Northend” when the area was booming with athletic kids, Martell later became the mother of a number of male and female athletes who were Putnam standouts. Today she enjoys retirement and her grandchildren with her husband Paul.
In the years 1965 through 1968 the Tourtellotte Memorial High School boys’ basketball team was a force to be reckoned with up and down eastern Connecticut. The Tigers of coach Jim Canty always seemed to produce athletes who towered over the players of opposing teams. One of those domineering athletes was 6-foot, 6-inch Bill Pedersen.
On June 22 Pedersen will be inducted in the TMHS Athletic hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2013. The honor is rightfully deserved.
During his four years on the Thompson campus, Pedersen starred in soccer, basketball and baseball for the Tigers. But it was on the hardwood that he gained his notoriety and recognition. As a member of the Quinebaug Valley Conference, Tourtellotte was a force in the league every season that Pederson played.
In 1967 and 1968 Pedersen was named a QVC Tournament All Star, while garnering the tourney MVP Award in 1968 after leading his team to the title in a 54-45 victory over Norwich Tech in the championship contest. Along the way he tallied more than 1000 career points with more than 600 coming in one season. At the conclusion of his senior season he was named a Royal Crown Cola Prep School Honorable Mention All-American.
Pedersen followed-up his high school career with four years at Assumption College as a member of some of the Greyhounds most successful teams. Although he never achieved the same heights in college as he did in high school, Pedersen was one of the most popular players to grace the Andy Laska Gymnasium. He was part of the 1972 team that finished third in the NCAA Division II National Tournament and was voted by UPI as the Number One team in the country in the final poll.
A member of the National Honor Society while in high school, he is still remembered whenever people gather to talk about Tourtellotte and QVC basketball. Pedersen lives in Thompson.
CIAC Honors Scholar-Athletes…
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference recently honored 340 male and female student athletes from throughout the state at a ceremony held at the Aqua Turf Restaurant in Southington. A dozen of the individuals honored, come from local high schools.
Charleen Williams and Augustus Larose were honored from Ellis Teach, along with Michela Veillette and Dane Grauer of Killingly, Ashlyn Hart and Noah Fields of Plainfield, Monica Phongsa and Alex Fontaine of Putnam, Brianna Wrubleski and Keith Poitras of Tourtellotte, and Julia Low and Elijah Martin of Woodstock Academy.
Among those receiving special recognition was Killingly’s Michela Veillette who stars for the Redgals in field hockey and tennis. Last autumn, she was felled by a mysterious infection that doctors were unable to diagnose. Despite the inability to pinpoint a diagnosis, doctors were able to help her recuperate. Today Veillette is back on the field and tennis court.
Veillette, in addition to being honored as a student athlete, was awarded the Michael H. Savage Spirit of Sport Award for the courageous battle she waged against the mysterious infection.
Runners On Your Mark…
The advent of reasonable weather has signaled the start of the running season in northeastern Connecticut. The O’Putnam Race in March and Jog For Judy, held on May 4 have both the avid and recreational runners on the roads for daily workouts.
On May 27 the Woodstock Recreation Department will host its 33rd Woodstock Memorial Day 10K Road Race. The Pre-Registration period has passed; however, runners can register on line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The entry fee is $25 and race day registration will also take place at the Woodstock Academy Fieldhouse from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. on the day of the race.
Starting time for the event is 9 a.m. sharp. Winners will be awarded in male and female categories including Child (12 & under); Junior (13-19); Intermediate (20-29); Senior (30-39); Masters (40-49); Grand Masters (50-59); Ultra Masters (60-69); and Super Masters (70 & up). Cash prizes will be awarded for the first three male and female runners in the amounts of $125, $75 and $50. The first male and female runners from Woodstock will each receive a cash award of $50. Post-race shower facilities will be available at the Academy.
Entries may be mailed to Woodstock Recreation Department, 215 Coatney Hill Road, Woodstock, CT 06281.
Kentucky Derby Tidbit…
The 139th running of the famous Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs had a distantly related Putnam connection. Verrazano, which went off in the 14 slot, and coincidentally finished 14th in the 19-horse field, with jockey John Veleazquez in the saddle is owned by Let’s Go Stable. Co-owner of the horse is Bryan Sullivan, who’s been involved with the sport since 1997.
According to a May 3 column by Jeff Jacobs in the Hartford Courant, Sullivan is married to the former Courtney Scatuorchio, whose dad is the reason Sullivan’s involved with Verrazano. The Putnam connection is through Sullivan’s mother, whose brother is Putnam horse racing aficionado Peter LeClair. Area horse racing fans it was certain had their eye on Verrazano on Saturday afternoon despite its disappointing finish.
Verrazano is trained by Todd Pletcher and most recently won the prestigious Wood Memorial. The horse had four victories in four races prior to the Derby. The three-year old did not race last year and was trying to become the first horse not to race as a two-year old and win the Derby since 1882. Long odds.
From The Annals of Putnam
Sports History…
May 1901: Putnam Golf Course opens. (Author’s Note: It’s assumed that the Putnam Golf Course was on Park Road across from J.D. Cooper’s Restaurant. It is not the current Connecticut National Golf Club located on Chase Road.) (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni.)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Never cut what you can untie.