Cecil Dunn

Dubbed the “Father of Minor Softball” in Cambridge, Cecil Dunn was widely honoured for his career in softball and especially as a long-serving and respected umpire.

He started his umpiring career in 1945 and in 1949 was one of the founders of the Galt Minor Softball Association. Joining the South Waterloo Umpires Association in 1950, he served as President and later with the Hespeler Umpires Association he served as director, president, umpire-in-chief and clinic instructor.

At the provincial level, with the Ontario Amateur Softball Association his many years on the executive culminated with being named president in 1972. The Association made special note of his contributions with a fifty year service recognition in 1996.

Born in 1914, Dunn and his wife Jean whom he married in 1936, have two children. He received the Cambridge Sportsman of the Year award in 1996. He also refereed ice hockey and, later in life, he umpired softball and conducted umpiring clinics.

Photograph by Belair, Kitchener.