History of the A's
Billy Fitzgerald Home
Billy Fitzgerald of St. Catharines was first enticed to play for Vancouver's "Con" Jones in 1911 with an offer of $5,000 for the season. In subsequent years, Jones would want "Fitz" back and the Toronto Mail and Empire would report in June of 1913 that "Con Jones is very anxious to get the services of Billy Fitzgerald for the remainder of the season. He telegraphed to the management of the Torontos yesterday, offering them $1,000 if they would release the whirlwind home fielder to them for the present summer. If the locals accept the offer, it would still be necessary for Con Jones to prevail upon Fitzgerald to take down his stick again, which may not prove an easy task."
By the summer of 1915, "Fitz" was indeed back in the employ of Con Jones. But the economics of the pro game were changing and soon Jones found he couldn't support the luxury of his high-priced easterners. The first era of professional lacrosse was coming to a close and Billy Fitzgerald was on a train for Ontario.
Despite the abrupt end of Fitzgerald's dealings with Con Jones, "Fitz" would later say that he had "never met a more popular man, a better gentleman or a 'squarer shooter' than Con Jones.”
BILLY FITZGERALD HOME
The Daily Standard
Tuesday July 13, 1915
TORONTO - When the
train from Vancouver pulled into the Union Station yesterday, it included
among the passengers
"Billy" Fitzgerald, the well-known St.
Catharines lacrosse player, Mrs. Fitzgerald, and their three-month old
child. Fitzgerald's home coming was not unexpected as recent reports from
the Pacific coast stated that the professional lacrosse situation was in a
bad way.
It is not likely that Fitzgerald will ever respond to the call of the west. He went to Vancouver in the spring and accepted an offer to play for "Con" Jones team against New Westminster. Things were in a bad way in the east, but the situation in the Pacific coast Province appeared to be good. With the exception of Fitzgerald, Donihee of Cornwall and Roberts of Montreal, all the other members of the Vancouver team agreed to play on a percentage basis. The three easterners would not go west unless on a straight weekly salary. After much dickering, Jones agreed to this, Fitzgerald's contract calling for $75 a game, Roberts for $55 a game and Donihee's for $50 a game. Besides this they received transportation to and from the east.
Fitzgerald said yesterday that when he arrived at Vancouver the contract which was offered him for his signature was not the same as that he agreed to before leaving St. Catharines. However, after some dickering Jones gave him what was originally promised. This he received for the first four games although he only participated in three.
According to "Fitz" some of the Vancouver resident players on the team appeared to have become jealous of the fat amounts Donihee, Roberts and he were receiving after each game, the fear abounded that their dividend at the end of the season would be small. The attendance at the games was much smaller than three years ago and the farther they went the less people attended.
When Jones called the players together to discuss the situation, compromise offers were offered to Donihee and Roberts, but they would not accept them, and left for Montreal at the same time as Fitzgerald. As Fitzgerald was really needed on the team, Jones endeavored to reach some agreement with the St. Catharines player. However, "Fitz" wanted Jones to live up to his original contract. This Jones refused to do, and as a result the player packed up and left.
Just what his plans for the balance of the summer are Fitzgerald does not know, but he may be seen in action with one of the local teams before the season is over. Donihee may come to Toronto to play with Tecumsehs while Roberts will probably join one of the Montreal teams.
Read the Billy Fitzgerald tribute in the featured stories of this site.