History of the A's

'39 Shamrock Jrs - A Title Won, A Title Lost

But the celebrations would be short-lived as the team would eventually lose that title when the O. L. A. upheld a protest from the Terriers over the "green-shirts" use of four players from the city junior "B" team in the final.

The Terriers would indeed go into the record books as 1939 Minto Cup champions, but for the Garden City West Enders, the acceptance of this would somehow take a long, long time.

"Shamrocks Are Real Ontario Junior Champions"

"West St. Catharines Shamrocks, the city's junior lacrosse squad that won the junior "A" championship on the Mimico box and then lost it in a Toronto committee room, closed their season last night with the annual banquet. The green-shirted city champions and real provincial titlists are shown above. From left to right, standing: Jack Martin, Doug Garriock, Alec Selseotos, Al Frick (trainer), Fred Huculuc, Eddie Robertson, Billy Nelson, Coach Leo (Wiz) Cunningham, Tommy Madsen, Teddy Martin, assistant-trainer Clarence (Knobby) Young, Ted Condon, Lloyd Anthony, Pat Smith, Billy Mackie. Sitting: Bobby Melville, Ernie Masterson, "Fibber" McKee, Harry Rodgers, Jack Dempsey, Harris Kimmitt, Frank Purdie, Frank Granton, Lorne Culp. Front: Sonny Frick and Jimmy Joy, Jr. - Photo by J. R. Joy."  The St. Catharines Standard, October 3, 1939.

SHAMROCKS SURPRISE BABY TERRIERS IN FIRST JUNIOR FINAL

RALLY IN LAST PERIOD TO UPSET PURPLE GIANTS 14 TO 9 

SAINTS STACKED UP SMALL TO ORILLIA 

‘ROCKS HIT BY SIZE – SCARE UNTIL THE FOURTH QUARTER 

The St. Catharines Standard

Wednesday September 20, 1939 

West St. Catharines Shamrocks sprang the biggest upset of the season at Haig Bowl last night, when “Wiz” Cunningham’s green-shirts hung a 14 – 9 setback on the touted Orillia Baby Terriers. Some 400 box fans sat in on the battle, despite the fact that it did not start until 9:10, after being dated for 8:30 and the railbirds gave both Frank (Piper) Bain, the Terrier coach and Bucko McDonald, a real heckling as every youngster from the hill notched a counter. Shamrocks gave away so much height and weight to Orillia that they looked like schoolboys beside the purple visitors, but what they lacked in stature was atoned for in stick-handling. Orillia had Cliff Chambers, who played a dozen games in goal for senior Terriers this summer, along with Marlow Woods of the Powers’ squad and big Jake Gaudaur, oarsmen-lacrossist, with his six-feet and 190 lbs stripped. 

Frankly it took Shamrocks three periods to shake off their stage fright of the team cracked up as the “terrors of the north,” but once the city squad found that Orillia was only human they began to bore in instead of camping outside to wait for openings. ‘Rocks gave up some three or four easy goals to Orillia at the start by being scared to check the purple giants and it was not until the final semester that the green-shirts found themselves. Not did the Saints get more than their share of the breaks from the referee, who inclined to cater to the Bain crew as the northerners bumped the lighter ‘Rocks and then worked the lay-down tactics in return, when the hill boys began to check the foe solidly. 

Shamrocks led 3 – 1 at the opener and held it at 4 – 3 for the halfway mark after Orillia had tied it 3-all after 5:30. A three-goal splurge in the middle of the third saw Terriers assume the lead for the first time and retain it at 7 – 6 at the end of the quarter, but it was knotted at 7 – 7 early in the final and then the ‘Shamrock surge’ was on, as the green jackets rifled five in a row past Chambers and took over the van at 11 – 7, which they never relinquished. Orillia potted the next and Saints matched it, then Terriers sniped another and the hill battlers replied with the closing two. Goals were rattled in like peas, eight being boomed in by the rival teams in 3:43 or one under every 30 seconds. Woods was the ace of Terriers in playmaking, but after he rolled around a hill man for his first goal, Garriock, Mackie and Jack Martin “tagged” him and held him off the sheet thereafter. Shamrocks play in Orillia on Thursday, and if they forget their fear, can cop the junior Ontario title on sheer merit. 

Orillia Baby Terriers: Goal, Chambers; defence, McNair, McGill; rover, Hewitt; centre, Hall; wings, McEwen, White; subs, Gaudaur, McKenzie, Woods, Fenwick, Cunningham, Cassidy, J. Chambers, Gilchrist. 

St. Catharines Shamrocks; Goal, McKee; defence, J. Martin, Mackie; rover, Condon; centre, Smith; wings, Selseotos, T. Martin; subs, Masterson, Garriock, Huculuc, Culp, Rodgers, Anthony, Purdie. 

Referee: Jerry Kendall, Brampton.

Summary:

First Period

Penalty: Condon

Second Period

Penalties: Condon, Gaudaur, Hall 

Third Period

Penalties: Woods, Selseotos (major), Woods.

Fourth Period

Penalty: Fenwick

SHAMROCKS LOSE 18 – 9 TO BABY TERRIERS 

FIBBER McKEE HAS NOSE BROKEN IN FIRST PERIOD BY GOAL SHOT 

DECIDING GAME CAST FOR MONDAY 

ORILLIA LEADS  3 – 1,  8 – 6,  AND  12 – 7 BY PERIOD PLAY 

  The St. Catharines Standard 

Friday September 22, 1939 

ORILLIA—One of the speediest junior lacrosse affairs of the season, ending in two harmless free-for-alls and including a half-time brawl between two of the timekeepers in the penalty box, saw the Orillia Baby Terriers even their best-of-three playoff series here last night by beating St. Catharines Shamrocks 18 – 9. The third and deciding match of the O.L.A. junior playoffs will be staged on neutral grounds Monday night. 

Winners of the series will take on Quebec-Cornwall champions. 

About 1,900 fans were thrilled from one end to the other of last night’s game. Baby Terriers gained a 3 – 1 first period lead and halftime saw the Terriers ahead again 8 – 6. Goalie Fibber McKee was carried from the visitors’ net about the ten-minute mark of the first quarter when felled with a broken nose by a terrific shot by Tom White of the Terriers. Goalie Granton substituted for the remainder of the match. Not able to get past the unfortunate McKee, Terriers scored heavily on the sub-goalie. 

A fight broke out among two of the timekeepers in the penalty box when it seems one of them rang the bell too early because he was going by the wrong clock. The last five minutes of the match saw two match penalties handed out when a four-man free-for-all broke loose; then two more of the same kind of penalties when a ten-man melee happened. One player lost his shorts and was forced to exit with a towel. The penalties were divided equally to a side. 

St. Catharines: Goal, F. McKee; defence, J. Martin, W. Mackie; centre, P. Smith; rover, Ted Martin; wings, A. Seleotos, T. Condon; subs, Masterson, Garriock, Huculuc, Anthony, Culp, Jarvis, Granton. 

Orillia Baby Terriers: Goal, Chambers; defence, Chambers, McKenzie; centre, Cassidy; rover, Fenwick; wings, Cunningham, Woods; subs. Hewitt, T. White, Hall, McNair, Gaudaur, Sutor, McGill. 

Referee: J. Kendall, Brampton. 

SHAMROCKS WIN JUNIOR BOX TITLE OF ONTARIO FROM ORILLIA 

CITY GREENSHIRTS GO 20 MINUTES’ OVERTIME TO WIN BY 10 – 9 

PERIOD SCORES 4 – 1, 5 – 5, 7 – 7, 8 – 8 TO VICTORY 

SELSEOTOS, MARTIN NET TYING AND VICTORY COUNTERS 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Thursday September 28, 1939 

St. Catharines Shamrocks crowned themselves junior “A” champions of Ontario lacrosse last night at Mimico, when they nosed out Orillia Baby Terriers 10 – 9 in one of the closest finals possibly ever contested in the younger championship series. It took “Wiz” Cunningham’s green-shirted Shamrocks of the western hill twenty minutes overtime to oust “Piper” Bain’s purple young giants of the north, with the victory being netted by Alex Selseotos with one minute and five seconds left to play as he took a flying pass from Ted Martin and brought a deafening roar from the loyal backers of the Shamrocks. It was the same combination of Martin and Selseotos who knotted the count at 9 – 9 midway through the overtime, to pave the way for the slim Selseotos, looking like a wraith of war with a red-stained bandage almost covering his head, zig-zagging his way in to cinch victory for the Garden City gallants. 

The hill entry gave away plenty of everything to Orillia and had to battle the hostile Terrier fans and the Mimico crowd, who were all rooting for Orillia. Candidly, had it not been for the protection afforded them by Ref. Max Peart, it is doubtful if Shamrocks would have survived the bumping as his partner in white handed out some fairly cheap penalties to the green-shirts. When F. Chambers crashed Selseotos into the iron goal post in the third period, it took three clips to close the gap in the Selseotos crown, but he stayed in the game and came through with the winning register. Sixteen minors and a major were meted out for the 60 minutes of play, Terriers drawing eight and a major. “Fibber” McKee was the bright light in the Shamrocks win, while he was given some starry backing by the Saints defence, who blocked sternly and put up a stonewall in front of the net. Every youngster on the Shamrock team turned in a beautiful game, for they were handed some stiff bumping, boarding and checking from the sturdy purple northerners. Ted Martin paced the Shamrocks to victory with three goals and four assists, while White of Orillia had three and one. It was the combination play that triumphed, as only two of Orillia’s goals were not solo efforts, while eight of the Shamrocks’ ten were scored with valuable assists. The game did not finish until nearly midnight and was the crowning blow to Orillia’s hopes for 1939, as they pinned everything in their juniors coming through with the junior “A” championship, which now gives three titles to the Garden City (in 1939). 

Orillia – Goal, McKay; defence, McKenzie, White; rover, F. Chambers; centre, Hewitt; wings, Hall, McEwen; subs, McGill, Gaudaur, Fenwick, Woods, Cunningham, Cassidy, Gilchrist, McNair. 

St. Catharines – Goal, McKee; defence, Mackie, J. Martin; rover, Condon; centre, T. Martin; wings, Selseotos, Madsen; subs, Garriock, Nelson, Smith, Huculuc, Melville, Anthony, Rodgers. 

Officials – Max Peart, Port Colborne; Jerry Kendall, Brampton 

Summary:

First Period

No Penalties

Second Period

Penalties: McGill, McKenzie, White, Smith (2), Nelson, Mackie, Selseotos.

Third Period

Penalties: McKenzie (2), Cunningham, Condon, Chambers (major), Garriock, Condon, McKenzie.

 Fourth Period

Penalties: F. Chambers, Condon.

^Overtime

No Penalties.

SHAMROCK JUNIOR PLAYERS ARE PRIDE OF CITY’S WEST END 

FOUR-YEAR TASK ENDS IN  O. L. A. HONORS FOR TEAM SPONSORS 

THOROLD QUAD AIDS IN LAURELS 

THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF THE PERSONNEL IS GIVEN 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Friday September 29, 1939 

Following is a thumbnail sketch of the personnel of the St. Catharines Shamrocks, newly-crowned junior “A” lacrosse champions of Ontario: 

GORDON (FIBBER) McKEE – GOAL, age 18, weight 135, started with Shamrock midgets in 1937 as forward, Shamrock juveniles in 1938 as forward, Shamrock juniors in 1939 as forward and became regular goalie in last ten games, rated ace goalie in city minors today. 

BILL MACKIE – DEFENCE, age 20, weight 170, started Shamrock juveniles in 1935, Athletics juveniles in 1936 and also for O. L. A. junior champions, 1937 with Thorold intermediates, inactive in 1938, high-scoring defence-man and good club player. 

JACK MARTIN – DEFENCE, age 19, weight 165, started with Thorold midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, juniors in 1938 and Shamrocks in 1939. Stiffest checker on team. 

DOUG GARRIOCK – DEFENCE, age 19, weight 120, started with Tecumseh juveniles in 1936, same in 1937, same in 1938 and Tecs juniors in 1939, to be added to Shamrocks for O. L. A. playoffs. Packs hardest shot on team. 

ERNEST MASTERSON – DEFENCE, age 19, weight 150, started with Shamrock midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937 – 8 as O. L. A. champions as team captain for three years, Shamrock juniors in 1939. Hard man to pass by opposing players. 

FRANK (TURK) PURDIE – DEFENCE, age 19, weight 150, started with Shamrocks juveniles in 1938 as O. L. A. champions, Shamrocks juniors in 1939. Fast runner and hard worker. 

TED CONDON – ROVER, age 18, weight 170, started with Thorold midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, juniors in 1938, and Shamrocks in 1939. Carries knack of scoring goals, shoots with either hand and is a very strong checker. 

FRED HUCULUC – ROVER, age 20, weight 150, started with Tecumsehs in 1935 from midget to junior, in 1938 with Thorold junior Mounts, 1939 with Shamrock juniors. Steadies defence and scores goals as odd man. 

PAT SMITH – CENTRE, age 19, weight 140, started with Shamrock midgets in 1936, juvenile in 1937 – 8, and junior in 1939. Rated the best all-round player in the city minors today. Strong back-checker, high-scorer and good stick-handler. 

TED MARTIN – CENTRE, age 18, weight 140, started with Thorold midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, juniors in 1938, Shamrock juniors in 1939. Fastest and trickiest runner on the team and led team in scoring in the playoffs. 

ALEC. SELSEOTOS – FORWARD, age 19, weight 130, started with Shamrock midgets in 1936, juvenile in 1937, juvenile in 1938 as O. L. A. champions, junior in 1939. Rated one of the best stick-handlers in Ontario, ace dodger and pivot-man and packs decisive underhand scoring shot. 

LLOYD ANTHONY – FORWARD, age 18, weight 155, started with Woodland midgets in 1936, Shamrock juveniles in 1937, same in 1938 with O. L. A. champions, junior in 1939. Fast runner, strong checker and fast breaker, also clever stick-handler. 

HARRY RODGERS – FORWARD, age 17, weight 145, started with Shamrock midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, same in 1938 with O. L. A. champions, junior in 1939. Fast runner and strong back-checker, natural ability with minimum effort. 

EDWARD (TURK) ROBERTSON – FORWARD-DEFENCE, age 18, weight 155, started with Thorold midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, juniors in 1938, Shamrocks juniors in 1939. Fast breaker, excellent checker and carries precise shot. 

HARRIS KIMMITT – DEFENCE-ROVER, age 19, weight 150, started with Shamrock midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937, inactive by illness in 1938, junior in 1939. Follows coaching order to the letter, strong back-checker and good stick-handler. 

LORNE CULP – FORWARD, age 19, weight 140, started with Tecumseh midgets in 1936, juveniles in 1937 – 8 and on O. L. A. juvenile champions in 1938, Tecs juniors in 1939. Good on draw, fast breaker and back-checker. 

FRANK GRANTON – SUB-GOALIE, age 19, age 145, started with Shamrock midget in 1936, juveniles in 1937 and tended goal for 1938 O. L. A. juvenile champions, junior in 1939. Possesses super-courage under fire and played most of season under medical care. 

LORNE JARVIS – FORWARD, age 17, weight 135, started with Wanderers midgets in 1938, Shamrock juveniles in 1939 and added to juniors for finals. Marked as a comer of the future with strong shot and fast-breaking play. 

BOB MELVILLE, TOM MADSEN, & BILL NELSON of the juveniles played in last game with Shamrock junior champions. 

Team manager, JIMMY JOY; coach, LEO (WIZ) CUNNINGHAM; trainer, AL FRICK; property, CLARENCE (KNOBBY) YOUNG. 

JUNIOR  TITLE  TAKEN  FROM  LOCAL TEAM 

ORILLIA  BABY  TERRIERS  ARE  DECLARED  THE  TITLEHOLDERS 

OFFICIALS  ARE  DUMBFOUNDED 

LOCAL  EXECUTIVE  IS  APPRISED  OF  O. L. A.  ACTION 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Friday September 29, 1939 

ORILLIA, ONT (Canadian Press) – Despite the fact that they lost the third and deciding game in the Ontario Lacrosse Association junior finals to St. Catharines at Mimico, Orillia Baby Terriers have been declared junior titleholders. 

INELIGIBLE PLAYERS

An O. L. A. executive meeting yesterday upheld an Orillia protest that St. Catharines Shamrocks had used four ineligible players in the titular game and Terriers were given the alternative of playing a sudden-death game with Shamrocks in Fergus or of being declared champions without further play. 

Coach Piper Bain of the Orillia team turned down the proposal to play at Fergus, but said today he had proposed to St. Catharines that the game be played in Barrie or Orillia, with all Shamrocks’ expenses guaranteed. 

This proposal was rejected by St. Catharines officials according to Bain, so Baby Terriers were awarded the title. 

The game was protested because St. Catharines allegedly used four players from their junior “B” team. Bain said such players cannot be transferred after Aug. 15. 

-------------- 

St. Catharines lacrosse officials were dumbfounded today when apprised of the O. L. A. executive drastic action. Speaking for the parent executive, Vice-Pres. Dr. J. E. Longley stated that Secy. E. J. Dopp of the O. L. A. had given the Shamrocks permission to use the four players of the champion junior “B” squad in question. Prior to the neutral-site game at Mimico, the only point discussed was a suggestion of ethics in the Shamrocks strengthening their roster for the deciding game, but Secy. Dopp freely admitted that there was absolutely nothing in the constitution that prevented use of the four players. 

Orillia lodged no official protest before the game, as is required and St. Catharines was not notified of the executive meeting yesterday or was represented there. As for Coach Bain’s statement of proposals, the Shamrocks were approached with the offer to play the third game in Barrie, if rained out at Mimico, and naturally rejected by this city in view of the fact that Toronto, Fergus or Burlington arenas were available. Dr. Langley stated that the parent body here would fight the issue to the last ditch and take the matter right to the C. L. A. for a final decision.  

SHAMROCKS BANQUETED AS CHAMPS 

SPONSORS FETE CITY WEST ENDERS WHO OWN  O. L. A. JUNIOR TITLE 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Wednesday October 4, 1939 

West St. Catharines Shamrocks, the game-battling squad of green-shirt lacrossists which defeated Orillia Baby Terriers in two-of three for the O. L. A. junior “A” championship, were tendered a complimentary dinner last night at the Welland house sunroom by their 1939 sponsors. Nearly forty officials, guests and players enjoyed a sumptuous repast, presided over by Pres. Rodgers of the western city club. Following the national toast, Pres. Rodgers introduced the head table guests, while Manager Jimmy Joy presented the players individually to the gathering, as each received a merited ovation. 

In the president’s brief remarks, he eulogized the four sponsors of as many entries from the west end in the city box league, as Messrs Jack Dempsey, Ed Binder, Peter Grammar and Woodward’s Diary, stating that their 1939 success was attributable in no small way to the generous sponsorship. 

Mayor Charles Daley, as guest speaker, in thanking the sponsors on behalf of the city, bespoke his personal pride at the excellent record of the Shamrocks in four classes and regretted that their junior city champions had been “sandwiched” between both senior “A” and “B” teams in catering to city box patronage. He held out brightest hopes of seeing the present juniors replacing senior talent in the near future and brought to them the opinion of city experts that their calibre of play was fully on a par with that crack junior squad which went to Cornwall to win the Ontario crown and those members now carried the Garden City senior banner in the west and toward retention of the prized Mann Cup. 

Shamrocks had won the real honors of Ontario junior this season and even if eventually deprived of those merited laurels, the club would take it sportingly and charge the loss up to costly experience. 

Jack Dempsey, speaking for the sponsors, mentioned the pride of the citizens at Shamrocks achievements and promised future aid in development of city teams. Rex Stimers of CKTB added his eulogies to the green-shirted lacrosse unit as one of the best battling and sporting clubs in city or Ontario ranks, who merited the orchids on their gallant 1939 display. This was reiterated by Clayton Browne, who also paid due tribute to the invaluable aid given by the four Thorold players in 1939 and added that the current junior situation was being fought out at the annual meeting of the C. L. A. in Vancouver this week. 

President Rodgers in his closing remarks, expressed the Shamrocks Club’s appreciation to sponsors, executives and players for their sterling efforts of the past season. Coach Leo Cunningham responded on behalf of the junior team, expressing sincerest regret at the drastic action of the O. L. A. in depriving them of their merited championship. He hoped the personnel would remain intact for 1940 junior ranks as they would lose but two players by the age limit. He also lauded the Thorold boys for their valuable aid in winning the city title and Ontario crown. 

RETURN