Credits

I would like to thank the St. Catharines Standard for graciously giving me the permission to reprint the articles and photographs that comprise the heart of this website. Most of what I know of the long history of the St. Catharines Athletics comes from researching through the back pages of the Standard.

An aim of any history study is to make what’s old seem fresh and interesting, and my hope by reproducing the writings of days past, with all its passions, sentiments and even bias, would bring to life some of the incredible moments that the sport of lacrosse has had in the Garden City.

The Standard has, since the 19th century, been a great friend to lacrosse in this city and has always provided the fullest support to the teams that called St. Catharines home. They are completely intertwined with the rich history and the close bonds that the local citizenry often felt for their double-blue Athletics.

From Clayton Browne, Lou Cahill and Mickey McDonald, to Jack Gatecliff and Peter Conradi Jr., to Alison Rogers, Jim Wallace, and Bill Potrecz (and to many more), I salute all the great work done by the lacrosse appreciative staff of the St. Catharines Standard.

Note: in the interests of brevity and clarity, some of the articles were edited for this site.

Tom Bye, Gail Collins, Ken Croft, Glen Dundas, Dennis Gannon, Robert Grainger, Ted Howe, Vince Lomore, Bob Luey, Jim McMahon, Chris McNulty, George Scott, Stu Scott, Ralph Speck, Max Woolley, the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun

Bobby Grainger once recalled to me this story of his growing up in Mimico:

"Jack Gair was my brother-in-law and he was arguably the best of the four Gair brothers. I was the little guy hanging around these guys and I knew them all well. Lloyd Gair use to spend as much time at our house as he did at home, and of course Jack was always there. To add to the story, Joe Murphy lived a few blocks from where I grew up. On his way home from work at Anaconda Brass, he would come by our house where I would be waiting for him with two lacrosse sticks and I would play catch with him for a few minutes. My Dad was an executive with the Mimico Lacrosse Club for 25 or so years, so I was always around lacrosse."