History of the A's
Athletics Move Back To The Haig Bowl
THROUGH
THE SPORTS GATE
By
JACK GATECLIFF
The
St. Catharines Standard
June
1954
After making their headquarters at Garden City Arena all last
season and the first third of the present schedule, the St. Catharines
Athletics move back to Haig Bowl tomorrow night. The shift to the open and
clear (we hope) skies should be enthusiastically welcomed by the fans who
have claimed that it was too hot for comfort inside during the real
“blast furnace” weather.
Whether the move back to the venerable Haig Bowl is permanent
remains to be seen. The Parks Board, which has always given lacrosse in
St. Catharines every possible assistance met this afternoon and thrashed
out the whole problem. Their decision will naturally be final as to where
the remaining games this year will be played.
Another item to be considered is the matter of attendance at the
games. If lacrosse fans show, by their presence tomorrow, that they would
rather sit outside during the warmer months, this fact will of course sway
the decision of both the Parks Board and the men with the financial
worries behind the double blue.
One thing is definite. The game tomorrow evening will be at Haig
Bowl and the Hamilton Tigers have already been advised of the fact. It is
also planned to have the four fifteen minute quarters suspended for this
game and try the newer version of three twenties. Lefty Jordan, Tiger
manager, is a firm believer in this “go modern” movement and will
unquestionably agree to the Athletic request on this point.
In return the A’s will play three twenty minute periods in
Hamilton Saturday night. That game incidentally was formerly scheduled for
the afternoon but had to be delayed until evening because – of all
things – a tug-of-war match.
So back to Haig Bowl go the Athletics where an over-active memory
isn’t required to recall those rah-rah days of lacrosse in the late
thirties and early forties. The stands, which held up to 4200 at that time
have been cut to a capacity of approximately 2500. Would be a great thrill
to see them packed tomorrow evening.
The game itself warrants the largest turnout of the season.
Hamilton Tigers, a team rated by many as a definite threat to both
Peterboro and St. Catharines this year, held the Petes to a 8-8 draw, then
lost in overtime Monday night of this week. According to Gary Lautens in
the Hamilton Spec, the only thing which prevented the Trailermen from
going down to an eight or nine goal defeat was the out-of-this-world
goaltending of Moon Wootton. The Tabbies out-shot their rivals by a 3 –
1 ratio but couldn’t phase the fat man of the Petes.
Tigers will have the league’s top point scorer in tow when
checking into Haig Bowl. Jim McNulty, who learned his lacrosse here and
has done considerable travelling the past few years, was tied for first
place in the latest standings but added another half dozen goals in the
two games this week and now has an unofficial lead of three points.
St. Catharines players in the Hamilton lineup include goalie Bud
Smith, Skip Teal, Joe and Jim McNulty, Tony D'amico, Jim McMahon, Tony
Capula and Stu Scott who is now performing the dual task of playing and
coaching. Should be a great welcome home night for the Tabbies and
Athletics at Haig Bowl.
What They’re Doing . . . Jack Bionda, that villain
(honest) who played with Toronto junior Marlboros last winter has settled
down to some solid lacrosse activity with Victoria Shamrocks of the
Western Inter-city League. . . Bionda is leading that group in scoring. .
.No report on the progress of Barney Welsh out that-a-way. . . Max Woolley
is driving one of those “Yummy” trucks during his summer vacation from
MacMaster. . . He won’t be playing lacrosse this year because of a wonky
knee and may also skip the football season next autumn for the same
reason.
Emil Uhrynuk will not play boxla for the identical reason given by Woolley, a trick knee. . . That ailment seems to be more common every year.
