Descendants of Joseph & Ann SALTER



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21. Mervyn Lloyd "Tory" GREGG (Mary Adeline SALTER4, Peter2, Joseph1) was born on February 27, 1906 in Brant Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada,4,7 died on March 13, 1976 in London, Middlesex Co, Ontario, Canada aged 70, and was buried in Douglas Hill Cemetery Eden Grove, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada. He was usually called Tory.

From; Recollextions by Robert M. Smith, March 29, 2013

Mr M.L. Gregg whose given names were " Mervyn Lloyd " ( hence at times M.L.) ,was always known by everyone as "Tory" . He was born in Brant Township located in Bruce County in 1906 . Early in life he followed his passion for ice hockey, playing first for local teams in the town of Paisley and then his travels took him much farther afield as he enjoyed an 8 year career in semi-pro hockey circles .His stops included Windsor,Pittsburgh Pa. and London Ont . beginning around 1929 .It had to have been quite a journey in those days .

Once his hockey career was behind him, he returned to his Bruce County roots and accepted a job as a sportscaster at the Wingham Ont. station CKNX . He remained at this job for many years ,combining it with another "love", that of calling harness races .His busy schedule took him to virtually every small "bull ring" in Southwestern Ontario to call the races . Many of his engagements were as part of the team assembled by long time starting gate operator Tom McDonnell of Hamilton .

Gregg's folksy and homespun style of calling races became his trademark as fans invariably loved his calls wherever he went . In those days the PA systems were not always top notch but he made the best of what he was dealt . The announcer's job somehow went beyond just calling post parades ,the race itself and the outcome . His job often included asking people to move a car ,find a wayward child or make a community announcement such as birth or a death connected with the sport .

When Thorncliffe Park in Toronto opened in 1950, the management asked Gregg to do the race calls .After a short stint in the Metropolitan area he had to give up the job due to the travel involved .He soon moved back to doing the small spots where everyone knew him . I think he may have done some fill in duties when London's Western Fair Raceway opened under the lights in 1961 . Even in the off season, Mr. Gregg was often called upon to act as MC at banquets held by local Turf Clubs .

As small town harness racing waned with the changing times ,Gregg's services were less and less in demand .Aware of his following and stature within the sport's world ,Molson's Breweries hired him to do promotional work with the title of District Sales Manager . He travelled about making appearances and presenting trophies and other awards .Many of his assignments involved the sport of harness racing ,where he was able to meet up with old friends .

Tory Gregg left presents a trophy to driver Walter Weese of Dresden in recognition of his top U.D.R.S. standing at the 1971 spring meeting at Windsor Raceway .The presentation was on behalf of Molson's Brewery

Through his many years of doing the sport's broadcasts at CKNX in Wingham there was scarcely a person in certain areas of rural Ontario who did know who Tory Gregg was .In those days ,many people did not have televisions yet and radio was their main source of receiving information and entertainment .Folks listened in their parlours,their cars and even while they milked the cows ,a radio often played .CKNX was very popular at one time across rural Ontario because of its Saturday Night Barn Dance show .

Throughout a good portion of Mr. Gregg's broadcasting career he signed off his shows with the following slogan " It matters not whether you won or lost but how you played the game "

Tory Gregg passed away in London Ont. at the age of 70 in 1976 . Many still remember him fondly and his presence for all those years in small town harness racing circles place him in "legendary" territory .

Events

• He worked as a Professional Hockey Player from 1929 to 1930 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA.

• He worked as a sports announcer at CKNX Radio in Wingham, Huron Co, Ontario, Canada.

• He worked as a District Sales Manager for Molson Breweries.

Tory married Annie L. MacKAY, daughter of Capt. Angus MacKAY and Christina "Tena" MURRAY, on July 30, 1930 in Tiverton, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada. Annie was born about 1907 in Tiverton, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada, died in 1999 aged about 92, and was buried in Douglas Hill Cemetery Eden Grove, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.

• Married at the MacKay family farm in a double wedding with her sister Mary Ethel MacKay and John Fraser Scott.

Children from this marriage were:

   25 M    i. Kenneth M. GREGG

   26 F    ii. Joan Irene GREGG

Joan married (__?__) RIEHL.

   27 F    iii. Patricia GREGG

Patricia married (__?__) NOWLAND.

22. Florence "Nadine" GREGG (Mary Adeline SALTER4, Peter2, Joseph1) was born on October 15, 1908 in Brant Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada7 and died in March 1997 aged 88. She was usually called Nadine.

Nadine married Frank Halladay PICKARD, son of Albert E. PICKARD and Martha Essa HALLADAY, on April 23, 1927. Frank was born on January 19, 1907 in Walkerton, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada,9 died in 1962 in Paisley, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 55, and was buried in Paisley Cemetery, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.

Events

• Frank owned a Hardware Business in Paisley, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.

The child from this marriage was:

+ 28 M    i. Bruce Gregg PICKARD was born in 1933 in Paisley, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada, died on February 22, 1996 in Paisley, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada10 aged 63, and was buried in Douglas Hill Cemetery Eden Grove, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.

Nadine next married Charles Albert KITTERICK.

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