History of the A's

1930 Ontario Juvenile Champion Athletics

"BACK ROW (left to right) - J. Bowie, goal; G. Gilchrist, goal; S. Kasmaski, defence; W. Roberts, cover-point; R. Sunderland, 1st defence; Charles Mordle, secretary-treasurer; C. Martin, point; D. O'Malley, 1st home; T. Baker, 2nd home; O. Barrett, outside home; "Doc" Gilby, trainer.

FRONT ROW (left to right) - Billy Hope, coach; B. Halliday, home; A. Rowden, 1st home; W. Young, home; G. Cleverley, 3rd defence; Ed. England, president; W. Fitzgerald, home; D. Williams, centre; W. Nutt, 2nd defence; G. Hope, home; Andy Mackan, coach; M. McDonald, mascot."

The St. Catharines Standard, Thursday October  30, 1930

Photo Courtesy of Vince Lomore

LACROSSISTS TO DINE TONIGHT 

CLUBS AND PLAYERS WILL BE HONORED AND AWARDED AT BIG SPREAD 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Wednesday October 29, 1930 

Everything is “all set” for the monster lacrosse banquet tendered the players and management by the officials of the city league, which is billed to occupy the boards tonight at the Hotel Leonard. 

Close to two hundred are expected to be in attendance and President Ed England and Secretary-Treasurer Charlie Mordle have been so busy for the last couple of weeks that they have been only visiting at home. 

The public and sporting fraternity have witnessed the display of trophies, surrounded by photos of the two championship teams, who will receive the honors at the hands of officials of the O.A.L.A. tonight. These are the St. Kitts “Athletics,” winners of the juvenile title of Ontario secured from Weston and the originally named Athletics, who took the flag in the city league. The Alerts, representing the east end of the city, will be also in the spotlight as runners-up to the champion Athletics, receiving the president’s shield as their share of the spoils. 

Officials prominent in the Ontario and Dominion lacrosse circles have signified their intentions of being present to grace the occasion, chief of whom will be A. E. Lyon, newly-elected pres. of the C.A.L.A.; E. J. (Gene) Dopp, secretary and Dr. Wendell Holmes, treasurer of the Ontario Association, as well as “Skeets” Warr, vice-president of Brampton; W. J. Blainey, former vice-president, of Toronto, and Fred Waghorne, Len Smith and Eddie Sullivan of Toronto. 

Mayor McCordick and the members of City Council will also be in attendance, along with those three former presidents of the O.A.L.A., Sheriff Henry O’Loughlin, Walter Westwood and J. D. Wright, all of this city. 

The fitting closure to the past season in local lacrosse has been the chief topic of conversation since the final game of the season that brought the title to the Garden City, for the first time since 1924, and that event will come in for the customary reminiscing at this evening’s big affair.  

JUVENILE CHAMPIONS HONORED GREATEST BANQUET IN HISTORY 

LACROSSE OFFICIALS OF CITY AND ONTARIO UNITE IN CELEBRATION 

4 PAST PRESIDENTS OF O. A. L. A. AS GUESTS 

TROPHIES AND AWARDS MADE TO VICTORIOUS TEAMS DURING 1930 SEASON 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Thursday October 30, 1930 

There may have been previous banquets and get-togethers in the history of the sport fraternity of St. Catharines in days gone past, but it may be truthfully recorded that never was there a more auspicious gathering of enthusiasts than that of the city lacrosse league last night at the Hotel Leonard. Over two hundred players and guests were in attendance, the latter being the celebrities of the lacrosse world, who gathered to do honor to the juvenile championship team of St. Kitts “Athletics” and the city whose name they so proudly bore before the lacrosse public of the province of Ontario during the season of 1930. 

Sponsored by the city association that comprised the quartet of clubs that composed the juvenile city league and also produced the provincial titlists, the evening’s affair was complete to the last minute detail and reflects most creditably upon the officers of the organization, chief of whom are President Ed. England and Secy-Treas. Charles Mordle. Following a sumptuous turkey dinner, President England, as the toastmaster of the evening, proposed “The King,” which was responded to by E. C. Graves, M. P. P., one of St. Catharines’ stalwarts of the lacrosse field in years past, who expressed his surprise and appreciation of the talent available in this city on the occasion of his visit to the sports fields. Even now it was noticeable that the peculiar style of play that invariably featured the work of St. Kitts teams was apparent and just as marked by way of success as in previous decades. Mr Graves impressed upon the coming generation the necessity for clean sportsmanship and the necessity of playing the game for the game’s sake.  

“Our City,” responded to by Mayor Frank C. McCordick, expressed the pride of the city in the achievement of the city juveniles, to whom he expressed due congratulations upon their deserved victory in bringing the championship to their native city. He enjoined them to strive to maintain the prestige of the league officials in their effort to rejuvenate the great national pastime. 

St. Catharines felt honoured, the mayor stated, at the signal tribute paid to its sons in bringing this victory to its boundaries and he was more than pleased to tender to them the appreciation and congratulations of himself and his colleagues on the city council for their achievement. 

Ald. Fred W. Beard, designated as one of the foremost supporters of the Canadian national game in this city and who had been a member of various senior executives, regaled the audience with an outline of the proposals of the city’s sport program, with regard to facilities for the convenience of the sports public, which if handled in conjunction with the same spirit as predominated during the past season, would result in the return to the Garden City of the laurels won in those glorious years gone by. 

“The City Champions,” responded to by Ald. W. J. Westwood, who was introduced as the donor of the individual medals to he successful players, stated that this evening was the greatest lacrosse gathering in his experience of forty years connection with the national summer game. He paid well-deserved tribute to the keenly competed games and eulogized the players and managements for their efforts to rejuvenate the game in this city. Ald. Westwood then presented to the Athletics their medals and a group picture of the team, the following players being the recipients: Hope, McCready, Martin, Gilligan, Nutt, Cleverley, Williams, Rowden, O’Malley, Spagnola, Millar, Dixon, Hare, McKean, Whittaker, Redmond, Wood, Haynes, Wilcox and O’Brien, as well as Coach Billy Hope and Trainer Hal Fairburn. The Tim and Mac magnificent silver trophy was then presented by Jack McIlwain, in a few well-chosen words to the coach of the club, who responded suitably. 

“The City Lacrosse Association,” proposed F. J. Dixon, was responded to by President England and Secy. Mordle. The former told of the efforts that he and his colleagues had made to start the ball rolling in the city last summer, the tribulations they encountered and the final success which crowned their efforts in the securing of the juvenile championship. 

This he attributed to the fine spirit of co-operation and determination of the respective clubs, and the whole-hearted support given the scheme by the players. Reviewing the history of the game during the past season, he touched upon the high spots therein and pointed out where benefits for future years came to the fore as assets for those who would carry on in the same spirit of friendly rivalry and sporting competition. He concluded by presenting the England Shield to the Alerts, as runners-up in the City League, the following players representing that club: Bowie, Roberts, Kazmaski, Young, Blank, G. Lounsbury, McPherson, Othin, Horne, Barrett, W. Lounsbury, Halliday, Lacas, Moore, Storin, Foster, Clark, Madsen, Cunningham, Lutz and Warner, Manager James McPherson accepted the trophy for the east-end club, the coach of which was Andy Mackan. The president then pleasantly surprised Secretary Mordle with the presentation of a signet ring, from the players of the various City League clubs. Referred to as “the best secretary in the O. A. L. A.,” the recipient responded in his usual modest manner, giving all the credit for the success of the league and the awards to the players and the excellent co-operation he had received from the respective managements. Secretary Mordle also gave due credit to E. T. Sandell, Ald. Westwood, and the firm of Tim and Mac, for their financial assistance in bringing the league into being, as without those assets, the city would not have enjoyed the recent revival and the resultant honors brought to this city. The future was painted in rosy hues for the players and the boosters of the game by Mr. Mordle. 

“Our Coaches,” brought suitable response from Billy Hope of the Athletics, Andy Mackan of the Alerts, Max Peart of the Tecumsehs and Hubert Sheehan of the Shamrocks, which were received with applause, as the hopes for next year were mooted. 

“The O. A. L. A. Past Presidents,” responded to by Ald. W. J. Westwood as the first speaker, was a resume of his connection with the national summer game in this city and the efforts made in years gone by, which had brought this splendid victory again to the Garden City. Fred Waghorne, Sr., organizer of the Ontario Association, evinced his keen pleasure in being present and recalled the honor of this city having a representative in the person of Frank Dixon on the Canadian Olympic lacrosse team, reviewing his famous games at which he had officiated here 25 to 30 years ago, when the name of “Athletics” was one to be both feared and honoured. He took little credit to himself as having put the city association upon its feet, after his missionary visit here, but attributed the major success to the officers and the various clubs and individual players, to whom he held out excellent hopes of bringing back to their native city the senior honors of which St. Kitts was at one time the champion title-holders. 

Sheriff Henry O’Loughlin, who held the office of president of the C. L. A. for five years and later was secretary of the senior Athletics, in the year of 1877 and afterwards, took his hearers back to the days when the first club here was the St. Catharines Lacrosse Club, which merged the next year into the Athletic L. C. where it has remained to the present time. In conclusion, the speaker presented to the city officials, an enlarged photo of the first senior lacrosse club that bore the name “Athletics,” which was received and acknowledged by Secretary-Treasurer Mordle. 

A. E. Lyon of Brantford, president of the Canadian Lacrosse Association, was given an ovation at the conclusion of his spirited address, when he reviewed the recent Mann Cup series, going back to the time when Oshawa, with an average age of 24, had taken the famous silverware from the western coast club, whose average age was 31 years, after 29 years had elapsed since the eastern lacrosse seniors had enjoyed possession of the major honors of Canada’s national game. 

This he characterized as typical of that proof of “youth being served” and connected with it the spectacle of his young hearers as worthy exponents of that game which would develop them into future stars. Mr. Lyon enlarged upon the growth of the sport in other countries, citing the fact that the United States bought twice as many sticks as Canada did, while Great Britain purchased four times the quantity and Australia six times more than was disposed of in our own country. Great strides had been made by the States in the pastime, both in regards to attendance and competition and he feared for the future through the U. S. college teams, where speed was their chief. Mr Lyon depreciated the present system of heavy and close checking and supported the theory of the open brand of lacrosse as formerly utilized and now decadent. Upon the subject of the recent Mann Cup series at Toronto, he emphasized the attendance of nearly 16,000 spectators at the three games as positive proof of the popularity of the national pastime and in closing, stressed the necessity for young Canada to look well to her heritage and not permit the great national sport to go across the border to our southern neighbour. 

Len Smith, Toronto, dean of the present day referees and president of the World’s Lacrosse Federation, in his remarks expected to find one club on hand to receive its trophy when he arrived in this city, not the wonderful representation of supporters before him. In his resume of the past season’s games, he eulogized the city O.A.L.A. teams, both juvenile and junior, for their fine sportsmanship and tactics, on the occasion of visiting clubs, mentioning the Fergus and Weston contests as types of exhibitions that it was a real pleasure to officiate at. He added his congratulations to the champions and stressed the importance of that class as being on a par with the senior pennant, insofar as St. Kitts was concerned. 

Ald. J. D. Wright, as a past president of the O.A.L.A. also voiced his personal gratification to the juvenile champions and the honor they brought their native city. 

“Amateur Sports” responded to by E. T. Sandell, brought from that sportsman the reply that his offer to outfit the young clubs with uniforms of the former senior club was a distinct pleasure and he added that the same offer of supplying sticks to the teen age boys of 1929 would be effective in 1931. He hoped to increase the number from 576 in the former year and renewed the senior efforts of 1928 as growing from the ground up, as was witnessed this season to such excellent advantage. 

A. E. Coombes in a witty reminiscent mood delighted his hearers with the true value of amateurism, recalling stalwarts of famous clubs within the province who had left such records for the glorification of the game. Stressing the axioms of amateur sport as the greatest essentials to valued citizenship, the speaker drew a pen picture of the noted athletes whose names would live down through the ages, while he impressed the necessity of youthful co-operation for the building of the nation, decrying the commercialization of sport at the present. He impressed upon the boys the value of the player to his club, not in dollars and cents, but that of service as the fundamental of true amateur spirit. 

“Our Guests”, responded to by Dr. W. J. Chapman, characterized as “the best friend of lacrosse in this city,” brought a congratulation to the champions of the evening, while the popular league physician told his audience that the present day winners had not enjoyed the advantages of players of two or three decades past. While honouring the juveniles, he also paid due tribute to the clubs and players who gave their best efforts and yet were forced to be content with lesser praise. 

He dealt upon the necessity of perfect co-ordination of physical and mental facilities as being the essentials of lacrosse players of the present day and also touched upon the good spirit of sportsmanship which is existent now and absent during the early days of the growth of the game, which he opined were the greatest assets of a club. 

“Sister Sports” brought suitable responses from A. K. Wismer, representing baseball and D. R. Dakers on football, which were appreciated. 

“The Juvenile Champions,” responded to by F. J. Dixon, saw the league organizer at his best, as he recounted the hardships and tribulations of the early season just past, which was culminated in the greatest rejuvenation of all times. The speaker dealt with the prospects of the future, as he reviewed the great players of this city who had made history by the continued possession of the Globe Shield for a period of seven years, an honor not achieved by the world champion Shamrocks of Montreal. Vice-Pres. W. J. Blainey of Toronto then presented the O.A.L.A. individual medals to the members of the championship team, the “Athletics,” while Fred Waghorne presented the Percy Quinn Memorial Trophy to Coaches Hope and Mackan of the victorious club. The personnel of the team is appended with their photo on this page. 

See Related Story: The Last Hurrah For The Field Game

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