History of the A's

Pros Back In St. Kitts

ST. KITTS WON FIRST GAME HERE

LEASIDES DEFEATED IN LAST OF TOP-NOTCH GAME OF LACROSSE

PROFESSIONALS IN MATCH

CROWD DELIGHTED – SCORE AT FINISH STOOD THIRTEEN TO FIVE

The St. Catharines Standard

Monday July 8, 1918 

Increased attendance and renewed enthusiasm were manifest at the first game of the new Canadian Lacrosse Association played on the local grounds on Saturday afternoon between the Athletics of this city and the Leaside Indians when for the first time in many years, amateurs and professionals played alongside one another and on opposing teams. 

St. Catharines fans saw in the uniform of the light and dark blue once more foremost stars of the lacrosse world who have carried the fans of other cities into ecstasies of delight and whose fame has spread from shore to shore. 

These with younger blood produced an aggregation that was well worth watching and it was not long before the spectators were straining their lungs in all the old time enthusiasm of other days for the opponents, the Leaside Indians, furnished a great contest; at half time they had a lead on the home team and looked like winners. 

In the last half however, Billy Fitzgerald, George Kalls and Billy Hope, who have been kept out of the ranks of their home team for some time because of the “pro” line, soon started a combination with Pople, Richards and May that took the visitors off their feet, completely turned the tables and resulted in a final score of 13 to 5 in favor of the local team. 

Promptly on time the teams lined up before Referee F. C. Waghorne of Toronto, as follows:

Spares:

St. Catharines – C. Crowe, E. England

Leaside – Rice, Alfred, Ragis, Jacobs 

Visitors in the Lead 

The first half of the game demonstrated a brand of lacrosse of the first quality-lightning passing and close checking with both teams apparently evenly matched, strong on team play and both with an occasional individual play of the stellar variety which the grand stand never will fail to enjoy, although it knows that there is another kind that generally is more effective. 

It was neck and neck for the first two periods. The home team first found the nets and it was not long before it was tied. 

The game was, at this state, upon the opening of the second quarter when the visitors quickly scored two. Again the score was balanced and again broken and even play continued until half time, when Leaside was a shade ahead, 5 to 4 and the wise heads in the bleachers began to shake at the chance of the home team pulling out a win. 

Change after Half Time 

It was a ball-first struggle up to half time and to a secondary portion of the third quarter when the strain of the situation became too great for the red blood; lack of restraint was in evidence and there was a desire to mix it up, but there were no serious results. Fortunately sticks were dropped and the padded gloves, harmless in such practice caused no damage, and Richard Waghorne was well able to cope with all such occurrences. 

The change came quickly after the change of goals. May fielded and a long pass on the side of Hope and Kalls resulted in a tied score. Millar got the draw and another score soon resulted, with Fitz, Pople, Hope and Kalls handling the ball. Fitzgerald’s check took umbrage of him and as a result of retaliation both went off. The awakened St. Kitts home, however, quickly scored another, the crowd going wild at the metamorphosis of an apparent sure beating into a big victory. White, a star player for the visitors, was obligated to quit and with this the play of the home team quickened. Lightning combination was the ordinary. 

For the first game of the season, the passing was wonderfully perfect and will unquestionably improve. Six goals were rolled in, in the third quarter, bringing the score up to 10 to 5, and in the final period three more were added, making the final score 13 to 5. 

Not Disappointed 

With the bringing back of the professional stars into the game, the knowing fans expected something big and they were not disappointed, but they were treated to a great surprise. They did not expect the Athletics, who were in their first game to outshine the visitors, who have been playing for some weeks. 

To have pulled out a win in the last half with a team in acknowledged superior condition was a feat not easily explained. Yet it was done, and in doing some spectacular performances occurred. It was but a sample of what may be expected later in the season when the series gets under further way. 

Enough has been seen to agree that the inauguration of mixed lacrosse in wartime is a great success. The balance of the season has considerable in store to look forward to, and incidentally, when it comes to winning games, St. Kitts seems to have the goods, although the lowering of the anti-professionals bars opens the way to an almost incalculable scope for the two Toronto teams in the league. 

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