The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 40

D6 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN CITY TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1998 Eddie MacCabe's admirers gather to mourn a great storyteller 1 VJb Pearls with connect ions Hard-nosed editor was loving to family, faithful to friends By Trent Edwards From his days as a golf caddie making 15 cents every 18 holes to his days as Ottawa's leading sports columnist, Eddie MacCabe told a good story. Sports celebrities, friends and family filtered into the Carling Avenue Kelly Funeral Home yesterday to honour Mr. MacCabe, one of the city's toughest and most cherished sports legends. Mourners of Mr. MacCabe, the sports reporter and editor extraordinaire who died Friday at the age of 71, constantly referred to his "gift of the gab" and strength of character.

"He had a wild spirit, thoughtful, kind and sincere, but when something was wrong he didn't hesitate to tell you," said Mr. MacCabe's god-daughter, Lisa Estensen. "He was full of spunk and he was always there for me. There was never a shortage of love." A former reporter and sports editor at the Citizen and the now defunct Ottawa Journal, Mr. MacCabe was a local sports icon in the 1970s and '80s.

Jim Durrell, former president of the Ottawa Rough Riders, remembered how much weight the community placed on the straight-talking journalist's opinions. "If you were involved in sports in that time period, Eddie was an opinion-maker. Not that he really wanted sations and columns. Known for his gruffness and hard work ethic, Mr. MacCabe was respected by players and readers alike for his frank insight and thorough research.

Roydon Kealy, who grew up hearing about Mr. MacCabe's exploits as a street fighter, said Mr. MacCabe's gritty resilience and old-fashioned values were evident from a young age. "He was the typical pugnacious little street-fighting Irish guy. He was as loyal a friend as anyone could have.

If he was with you, he was with you all the way." Though he was a fierce fighter in a pinch, Mr. MacCabe's caring nature was remembered by several mourners. "There was just so many things that Eddie did to touch people's lives," said brother-in-law Cliff McAuley. "He did a lot for the (Ottawa) Boys and Girls Club, but nobody seems to know that." After heart problems forced him to retire in 1987, Mr. MacCabe moved to Carleton Place and renewed a friendship with Clayton Kenny.

"He was a real pillar. He was like a brother," said Mr. Kenny, who shared a love of boxing with Mr. MacCabe since the 1940s. Mr.

McAuley was amazed not only with Mr. MacCabe's ability to stand up for whom and what he believed in, but with his descriptive talents. "He had a way of describing people like no one I've ever known." A funeral will be held at St. George's Church, Piccadilly Avenue at 10:30 a.m. today, followed by cremation.

Shaped in 1 4kt gold. Accented with cultured pearls. A unique fashion statement exclusively from Birks. Bracelet $295 Earrings $295 Ring $350 Eddie MacCabe: Straight talker commanded respect. to be, but he was so well-read he ended up making up a lot of people's minds on issues," said Mr.

Durrell. Mr. MacCabe had an uncanny ability to evoke emotions in his readers. His prowess as a journalist led to many honours, including a place in the Canadian Sportswriters Hall of Fame and a Citation of Merit from the Canadian government for his contribution to amateur sports in Canada. Mr.

MacCabe was the consummate storyteller, regaling his family and friends with endless tales of growing up in Old Ottawa. Mr. MacCabe brought to life the city's bars, gangs, boxing clubs and sports life in conver BIRKS Making Every Occasion Special RIDEAU CENTRE 236-3641 BILLINCS BRIDGE BAYSHORE CENTRE FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL I -800-682-2622 http:www.birkt.com Ride 'n' rob Three downtown banks were robbed within 90 minutes yesterday, suggesting that the thief didn't waste time looking for a parking spot. At 11:50 a.m., a man walked into the Toronto Dominion Bank at 263 Elgin St. and handed a teller a note saying he had a gun, police said.

The teller handed over money and the man left the branch. No one saw a gun. Just 30 minutes later, with police still at the first robbery, a man struck again, this time at the Royal Bank at 90 Sparks St. The man indicated he was armed, but never produced a weapon. An hour later, at 1:20 p.m., there was another robbery in the Glebe, at the Royal Bank at 745 Bank at First Avenue.

Again, no gun was seen, though the robber claimed to have one. And he was out the door before officers could respond to a holdup alarm Investigators think the robber may have been using a taxi, or possibly a bicycle. They don't believe he was taking time to find a parking space. Police are looking for an English-speaking man, about 5'-9" with a slight build and clean-shaven. The robber in all three cases wore a green jacket.

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