Birth of Goan sport in Toronto
By John
Nazareth
(An excerpt
from The History of the Toronto Goan Overseas Association 25th anniversary brochure)
Perhaps the
strongest force that brought most Goans together was a desire to form a Goan
field hockey team. This may seem surprising to the uninitiated but hockey had
acquired cultural overtones among the diaspora Goans. It became the medium we
expressed ourselves, as colonial medium and third-world pressures once made
political expression difficult. No wonder that we played the game of hockey
with such intensity. (In Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and other parts of southern
Africa many were wounded, no quarter was given, nor any respite asked.)
Back in
Toronto in 1968, some like Leo Lopes would organise practice sessions among
friends; many played for teams in the Toronto area. In 1969, it became obvious
to Roque Barretto that there were sufficient Goans in other teams to form a
formidable Goan team.
Roque (Rocky)
Barretto came to Canada in 1968. Within a year and a half of being here, he had
already become a member of the Parish Council of the newly opened St
Sebastian’s Catholic Church, 20 Pauline Avenue and was President of the St
Vincent de Paul Society (this connection would serve the Goans well later). He
also became a regular umpire with the Ontario Field Hockey Association (OFHA)
and joined its Executive. It is from this vantage point that he was able to see
the breadth of talent and the opportunity it presented.
Rocky
enlisted the help of his friends Aloysius (Al) Vaz and Wilfred (Willy) Monteiro
to see the need and organise an all-Goan hockey team in Ontario and a Goan
association to promote sports by generating funds from social functions. Many known Goan hockey players who played in
the OFHA League emanating from various parts of the world were contacted with
the idea of forming a new all-Goan for the 1970 summer season. Several meetings
were held by the trio in Saint Sebastian’s Church but the turn-out was poor. A
meeting was held in December 1969 at St Sebastian’s Church, but of all the players that agreed to play,
only seven attended: Roque Barretto, Al Vaz, Willy Monteiro, Tony D’Souza, Tony
Fernandes (Brunswick) Alcino Rodrigues and Armando Rodrigues. Another meeting
was called on 8 February 1970, but this time only five attended. As time was
closing in on the 1970 hockey season, the five elected Roque Barreto as
chairman, Al Vaz as Secretary/Treasurer and Will Monteiro as co-ordinator of
the team. The interim name of Eagles was suggested by Tony D’Souza and adapted.
Rocky vigorously promoted the Goan team notwithstanding the absence of a full
and proper team, securing an entry into the OFHA with a personal guarantee for
a team and entrance fee.
The lack of
critical mass for the several meetings so far and the inability of new migrant
players to pay membership dues was disheartening. Undaunted, Rocky, Al and
Willy arranged the St Sebastian Hall for a meeting on the fateful date of April
5, 1970, this time with an open invitation to all Goans in Ontario. For a
myriad reasons this meeting would be more successful as we shall see.
Neves Menezes,
who came to Canada in 1964, had also been pondering about a Goan Association,
having played a large part in the Nairobi Goan Community and had been
discussing the issue with friends, though with no particular sense of urgency.
However, he recalls reading a disturbing story in the newspapers in February
1970 when Canada was going through a recession which convinced him the time had
arrived. A young Goan immigrant to Canada had found himself without a job and no
money. Despondent and homesick he decided to stow away on a plane at Toronto
International Airport bound for his homeland, but got as far as Dorval International Airport in Montreal when he was
discovered in the baggage compartment by the ground crew.
In the
ensuing trial the judge upbraided the young man but noticing his plight,
dismissed the case with an appeal to his people – the Goans – to try and help
others in similar situations within the community. This spurred Neves to
redouble his efforts and when heard of Rocky’s call he hit the telephone lines
to round up people.
Coincidentally,
the other trio of Al Fernandes, Savio Barros and Leo Lopes had organised a
dance at the Royal York Hotel on April 4 1970. Many of the attendees spread the
word about the next day’s meeting.
And word got
around that the Eagles team had been registered for the 1970 hockey season which
added to the excitement.
At 3 pm on
April 5 1970, in the basement of St Sebastian’s Church, the meeting opened with
Roque Barretto as chair, flanked by Al Vaz and Willy Monteiro. The attendance
was a heartwarming 24: Roque Barreto as Chair, flanked by Al Vaz and Willy
Monteiro. The other attendees were: Savio Barros, Arthur D’Costa, Rui and
Sylvia D’Cunha, Dr A J D’Mello, Anthony D’Souza, Augustine D’Souza, Joe
D’Souza, Peter and Henrietta D’Souza, Walter D’Souza, Romeo Dias, Anthony
Fernandes, Orlando Fernandes, Michael Lobo, Leo Lopes, Placido Madeira, Neves
Menezes, Wilfrid Monteiro, Alcino Rodrigues, Jules Sequeira, Melinda Sequeira,
Melinda Sequeira and Aloysius Vaz.
Needless to
say this meeting was a first step in the birthing of the Goan Overseas
Association, Toronto.
The first GOA
hockey team in 1970:
Luis Fernandes, Donat D’Souza, Edwin Fernandes, Placido Madeira, John Barreto, Avon Fernandes, Vicky Abreu, Hubert D’Cunha, Willie Monteiro, Joe Castelino, Eddie D’Souza, Robert D’Souza. (It is a shame I do not have a photo of these wonderful guys)
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