History of the A's

"It's Been A Long Time"

THROUGH THE SPORTS GATE

by Jack Gatecliff

The St. Catharines Standard

September 10, 1963

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME

This is how long it has been since a team based in St. Catharines last won an Ontario and Eastern Canada senior lacrosse championship.

The year was 1946:

Ø      The St. Catharines junior hockey team was known as the Falcons.

Ø      Canadian troops were still returning from both Asia and Europe after the conclusion of World War II.

Ø      Syl Apps was captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ø      Mickey Mantle was five years away from playing his first game with the Yankees.

Ø      There was no Canadian television.

Ø      Grey Cup tickets could be purchased the day of the game and the empty seats at Varsity Stadium out-numbered those filled.

Ø      The fathers of two of the 1963 Athletics . . . Joe Cheevers and Doug Favell . . . were members of the Garden City team which defeated New Westminster Salmonbellies at Maple Leaf Gardens to win the Mann Cup.

Although it has been 17 years between titles, several members of the 1963 Athletics are no strangers to Mann Cup finals. Derry Davies, Jim McNulty and Gary Moore all played in championship series while members of British Columbia teams; Doug Smith, Gary Hind, Ted Howe and spare goaltender Justin Howe were with Fred Conradi’s Welland team which won an Ontario championship in 1958.

Although the way they celebrated their win last night you would honestly believe they were rookies rather than one of the oldest teams ever to take the Eastern title.

It’s been a real struggle for the blue-shirts. They had to overcome not only apathy among the fans but also among the players. In fact until a few weeks before the start of the 1963 schedule there was some doubt that St. Catharines would field a senior club. The players themselves finally decided to go ahead. From their own members they elected an executive, then prevailed upon Conradi’s long-time assistant Jim Lomore to act as president.

The early games this year drew few spectators. However for once the team was not beset with players quitting in mid-season and it wasn’t too long before older lacrosse fans, plus many new spectators, made the Wednesday night games a habit.

The playoffs against Brampton and Port Credit drew as many as 1,000 . . . perhaps a long way from “the old days” but still a good number in this era of skimpy attendance at summer sports.

The Athletics finished in a tie for first place with Brooklin but were shunted to second by a rather curious goal-average edict from the Ontario Lacrosse Association. (Brooklin was given the advantage although they played one more game than the A’s)

The St. Catharines team had more than its share of trouble from Brampton in the first round. They dropped two games at the Haig Bowl in overtime and after four games of the best-of-seven series were trailing 3 – 1.

Then everything started to come up roses.

With their “holler guy” Doug Smith back in the line-up they edged Brampton 8 – 7 in the fifth game at Haig Bowl to stave off elimination, trounced the Sealtests 11 – 3 in Brampton and finished them off before the largest crowd of the year in the seventh.

Port Credit meanwhile was scoring the biggest upset of the year in their seven-game win over Brooklin, but in the finals they were simply no match for the championship bound Athletics.

The St. Catharines defence, which on occasion had given goaltender Bob McCready shoddy assistance, steadied down. Hind, Smith, Davies and Don Carr are now in a class by themselves among Ontario defencemen.

Offensively McNulty and Moore fired the big bombs but were given more than adequate help from their attacking team-mates.

As usual the western champs will be heavily favored in the Mann Cup finals. However with the help of a half dozen players from the three other Ontario teams we have a suspicion that there may be a few surprises in Cornwall next week.

This is an experienced, capable lacrosse club.

Don’t sell them short.  

SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE PLAYOFF WIN GIVES A’s FIRST TITLE IN 17 YEARS

BEAT PORT CREDIT FOUR STRAIGHT

ATHLETICS EASTERN CANADA SENIOR LACROSSE CHAMPIONS

GARY MOORE GETS FOUR GOALS

by Jack Gatecliff

The St. Catharines Standard

September 10, 1963

PORT CREDIT – For the first time since 1946 a St. Catharines team has won the Eastern Canada senior lacrosse championship. Last night the Athletics edged an improved but still out-classed Port Credit team 10 – 8 to sweep the best-of-seven finals in four straight games.

They will now represent the East in the Mann Cup finals that open in Cornwall one week from tonight. Their opposition will be either New Westminster or Vancouver, still involved in the Western Canada finals.

In recording their seventh straight playoff victory after dropping three of the first four semi-final games to Brampton, the Athletics looked every inch a championship unit last night. Twice they had to overcome Port Credit leads.

In the first period the Sailors gave up the first two goals, then came back to lead 4 – 3 before playing coach Jim McNulty tied the score in the final minute.

Early in the second period hard-working Florie Tomchishen and the aggressive Brian Aherne gave the Sailors a two-goal edge but despite a flock of penalties, the A’s refused to panic.

Junior star Doug Favell scored his second of the night seconds later but the turning point actually came soon after Dog Smith was given his fourth penalty of the night. With Port Credit pressing to add to their lead McNulty intercepted a pass, gave the ball to Gary Moore and the high-scoring Athletic forward picked a low corner behind Sailor goaltender Porky Russell putting the A’s back on even terms.

After twice failing to beat Russell on close-in plays, Derry Davies fed the ball to Ted Howe at the edge of the crease and St. Catharines was ahead to stay. Skeeter Mower made it 8 – 6 on a pass from Pete Berge before the end of the period and Moore’s third and fourth goals (sandwiching a single by Aherne) clinched the game for the determined Athletics before the five-minute mark of the third.

Moore’s four goals brought his total to nine to the finals. Favell had a pair, Smith, McNulty, Mower and Howe one each.

For Port Credit Bob Hanna, Tomchishen and Aherne scored two each, Pete Ruse and Paul Henderson singles.

Played Better

Even in defeat Port Credit played by far its best game of the series. They seemed to have overcome their terror of the tough St. Catharines checking and took far more liberties in the Garden City defence area.

Although the A’s drew 32 minutes in penalties (including a 10-minute misconduct to Smith for arguing over the loss of a goal called back for a crease infraction) and Port Credit had only 23 minutes, the Sailors played more forceful lacrosse. The game was easily the most evenly contested of the finals. The big difference between the teams could only be described as poise.

While Port Credit, in desperation, chased the elusive St. Catharines ball-carriers around the crease, the Athletics were content to play relaxed lacrosse and wait for the breaks. When the breaks arrived the A’s made few mistakes.

ROUNDUP – The grip the Athletics have taken on the fans in the St. Catharines area was evidenced by the number of local spectators who took in the final game . . . at least 100 accompanied the team and the St. Catharines goals were greeted with as lusty support as those by Port Credit.

After allowing a couple of shaky goals in the first period, Bob McCready turned in another sound game in the nets in the final 40 minutes . . . over the series he was far superior to he more experienced Port Credit guardian Porky Russell.

Tomchishen’s goal at 10:45 gave Port Credit their first lead in the four game series . . . in their earlier three games the A’s had taken 3 – 0 leads, then virtually coasted the rest of the way.

The Athletic dressing room was sheer bedlam after the game . . . several of the players celebrated with cheers, hugs and handshakes for 30 minutes before heading for the showers.

Team President Jim Lomore and Manager Joe McNulty will start a campaign for funds today to help finance the trip to Cornwall . . . the Canadian Lacrosse Association pays for only 18 players to the Mann Cup finals and this includes a compulsory six additions from other teams . . . the St. Catharines team will take its entire roster to Cornwall . . . “We just can’t leave any of those fellows at home,” said McNulty.

The team will discuss ways of raising the needed finances at a meeting tonight.

St. Catharines Athletics goal, McCready; defence, Hind, Smith, Davies, Carr; forwards, Thorne, McNulty, Mower, McGrath, Favell, Howe, Thomson, Berge, Moore.

Port Credit Sailors goal, Russell; defence, Hanna, Kapasky, Allan, Schmidt; forwards, Olah, L. Ruse, Shipway, Tomchishen, P. Ruse, Hall, Crawford, McCracken, Aherne, Henderson, Teatro.

Referees Denny Peterson, Toronto; Bill Dix, Mimico.

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