Don Cherry

Donald Stewart Don Cherry born February 5, 1934 is a Canadian ice hockey commentator for CBC Television. He is a sports writer, as well as a retired professional hockey player and NHL coach. Cherry cohosts the Coachs Corner intermission segment with Ron MacLean on the longrunning Canadian sports program Hockey Night in Canada, and has also worked for ESPN in the United States as a commentator during the latter stages of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Nicknamed Grapes, he is a Canadian icon known for his outspoken manner, flamboyant dress, and staunch Canadian nationalism.

Cherry was born in Kingston, Ontario later moving to Belleville, Ontario to attend Centennial Secondary School to Delmar Del and Maude Cherry. His paternal grandfather, John T. Jack Cherry, was an original member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and a Great Lakes ship captain. His maternal grandfather, Richard Palamountain, was a British orphan of Cornish parentage who was emigrated to Canada as one of the Home Children. The name Palamountain is a corruption of the Cornish language polmuntyr meaning pool by the mineral land. Palamountain was also a veteran of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Cherrys father Del was an amateur athlete and worked as an electrician with the Canadian Steamship Lines. On the March 15, 2008 edition of Coachs Corner, Cherry wore the green and gold colours of County Kerry, Ireland. In his segment following the game, he claimed ancestry from that region. Cherrys younger brother, Dick Cherry played hockey at various levels, including two seasons in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers.In his first year with the Bears, he met his future wife Rosemarie Rose Cherry ne Madelyn Martini born 1935 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Rose was hugely influential in Dons lifebecause of Dons minorleague hockey lifestyle, they moved 53 times they rarely had decent housing or furnishings, and Don was often away playing during major events, such as the birth of their daughter and first child, Cindy Cherry. Six years after Cindys birth, Rose gave birth to son Tim Cherry. When Tim needed a kidney transplant at age 13, Cindy donated one of hers. The two currently live across the street from each other, around the corner from their father, in Mississauga. ........

Source: Wikipedia