Ray Moore Inducted by Leigh Read
I AM HONORED TO BE ASKED TO READ RAY’s PEI SPORTS HALL OF FAME
INDUCTION SPEECH, AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK VALERIE, RAYS WIFE
FOR THIS HONOR! .
I WOULD ALSOLIKE TORECOGNIZE, RAY’S SONS (SIMON AND GAVIN), IN
THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
OURMUDMENCLUBPRESIDENTPHILGALLANT,WHODROVERAY’S
INDUCTION.
ANDFORMERPLAYERS(DALEMCLEOD,BILLY MCGUIGAN,BLAKE
DOYLE, EDDIE MCDONALD, SEAN YOUNKERANDPAULLANNON,ALL
WHOPLAYEDFORRAYOVERTHEYEARS,ANDSOMEDURINGTHE
FAMOUSTRIP TOOTTAWA,IN 82, THAT LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR RUGBY
ON PEITODAY.
RAY PASSED AWAYONTHEMORNINGOFTHE14thOFOCTOBER2023
AFTER ADIGNIFIED AND COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH CANCER.
THAT DAY WEALSOPLAYEDFORTHEMARITIMECHAMPIONSHIP!”
WEGATHERED, PLAYERS ANDFANSFROMBOTHTEAMS,BEFORETHE
GAMETOHONOURRAYWITHAMINUTESSILENCE, INRESPECTFORTHE
GREAT MAN.
RAY WASDEFINITELY WITH US THAT DAY, AS SOMETHING CRAZY
HAPPENED.
WECHOSETOPLAYWITHTHEWINDFIRSTHALF,OURHOMEFIELDIS
COOPFIELD ONNORTHRIVERROAD,YOULITERALLY CANHAVE4
SEASONS IN ONEDAY.
WETOOKAHEALTHYLEADBYTHEHALF,BEHINDADOMINANTPACK
ANDSTRONGKICKING GAME, CONCEDINGNOPOINTS.
GOING OUTFORTHESECOND,HALFTHEWINDCHANGEDDIRECTION
ANDWEPLAYEDWINDTHEWINDTOOURBACKSINTHESECONDHALF.
WINNING , RAY TRULY WASLOOKING OUTFORUS.
BACK IN SEPTEMBERWEWEREABLETOSHAREWITHRAYTHE
WONDERFULNEWSTHATHEWASTOBEINDUCTED,ANDMANYATEAR
WHERESHED,ANDGREATSTORIESSHARED.
HERE IS THEPICTURE THAT WILL LIVE FOREVER IN PEI RUGBY HISTORY.
I REACHED OUTTOTHEFORMERPLAYERSFORQUOTESANDSTORIES,
MOSTUNPRINTABLE, BUT ONE THAT DEFINED RAY ANDPEI RUGBY.
WASOTTAWA82.
IN THE LATE 70’s PEI RUGBY WAS IN A DORMANTSTATE!
BUT RAYCOULDSEETHATTHEGAMECOULDGROW.
IN THE SPRING OF82,RURAL COACH MIKE LLOYD ALSOASENIOR
PLAYER, INTRODUCED A GROUP OFSTRONGATHLETESTOTHEGAME
OF RUGBY, ANDWENTONTOWINTHEPRESTIGIOUSHALIFAX7s.
RAYMONDSAWTHISGROUPASTHEFOUNDATIONFORGROWTH,AND
DECIDED THAT THE JR NATIONAL 15 ASIDE TOURNAMENT IN OTTAWA,
THAT SUMMERWASTHETIMETODOIT.
RAYMONDWASABLETOGATHERAGRANDTOTALOF16PLAYERSFOR
FORA15MANGAME,ANDAJRGRADUATETOBEASSISTANTCOACH.
WITH A15SEATERVAN, VALERIE’S CAR, AND A NEW SET OFJERSEYS,
ALL EXPENSES COVEREDBYRAY, THETEAMSETOFFFOROTTAWA.
FIRST UP WASAVERYSTRONGFROMALBERTA,ATEAMRAYSAWAS
UNBEATABLE, FOLLOWED BY NOVA SCOTIA, A TEAM HEFELT COULDBE
BEATEN. THIS IS WHERE RAY UNLEASHED HIS PLAN ANDTHELEGEND
OF RAYMOOREREALLYTOOKOFF.
As a highly educated lawyer as his background, he scoured the
rugby law books and realized that only 8 players were actually
required for a 15 aside game. He decided that the core 8 guys
would play against Alberta to try to preserve the rest from
possible injury and have a full squad against NS. As the 8 stood
on the field facing 15 very angry Alberta players and all 8
wondering what his grand plan was for our safety, Raymond was
busy going toe to toe with the “Red Blazer Brigade” as he liked to
refer to the Canadian Rugby Union Board. The intellectual battle
raged on for well over 30 minutes and he only relented and
fielded a full squad after they conceded he was indeed correct.
The game, with everyone rattled, ended up being much closer
than anticipated but in the end, Alberta came away with the win.
Most cannot even remember who even won that next game but
Raymond gave us a memory that has lasted 42 years and we still
laugh about it when we get together. The only thing Raymond
asked for in return was that we listened as he regaled us with his
other great love, after his wife Valerie of course, which was the
theater and the many productions he was involved in which lasted
all the way from Ottawa to PEI…Non-Stop.
RAY’S VISION FOR THIS GROUP AND THE IMPORTANCE OFTAKING
THEMTOOTTAWA,WASWELLREWARDED,RIGHTUPTOTODAY.
FROMTHIS GROUP. ALL HAVE GONEONTOPLAYINTOTHEIR5O’S,
WITH , 2 PLAYING CANADA A, AND NEARLYALLHAVEGONETO
SHARE THELOVEOFRUGBY,HELPINGTOSTARTTHEHIGH
SCHOOLPROGRAMS,ANDCOACHINGPROVINCIAL, CLUB, UPEI
ANDCANADAGAMESTEAMS.RAY’SVISION IS STRONG.
MY FIRSTMEETING!
1:, I came to live on the island 8 years ago but had heard of Ray Moore and
his love of rugby many years before, from Mike Lloyd, yet we had never
met.
2016 was my first Winter on PEI, and I found myself in the Churchill Arms
hoping to watch England v Ireland in the 6 nations. I took a seat in the
corner at the back and settled in. Within 20 minutes, the pub had filled and I
found myself next to this gentleman with a deep Irish accent, loving every
minute of Ireland’s win. I kept quiet, until he turned and offered to buy me a
commiseration beer.
I’m Ray, he said, Ray Moore.
My first question was, How did you know I’m English?
“Only the English show that much pain in loss, us Irish party whatever the
result.”
From that moment I too was in the presence of greatness.
Ray’s love for the game is a lifetime in the making, from his playing days to
his Coaching, and then administration, he has held every position with
Rugby on PEI.
3:Ray’s ability to share his passion and excitement for the game
of rugby has grown as a sport, decade after decade, developing
young athletes into adulthood with values and principles they
carry for life. For Ray winning mattered, but the love for the game
and your fellow player is everything.
RAY says that “ Rugby teaches you that life is a team sport”
and that is so true.
You look after your teammates on the field of play, and you look
after them and their families off the field of play. Friendships
built playing rugby, never break.
Ray could still be found at High school club and College/ Varsity
game , offering a kind word of encouragement to a young player,
starting out on their rugby journey, right up to the end, and if not
sure, who he is, you will hear “that’s Ray Moore” the builder of
rugby on PEI.
Every year as a Rugby Community we celebrate Ray and the
Ray Moore Cup. On this day, we bring back the Old Boys, who
played for and Coached with Ray, and play the up-and-coming
youngsters of the future.
It starts with Ray speaking to us all, sharing his wisdom, love of
Rugby and one of his famous historical battle speeches, to rally
the troops. Henry V, a favorite.
The game is always played with a mixture of passion and fun, and
ends with Ray proudly presenting the Ray Moore trophy to the
winning team.
Then it’s off to the pub to drink and celebrate the great man.
As the Head Coach of MUDMEN RUGBY, SINCE 2019 , Ray’s
kindness and support have enabled me to gain the respect of the
Island players, enjoy working with incredible individuals and be
part of a great club based on the principles of life.
If it’s with a note handed to you before the game on ideas and
thoughts from the previous weeks, or a kind nod from the stands,
you knew Ray had your back and for that I was stronger, we were
stronger.
ONONESUCHOCCASIONWEWEREPLAYINGTHETARS, IN
HALIFAX FOR THE DIV 1 TITLE.
THE NIGHT BEFOREI RECEIVED ANEMAIL WITH JUST ATITLE
“IF IT RAINS TONIGHT, WE FIGHT TOMORROW!”
NOWTHISWASMIDSEPTEMBERITHADBEENAVERYHOTWEEK,
ANDSATURDAYWASGOINGBEINTHE90s,BUTASENGLISHMANI
KNEWWHATHEMEANT!
BEFORE THEBATTLE OFAGINCOURT, HEAVILY OUTNUMBERED,
HENRYVKNEWTHATIFITRAINEDTHATNIGHT, THE BATTLE FIELD
WOULDBESODDEN,THEFRENCHKNIGHTSINALLTHEIRARMOR
WOULDGETSTUCKINTHEMUD,ANDTHELONGBOWMANWOULD
PICK THEM OFF.
STRATEGY MATTERED TORAY, WE WONTHECHAMPIONSHIPTHATDAY
ONDEFENSE, NOTOFFENSE, UNDERSTANDING THE OPPOSITION,
BEATING THEM TOTHEBREAKDOWN ANDPICKINGTHEMOFFFORTHE
POINTS WHENWECOULD.
In the presence of greatness can be scary, or it can be the
most wholesome wonderful experience that you carry with
you forever and share with others in the hope that that
wonderful person gets the recognition they deserve but do not
seek for a lifetime sharing the sport they love.
I’d like to thank the prestigious PEI Sports Hall of Fame, for
recognizing RAY, as a very worthy recipient for his Dedication
to one sport, Rugby