Cove battle 41

So Douglas Cove and Fripper Harrison must play with Russell Temple Kelley’s Hamilton Tiger lacrossists, or not at all this summer. That seems to be the price that St. Catharines and Mimico will pay for the purpose of retaining the striped Bengals in senior O. L. A. The mole has turned into the tiger, and demanded certain concessions, and for the peace of mind of the loop, the Ontario magnates acquiesce to the meager demands of the whip-hand Hamiltonians. Doug Cove may play for Hamilton at that. He will not enter into the spirit of a box season with the same incentive and inspiration since he really wants to play here at home. He is now a benedict (following the marriage on the holiday, for which he receives the congratulations of the lacrosse-hockey fraternity in this city.) St. Catharines fans are not going to take the O. L. A. edict on Doug Cove with good grace. Nor will Coach Art Brown like the new setup, for he was fitting the mighty midget into the blue machine and the native son was fired with plenty of ginger.

There is a decidedly growing feeling of discontent existing in this Garden City on senior “A” lacrosse matters and unless something is done pretty promptly, it could break out into open insurrection. Fandom here is literally “burning-up” on two points, hostility hinging around that recent edict of Pres. Jack McDonald of the O. L. A. on the 1941 status of player Doug Cove of this city. Loyal lacrosse boosters blame two factions, one justly and the other incidentally. They question why Pres. McDonald can adopt the czaristic attitude of Judge Landis and dictate where any player should perform. This agent has been deluged with complaints about the dictatorship of the O. L. A. solon, as indignant fans point out that is the very thing the civilized nations of the world are fighting. If the executive of the Athletics have not worn burning faces before, they are due to very soon. Supporters of box lacrosse are beginning to believe that the city magnates are lacking in backbone, for failing to declare themselves and their outraged feelings in the current scheme. They justly believe that Athletics executive should tell the O. L. A. in just so many words what they can do and where to go and defy Jack McDonald. In short, they want A’s to dress Doug Cove and play him here. This city is plum tired of the cry-baby tactics of Kelley and his Bengals. So is Toronto and other clubs for that matter. They know he will not quit lacrosse and so does Mr. Kelley. Yet he successfully bluffed the others into making a dictator ruling that give him and his Tigers title of two players.

The unanimous opinion of the senior Athletic lacrosse executive is that Pres. Jack McDonald of Mimico has a personal reason for allotting Doug Cove to Tigers and that is to weaken the Mann Cup champions. Then the task of the Mounts will be all the easier towards the 1941 O. L. A. title. The bone of contention really hinges around the playing status of Doug Cove. If any team needed player strength, it is the defending Ontario champions and why Cove should be restrained from playing here is the maelstrom boiling over with the Athletics’ executive, players and supporting patrons. There will have to be a show-down and at once, or the double blues will notify McDonald to keep his Mimico Mounts at home Friday night and that they are resigning from senior “A”.

What’s really going to happen at Haig Bowl tonight, when Athletics and Mimico Mounts clash in the latter’s debut in this Garden City and the McDonald clan seeking to retain their undefeated record? Only the inner circles of the Athletics executive will know what steps, drastic or subservient, will be taken with regard to dressing and using the most-publicized player in senior O. L. A. in Doug Cove. Should McDonald go the limit and suspend the player and the team for using him against the recent edict of the moguls, it simmers down to a problem of “so what?” Can the O. L. A. carry on in 1941 without St. Kitts Athletics, Mann Cup champions, or will the storm of protest from all over Ontario force him to rescind a rule that smacks of bad judgment.

Jack McDonald of Mimico straightened out several things while here last night. Not as coach of Mounts, but in his capacity as head man of the O. L. A. Since Mr. McDonald had been severely criticized for sundry acts, in which this column took a hand, the first business is to refute the accusation that he was a dictator. Mr. McDonald says that the Mann Cuppers handed over the player certificate of Doug Cove to Hamilton Tigers without force or coercion, if Cove wished to play for that team. That was when Russell Kelley threatened to quit the league and was made purely to keep him in and “for the good of the game.” Hamilton press quotes Mgr. Jim McKenzie of Tigers as saying were willing any time to turn Cove back to Athletics, if he and they wished his services in this city. This column endeavored to present the case as learned from Athletic officials for lacrosse readers. In view of the above facts, insofar as the player angle goes, the matter is now closed. What transpires between Tigers and A’s over the situation will likely come in from Secy. Dopp and be announced at the discretion of the governing body. The main fact is that an apology is here made to Mr. McDonald, freely and gladly.

^{(In
the Tuesday June 17th Standard, A’s president Dr. J. E. Longley
wrote…“In Saturday’s issue, you present Pres. Jack McDonald’s
version of the Cove case, which very decidedly leaves the impression that
the St. Catharines lacrosse executive is to blame in the mix-up…The St.
Catharines Lacrosse Association, or its representatives in Toronto, at no
time agreed that Cove should play in Hamilton, unless Cove himself desired
to do so. We consider the rule to be very dictatorial.”)}

The big news in lacrosse is that the executive of the St. Catharines Athletics are literally burning up over the antics of the O. L. A. executive last night in Toronto. Although this column declined to comment more on the Cove controversy, his case came up at a special caucus of the box solons and the outcome is that the situation stands “as is” and he cannot play for his native Garden City club. That impasse resulted from failure of either of two Hamilton Tiger representatives to attend the session and in the strict parlance of sport, Athletics are being given the popular “run around.” President Jack McDonald and his colleagues listened to St. Catharines side of the case and Doug Cove also gave his personal version. At the end, the moguls decided it would have to stand since Tigers had not presented their views and without compliance of the third party, it was impossible to grant a transfer. Frankly, there was no release of Cove sent in by Hamilton to Secretary Dopp. Candidly, Athletics believe Tigers had absolutely no intention of releasing him and the phone assurance that the release letter had gone through was nothing but a pure fabrication. Athletics’ executive will likely meet here tomorrow to decide what they will do in return. Cove told the O. L. A. flatly last night that he could not, or would not, play for Hamilton. It is about time that A’s executive took a drastic part, instead of being content to be good sports any longer. If they do not, it may be that their patrons will rebel and that could apply to the playing roster too.

Athletics, by which is meant executive and players, carry the fullest confidence of their patrons and public in the step made. It is further agreed, if any criticism is injected, it is that the Athletics should have acted three weeks to a month ago in making that edict a definite issue. Any idea of internal dissension can be absolutely denied and in the same breath stated that not one player of the Athletics has a single idea of playing with another club in O. L. A. competition. It seemed unthinkable (in Toronto) that members of the Mann Cup champions would sacrifice everything on what might be called an alter of principle. So Athletics, even if free agents, still stick together through thick and thin and no senior club will be bolstered by one of their personnel.

As expected, Messrs Lytle and Burnett of the Star and Morganson of the Tely “put the blast” on the Garden City, her lacrosse executive and players, and her loyal fandom for backing the Mann Cuppers in their declaration to fight for their rights. Friend Lytle infers that the vocal point is not so much Doug Cove, whom he rates as just an ordinary player, but that the A’s are fading from age – over the hill as he states – with Cove used as an excuse. Quite naturally, Mr. Lytle upholds Pres. Jack McDonald and his chattel decision. “Red” Burnett says the O. L. A. without the Athletics will be like the American League without the New York Yankees, the ace drawing card of the top box circuit. Bunny Morganson is quoted as saying that the A’s retirement constitutes the greatest blunder made by A’s officials in lacrosse annals.

The prize outburst of the week comes from columnist Tom Moore of the Hamilton Spec. “St. Catharines can’t take it. The Garden City Athletics, big toads in the lacrosse puddle for the last four years and twice Mann Cup cup-holders, have taken their dolls and dishes home. They quit because they could not use Doug Cove…two years ago, when they had a packed team, they did not worry about Cove. This year, they wanted him and have gone so far as to quit because they cannot have him. Small potatoes we call it and their decision to toss in the towel should not cause a great deal of grief. A team that can’t take the bitter with the sweet never did help any league.” President Kelley and the Hamilton Tigers were the instigators of this current muddle, as the whole lacrosse world knows. Now that they are “sitting pretty,” every player but Eddie Powers back…it is left for Jack McDonald and his executive to extricate the O. L. A. out of this morass, while the very club that was instrumental in the upheaval calmly sits by, twiddles thumbs and blasts St. Catharines. Does Mr. Moore forget that the Athletics willingly released Cars Myers and Pat Smith to the Tigers this year without a murmur. That St. Catharines gave to Hamilton the lacrosse services of “Peck” O’ Malley, Ed Downey, Billy Wilson and present coach Alec McPherson on the only team that ever won a Mann Cup for that ungracious city, in 1933, when not one Hamilton native was on the club? That at one time or another St. Catharines gave to Hamilton, Jimmy Wagstaffe, Bun Barnard, “Red” Millar, Max Peart, Irv Lounsbury and Perc Oillie to bolster Pres. Kelley’s flagging lacrosse troops? All this in the face of their president’s statement that he had spent more money than anyone else across the wide expanse of Canada to “develop” senior lacrosse.

The sports battle of the month, the press and “Axes” of power of Toronto arrayed against the minority press and radio of this city, continues apace. So far the cases parallel Europe. Britain, represented by St. Kitts, feels the injustice of the dictatorial terms and like Churchill, is prepared to see it through to the bitter end with the troops (the Athletics) to finish the job and on the same principle of saving democracy for the lacrossists of the future. For them, there’ll be no half-way truce. Herr and Il Duce measure fairly up to the “Axes” partnership. Duce beseeched the boxla forces and then sent the ultimatum of “no-aid-no-play.” After initial appeasement by reinforcement, recruited from neutral units to full strength, pressed demands for the final pound of flesh and when refused, Herr dictated the war terms. When St. Kitts (like St. George and the Dragon) fought back, all the boxla Goebbels lined up and blitz-kreiged the Beaver and Rex with all they had. Like Coventry, the blasted survived and live to fight again. While the “Axes” began to lay fresh plans, keeping the secret from the foe, as war fronts shifted.

The Hamilton Spectator states that they have been advised on good authority that St. Kitts Athletics are desirous of re-entering senior “A” lacrosse ranks and again agrees that it should be good business on the part of the moguls to arrange for that to become fact at an early date. As to the source, it is their say-so, but the latter idea is welcome. However, they spoil the picture completely farther on in the story. If quoted correctly, Coach Alec McPherson is alleged to have said that the Athletics must come in on terms to be dictated by “us,” not by the Mann Cup champions. If he means the O. L. A., that is to be expected, but if speaking for the Tigers alone, it is using considerable length of rope to strangle a club that could help the Bengals from financial loss in this uncertain season.

The best four-letter word to express the current lacrosse situation is by calling it a m-e-s-s. Which could be printed in capitals and then not express itself too fully. Time is called the great healer and we can only wait days or weeks to find the reaction of the sports public, both here and abroad. That is with regard to the decision of the Athletics to seek reinstatement in the sacred portals of the O. L. A. So tonight they will know their fate at the hands of the conquerors. Intimation was received late last week that the solons would consider a formal application for the return of double blue, but at terms to be dictated by the lacrosse magnates. It just depends on the argumentative or persuasive ability of the A’s four representatives in Toronto tonight, whether they will be akin to those dictated by Hitler to Poland, France and other subjugated nations. They could be so severe that all this city will get out of it is the ignominy of sacrificing its civic pride and club prestige on what they elected to call an alter of principle at one time. This corner stood with St. Catharines, her Athletics and the part of the sports public that the Toronto press called the “hard heads,” all on the belief that the boys were fully justified in battling for a principle. If they are foresworn that principle, there is nothing left to be said from this agent. No matter whether it turns out as reception or rejection for the Garden City box forces and the resumption of lacrosse hostilities on the soil and not in committee, there is not a shadow of a doubt but that the Athletics and their fans will have to sustain the most terrific verbal punishment ever meted out to any St. Catharines club on foreign fields. That may be the hardest of all to digest.

At six o’clock last night, Pres. Jack McDonald of the O. L. A. advised Secy-Treas. Dan Millar of the Athletics that the proposed meeting at Toronto would have to be postponed. The reason advanced was that the parent lacrosse body had not received the A’s application for reinstatement (which was mailed on Sunday), so the caucus that will decide the Athletics fate one way or the other, was definitely slated for Friday night at the Prince George Hotel in Toronto.

Some 70 miles away tonight, the lacrosse boys of the upper strata of senior “A” are debating the problem of reinstatement of the St. Kitts Athletics, over which, this agent is very free and frank to admit, the outlook is not overly promising. It will be surprising indeed if the double blue champions are admitted at any price and it may be that they have spent long hours, days and weeks of recantation as wasted time. Stories are rampant, of course, but the one that stands up best is the one that says Doug Cove communicated with Hamilton Tigers and offered to finish out this season with them if they would consent to the return of the club of his native city in the senior grouping of Ontario. That, to say the least, is a worthwhile gesture on the part of Doug Cove. What has already transpired in the O. L. A. need not be enlarged on as highly detrimental to Canada’s national game. In the event that the Athletics are placed outside tonight at Toronto, consensus of opinions here is that it practically means the death-knell of lacrosse in this hot-bed of the summer pastime. Whether that will even be considered by the moguls, in their desire to penalize the twin blues, is a grim guess. They may say that the Athletics brought all this down on themselves. In finality, when the solons are looking ahead towards the fall, is there any assurance whatever that the 1941 Mann Cup series will be contested at the coast? True, the C. L. A. has sufficient finances to underwrite the expenses of the Ontario defenders to Vancouver, but with the nation at war it is felt proper judgment may prevent what could be called useless expense of $2,500 and which could be devoted to more patriotic purposes. All opinion is not confined to sport circles.

The lacrosse war is over, peace terms signed and the St. Kitts Athletics are back in the McDonald-Dopp dove cote. Net result is that the Mann Cup champions lose $100 as forfeited bond, in which they really can count themselves fortunate. It’s very unlikely that they will err again this season, wherein they stand to lose an additional $200, which would cut very deeply into a depleted treasury. Now that the books have been wiped clean, it is doubtful which side won, but since both are satisfied, all should run on an even keel. Doug Cove goes back to the Tigers voluntarily. A’s are more than lucky as to lapsed games. Through O. L. A. decision, the sextet of tilts will be replayed during the revamped schedule and the double blues given a chance to prove their merit on the cushion, as they state it can be done. Athletics can begin to buckle down to practice again, as they face a hard row to catch up on Mimico.

Toronto, July 19. – St. Catharines Athletics, Dominion senior lacrosse

champions, were granted reentry into the Ontario Association last night at an emergency meeting of the league executive. The Athletics withdrew about a month ago when the league executive refused to grant them the right to use player Doug Cove of St. Catharines.

Cove was earlier awarded to Hamilton in a shuffle aimed at keeping the Tigers in the league. Goaltender Frip Harrison of Mimico Mountaineers of the O. L. A., awarded Tigers at the same time as Cove was ordered there, has played with the Hamilton team.

Last night’s meeting was brought about through efforts of St. Catharines players who expressed a desire to keep the game alive in the city.

The players voted to ask their club executive if they would sponsor a movement to get back into the league and by a 10 to 2 vote, the Athletic board of governors allowed the players to present their case of the O. L. A. for readmittance.

special thanks to the late Bobby Grainger for the cartoon

- 1941 FINAL STANDINGS -
	GAMES	WON	LOST	POINTS
Mimico Mountaineers	24	19	5	38
St. Catharines Athletics	24	14	10	28
Hamilton Tigers	24	13	11	26
Brampton Excelsiors	24	10	14	20
Etobicoke Indians	24	4	20	8

1941 ATHLETICS PLAYOFF RECORD

O. L. A. Quarter-finals: St. Catharines defeated Brampton 3 games to 0

O. L. A. Semi-finals: St. Catharines defeated Hamilton 4 games to 0 (Hamilton beat Mimico)

O. L. A. Finals: St. Catharines defeated Etobicoke 2 games to 1 (Winners vs. Sr "B" champs)

Eastern Canada Finals: St. Catharines defeated St. Regis - Caughnawaga 2 games to 0

Mann Cup Final: St. Catharines defeated Richmond B. C. 3 games to 2