Former Brookfield Elks star softball and fastball player Stirling Delaney, 73, of Truro Heights, passed away Jan. 6, 2018 AT the QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax.
Although Delaney had battled cancer for several years, he had been doing well up until recently which added to the shock and disbelief by the local sports community.
Delaney, who played 15 seasons with Brookfield Elks, was described by his former longtime coach Terry Henderson as being an outstanding team player and a person who made many friends through both sports and activities outside of sports.
“Stirling Delaney was as good a team man as you’d ever find,” said Henderson. “Stirling never missed a practice, he made many sacrifices for the ball club. Stirling had great instincts, he was a smart ball player. All Stirling’s teammates thought he was a gem; there was never a better guy to play with.”
Henderson recalled a young Delaney joining the Elks during the early 1960s and being a valuable member of the 1963 Maritime intermediate C championship team. The Elks moved up to senior B in 1964 and they were again Maritime champions in 1967. The move was made to senior A in 1968 and Delaney and teammates captured another Maritime crown.
“Stirling played a big part right into the 1970s,” Henderson said. “I’ll never be able to say enough good things about Stirling – he would do anything for the ball club. Stirling played every position in the field except pitching but I’ll remember Stirling most as an outstanding team man. One thing is for certain, Stirling will really be missed.”
Brookfield resident Nancy VanTassell recalled Delaney living in Brentwood and starting school in Brookfield; at a young age he moved to the community. VanTassell, a former ball player and a local sports historian, produced several photos of Delaney in an Elks uniform. VanTassell described Delaney as very well liked and one of the most popular Elks ball players ever.
Gary Whittier telephoned from Berwick, asking that his sympathy be extended to Delaney’s family. The outstanding former southpaw pitcher recalled what a great teammate Delaney was when they played together with the Elks in 1969 and 1970.
Whittier recalled a game in Greenwood against Greenwood Bombers when he had a no-hitter going in the late innings.
“Stirling was playing shortstop and I made a bad pitch to their number four hitter.
The Greenwood player hit a scorching line-drive – when the ball went past me I just figured there goes the no-hitter. When I turned around, there was Stirling laying on the ground with the ball in his glove. The guys on the bench told me Stirling jumped and reached about 15 feet in the air to make the catch. I really owe that no-hitter to Stirling Delaney.”
Howie Spears, who had a great career in senior ball and coached Dartmouth Dairy Queen to a number of Maritime championships, recalled Delaney as a gentleman off the field but all business on the diamond.
“Stirling was a great competitor,” Spears said. “I always thought Stirling was a tough guy to play against. Stirling’s work ethic was a real big plus, this made him the great player he was. I had a lot of respect for Stirling Delaney.”
Lloyd Osborne had a longtime association with Delaney.
“Sterling and I became good friends as young kids growing up in Brentwood,” Osborne, of Truro Heights, said. “I remember Stirling making a bat out of an old stick, he’d then stand and bat rocks for what seemed like hours. Stirling put a lot into sports, I really looked up to Stirling, he was a great role model. Later, we worked together for more than 40 years at Crossley Carpets. I remember Stirling as being a fair and honest guy in both sports and everyday life.”
Delaney, who didn’t play organized hockey until his teenage years, went on to become a very good goaltender. Besides playing several seasons in intermediate hockey, he played for several years with Truro Bearcats Old-timers. In baseball, he enjoyed a stint playing for Great Village and in slow-pitch ball he played parts of a couple of seasons.
A fine athlete and a friend to many, regarding Stirling’s passing, we extend our sincere sympathy to his companion Nancy Lee Porter and family members.
-Lyle Carter’s sports column appears Saturdays in the Truro Daily News. If you have a story idea, contact him at 902 673-2857.
