1926 Fitz Memorial

St. Catharines-born Billy Fitzgerald became one of the foremost stars of the game of lacrosse in an era when it was truly a big sport. His two greatest attributes were his speed and his intelligence, and with that he became one of the darlings of the fans. This was an age when lacrosse drew major fan

support and a city’s businesses would close down on the day of a lacrosse game. And yes, "Fitz" could fill those stands. A slim and agile athlete, he could run like a deer to charge down the field or to stretch for a pass that most others could only dream of doing. And often he would turn that advantage into a goal for himself or set up a play for a teammate.

Fitzgerald played for the senior St. Catharines Athletics when he was 19 years old. At 21 he would play professionally for Toronto in the National Lacrosse Union. At 23 he would be one of the highest paid athletes in any sport when Con Jones gave Fitz a $5,000 contract to play the summer for his Vancouver team. Jones desperately wanted a Minto Cup, which in those early years represented the championship of professional lacrosse. With "Fitz" and Newsy Lalonde from the east in his line-up, he would get his title.

$5,000 may not sound like much, but it is the equivalent of $90,000 today and in the days before the Great War, it was tax-free income. It was actually an astronomical amount of money to pay an athlete in those days.

The Toronto Globe would call him the “one of the brainiest players in the game”. The Toronto Mail and Empire said he had “the courage that a home player needed in the days when lacrosse was perhaps a more strenuous game.” All would agree that his breakaway speed created a lot of crowd-raising scoring opportunities.

In 1918, when lacrosse was in some disarray with the impact that World War One had on the athletes and fans of the game, Fitzgerald returned home to St. Catharines to help organize a semi-professional league to try to revive the game. After playing away from home for 10 years, the Garden City lacrosse faithful got to welcome home one of their favourite sons along with Georgie Kalls and Billy Hope. (see "1918 - Our Professionals Come Home").

Fitzgerald went on to be a very respected coach and referee after his playing days were over. He coached lacrosse at a few U.S. universities, such as Hobart University and the West Point Military Academy where he instructed some of that nation’s future military leaders.

In 1926, Billy Fitzgerald would pass away from peritonitis at only 38 years of age and shock lacrosse fans across the country who grew up to love his field heroics and, moreover, respected his renowned gentlemanly character.

The following is a sample of Billy Fitzgerald related articles. First, a sample of short articles from the period when "Fitz" had gained national prominence, followed by a St. Catharines Standard article of the 1918 Athletics team that he helped put together, then a wonderful article that Ted Reeve wrote about Fitzgerald for the Toronto Telegram in 1961, and lastly the 1926 Billy Fitzgerald memorial double-header (a professional old-timers game plus a game of the current amateurs) put on in St. Catharines to help raise money for his family .

When the Torontos came down to Ottawa to clash with Capitals last year Billy Fitzgerald's name was on the lips of every lacrosse fan. "Watch Fitzgerald" was the tip which each member of the Capital team received. The teams had not been playing 5 minutes when Fitzgerald executed a circus rush and went down in a heap. "Better not try it Fitz" ventured one of the Capital home men. "That’s a pretty hard checking defense to bore in through."

"Oh they can't scare me" retorted Fitzgerald and the next minute he was again flat on his back within scoring distance of the Capital goal.

"That's all right," the game St. Catherine's (sp) lad shouted on reviving. "There isn't any man here who can keep me out."

Once more Fitzgerald attempted his sensational work with the same result, a body check from Jack Shea taking out the last ounce of stamina. Then Fitzgerald limped out to centre. "Guess that won't go after all" he admitted. "That’s the fiercest defense I ever saw. Why it's like trying to break through a stone wall."

Fitzgerald is said to be greater than ever this season and it will be interesting to see on Saturday how he fares against the same defense that quickly tied him up in knots last fall.

According to a dispatch from St. Catharines, Billy Fitzgerald, after being several times claimed by Vancouver and the Toronto lacrosse teams, will after all be seen at Scarboro Beach again this year. Last night he wired Con Jones that he had changed his mind and would not go west this year. It is understood that the proposition from the Torontos that cinched Fitz was an offer of $5000 for the services of Billy and his brother Tom, and an opportunity to slip over home occasionally during the summer. "There is no backing out this time," said Fitz the elder, last night, "I'm with the Torontos."

Fortunately the Toronto Street Railway Lacrosse Club will not be called upon to pay stipends to the entire team like those said to be given Newsy Lalonde and Billy Fitzgerald. As if all the fans would have the pleasure of watching a $50,000 team performed every time they visited Scarboro Beach. However, the salaries are sure to taper down a lot - likely to a modest $750 or so. But how about the meagerly-paid hired help on the field. They surely will hardly be expected to work like Newsy and Billy. The new order of things may develop into the lesser lights insisting on letting the top liners having possession of the ball in the ratio of their drawing down money from Robert Fleming. Never mind, the lacrosse players will, most of them, be satisfied with their salaries.

Torontos Only Present Lineup of Eight for Initial Work Out - Two Fitzgeralds in Uniform

Saturday's weather was anything but favourable for lacrosse practice, and as a result only eight of the Torontos turnout at Scarboro Beach and did a little light work. The new men in uniform were Billy and Tom Fitzgerald of St. Catharines, Dave Gibbons, the new goalkeeper from Vancouver, and Murphy Warren, a defense fielder last year with Woodbridge, while Stagg, Powers, Dandeno and Longfellow represented the boys of the old brigade. Harslow and Pete Barnett were on the grounds, but didn't participate in the practice.

Vancouver Magnate Forced to Pass Up Pringle, Fitzgerald and Others For Time Being

Con Jones, the Vancouver lacrosse magnate, has not yet abandoned hope of landing the Ottawa players for whom he has been angling.

Jones wired last night to a member of the Capital team, with whom he had been negotiating, stating that he had been unexpectedly called home from Toronto. Jones is keen on landing Bobby Pringle and would also like Paul Sarazin, who is now with the Nationals. He has been forced to pass up Fred Scott and Billy Fitzgerald for the time being and may be obliged to take another trip east before the opening of the lacrosse season at the Coast.

He is expected to reach Vancouver Friday night and may double back on Sunday next. At present writing Jones has a rattling good defense, but his home is weak and it would not be surprising to see New Westminster win back the Minto Cup. Fitzgerald was a mainstay of their weak attack last year and none of the players whom Con has signed to date is capable of filling the Toronto man's shoes. Lalonde is now understood to be at Vancouver. Jones was dickering with Fred and Henry Scott, but had to leave without them. He still has hopes of getting both the Scotts as well as Lamoureaux. Jones also stated in his telegram, by the way, that the "war was just starting."

Toronto, September 1. - The Toronto Lacrosse Club nailed down the championship on Saturday and killed the last hope of the Nationals by defeating the Frenchmen 5 to 2 in a runaway game. The importance of the game between Toronto and Nationals reconciled the fans to any weather defects, including a chilly wind and about 6,000 were present. An energetic breeze had dried the oval, and the weather conditions were not bad.

Toronto started with a rush, and Fitzgerald scored first in one minute and eleven seconds...

Charlie Querrie, who spends his spare time doping out sport philosophy for the Toronto News, predicts a wholesale reduction in salaries this season. He says that there is an understanding between the Coast clubs and those in the Big Four, whereby all the magnates will benefit. Lacrosse salaries reached their zenith last season when "Newsy" Lalonde hauled down $5,000 from Vancouver, and Billy Fitzgerald $4,000 from the Torontos. They will be lucky according to Charlie Querrie, if they receive one fourth of that amount this year. The Victoria club is sending scouts to the east for players, but they will not interfere with any of those on the reserve lists of the Dominion Association clubs. The "Big Four" has graciously given permission to raid the N. L. U. to their heart's content. Billy Fitzgerald has already returned three times and "Newsy" Lalonde is yet to be heard from.

The lacrosse club is gradually passing over and only famed mutterings are still being heard from the west as to the revival of another lacrosse war. Con Jones has New Westminster where he wants them and if he decides to turn the screw he can make it very uncomfortable for his coast rivals.

Johnny Hyland is in Montreal just now and it was suggested that he be traded for Buck Marshall. He would fill in nicely if Billy Fitzgerald continues to talk like a bank president.

Toronto, May 16 - Capt. Art Warwick, of the Toronto Lacrosse Club, was over in St. Catharines yesterday trying to induce Billy Fitzgerald, George Kalls and Tommy Fitzgerald to sign contracts for the coming season, and well being successful with the latter two, was unable to get "Billy," although the latter is no holdout, but his business of contracting means that he can't spare the time.

The heavy rain of last night prevented practice on any of the lacrosse fields. The two professional teams are well up to form and the layoff will not throw them back to any extent. The Nationals will play their first game away from home on Saturday, when they meet the Indians at Toronto, and Irish-Canadians will meet the Torontos at Mascotte Park. When the Toronto team arrives in Montreal on Saturday it will be strengthened by the services of Kalls on the home field. Billy Fitzgerald, who some time ago, decided to drop out of lacrosse, will likely figure on the Toronto lineup. He has been persuaded to turnout at practice, which is almost an insurance of his returning to the game.

The attraction at Mascotte Park will be a mixed doubleheader. The first fixture will be the meeting of Montreal and Hamilton in the Interprovincial Professional Soccer Association, while the second will be the meeting of the Torontos and Irish-Canadian Lacrosse Clubs.

The Toronto players left the "Queen City" last night, and will come to Montreal strengthened by the services of Kalls and Billy Fitzgerald. The latter had decided to give up playing lacrosse, but was persuaded to turn out for this match.

Geneva, N. Y. - "Billy" Fitzgerald, a famous lacrosse player in Canada, has been secured to coach the Hobart College lacrosse team this spring. Mr. Fitzgerald recently finished a playing engagement on the Pacific Coast, for which he was paid $4,000 for twenty weeks. He has filled positions as a coach, but it is work as a player which has brought him his greatest reputation. At different times he has been asked to coach Harvard, Toronto, Cornell, and Swarthmore, and recently President Day of the American Intercollegiate Lacrosse League attempted to secure him to coach Lehigh's team. With practically all of last year's team working out during the winter in daily indoor practice, Hobart's new coach should be able to develop a team of considerable strength when he arrives to undertake his duties April 10.

Geneva, N.Y. April 20 - With little more than a week's training under the direction of the new Canadian coach "Billy" Fitzgerald, The Hobart College lacrosse team is beginning to show signs of developing into a first-class combination. After only four days' tutelage the team held the first Cornell squad to six goals, but this match was only a practice affair. Fitzgerald expresses confidence in the ability of his team to win the championship in the Northern division of the United States Lacrosse League, after which the winner of the pennant in the Southern division would have to be played to decide the national title holders. Besides Cornell, which will be played here on May 1, Harvard University and Stevens Tech, must be played to decide the Northern championships. The dates of the last two games are May 13 and May 15, respectively.

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.

Many lacrosse fans cannot figure out the reversal of form shown by the Rosedale team in their match against Tecumsehs last Saturday at the island, when the Indians made them look like a junior team. There is only one excuse; that is, lack of practice. Several players with the north end club did not think it necessary to do any practicing, and have not been turning out. The trimming handed out by the Indians has done a lot of good, as every man was on the job last night and worked out for a full hour against the Young Torontos.

The Rosedales will make amends for the loss of last Saturday's game. The strongest team that can be selected will take the field on the holiday. The management will surely have Kalls in the line-up, and are dickering for Billy Fitzgerald to rejoin the club. If both these boys come over next Monday, Rosedale will have one of the greatest teams that have represented Toronto in years.

Rosedale took their revenge on the Indians yesterday at the north end grounds for their defeat of a week ago. They trimmed the islanders to the tune of 9 to 4 in the scrappiest game seen in Toronto in years. Roach of Cornwall and Jack Carmichael had their hands full all afternoon, and came in for considerable amount of criticism from the Tecumseh supporters, but to the unbiased their rulings seemed to be very fair. While lacrosse put up was not of the very best, there were flashes that showed that the boys could play the game if they desired. Although Rosedale took a commanding lead in the second quarter, the interest never lagged for a moment, and the 1,000 spectators stayed until the last gong sounded. The Rosedale defence put it all over the Indian home, while Kalls, Barnett and Fitzgerald were the stars of the home.

Kalls took first blood for the Blue Shirts. Durkin evened it up, and Donihee put the Indians one to the good, and the crowd settled down with the expectation of having a good afternoon's sport, but the procession to the clubhouse started, and Rosedale went to the front and were never headed. Graydon pulled down a five-minute penalty, and shortly afterwards McKenzie got ten minutes, and Harrison came up from the defence and evened up the score. In the second quarter the Tecumsehs drew fifty minutes in penalties to Rosedale's five, and Rosedales scored four times to one for the Indians, making the half-time score 6 to 3. Kalls and Fitz pulled one of their old-time stunts for the neatest play of the day and Fitz scored the only goal of the third quarter. The fourth quarter was another scrappy one. Right at the start Fitzgerald got a twenty-minute penalty, and Felker and Whitehead got ten minutes each for fighting. A couple of minutes later Green and Donihee mixed it up and were sent to the fence, and Querrie followed a minute later. Warwick and Barnett scored for Rosedale, and Carmichael added another for Tecumsehs.

Rosedale (9) - Goal, Holmes; point, Yeaman; cover, Harshaw; defence, Green, Harrison, Braden; centre, Longfellow; home, Fitzgerald, Denneny, Barnett; outside, Warwick; inside, Kalls.

Tecumseh (4) - Goal, Kinsman; point, Whitehead; cover, McKenzie; defence, Graydon, Powers, Felker; center, Dandeno; home, Denneny, Donihee, Carmichael; outside, Querrie; inside, Durkin.

Rosedale and Tecumsehs have put in four hard practices this week in preparation for the lacrosse game at the island on Saturday, which means so much to both aggregations. A Rosedale victory will give them a decided edge with only three games more to play, while a Tecumseh victory places the Red-shirts right in line for the honors. That it will be a battle royal goes without saying, and the management of both aggregations are trying to secure the strongest line-up. President Thompson of Rosedale went over to St. Catharines yesterday and will make a big effort to secure the services of Fitzgerald and Kalls for the game. The engagement will start at 3.30 p.m., and owing to the importance of the fixture President James Murphy will handle the game himself.

A win for Rosedale on Saturday would have given the north-enders the championship of the Queen City Lacrosse League, but they could not do it without Fitzgerald, Kalls and Warwick. Tecumsehs won by 11 to 8, necessitating still one more game to decide the honors. The attendance at the island included many out-of-town enthusiasts, who were delighted with the play.

Montreal, Sept. 19.- More than seven thousand people greeted the Rosedales of Toronto, members of the Queen City League, champions, and Nationals, champions of the N. L. U., when they lined up for the game at the east-end grounds yesterday afternoon. The work of the Toronto boys was a disappointment to their admirers, and they had many in the stands, as was shown by the cheers when they went out in the third quarter and played the best lacrosse of the day. Rosedale can and has played much better lacrosse this season than they showed yesterday, and after another week's practice should easily turn the tables when the teams meet at Rosedale next Saturday.

The Rosedales tried an experiment in the first quarter by changing around their defence from the positions that they had played all season, and the damage was done, for after that the visitors had a little the better of the argument.

Referee St. Pere and Judge of Play Findlayson handled the game in good style, and the penalties handed out were mostly for minor offences. The only deliberate fouls were when L' Heureux got ten minutes for cross-checking Warwick, and Cadotte got five for putting Fitz out.

The game ended 16 to 10, giving Nationals a margin of six goals for Rosedale to pull down next Saturday.

Coach Fitzgerald has been re-engaged to coach the Hobart University Varsity lacrosse team for the coming season. Last season Fitzgerald turned out a team which played Harvard for the championship of the Northern Division of the Intercollegiate Lacrosse League. Yale and the University of Pennsylvania have recently been admitted to the league, and will appear on Hobart's schedule for this spring, and with the other games in the league will make one of the hardest seasons in lacrosse which Hobart has had for some years.

Geneva, N.Y., April 16 - Acting President Durfee of Hobart College has received a telegram from Washington to the effect that the State Department has wired the Immigration Department at Niagara Falls to release Coach Fitzgerald of the Hobart lacrosse team and allow him to come into this country. Fitzgerald, who is a noted Canadian lacrosse player, has signed a contract to coach lacrosse at Hobart, but was denied entrance to the United States on account of a clause in the immigration law which prohibits labor from entering this country on contract.

Hobart's lacrosse practice began some time ago in preparation for the game with Cornell next Saturday, and considerable indignation has been aroused by the action of the Immigration Department in holding up Fitzgerald, which will mean a handicap for Hobart when she meets Cornell.

Semi-professional lacrosse in Toronto was instituted with great success on Saturday and a great crowd was present to witness the first game when the Athletics of this city met the Maitlands at Cottingham Square. Past memories recalled some of the most strenuous games ever played on these grounds and some of the spectators who accompanied the locals were looking for a rough-and-tumble fixture. Such was not the case, however, for one of the cleanest games that was ever played in Toronto, only three men being ruled off, two Toronto men and one St. Catharines man, and these were only minor offences. Fred Waghorne and Woody Tegart were the officials and they had a rather easy afternoon.

The first quarter opened with the play on the Athletic defense, and before the boys could get settled down the Maitlands had scored two goals. The Queen City aggregation was going strong and continually bombarded the Athletics’ goal. Gayder was making some pretty stops and was clearing beautifully. Miller received a pass in mid-field, carried the ball to Kalls, who passed to Fitzgerald. “Fitz” made one of his noted spurts, delivered a lightning pass to “Billy” Hope, the latter scoring St. Kitts first counter. On the face-off Miller again got the ball and tore down the field. Pople received the pass and transferred the rubber via the Kalls-Fitzgerald route, who quietly handed the sphere to “Red” Miller, and it was another. This tied the score. The Athletics were bombarding the Maitlands goal from all angles, but Grant, the goal tender, was picking them out in nice style. Play for a time was transferred to the Athletics defense, the Maitland home boring in every time they got the ball. Finally, Roland passed his man and carried the ball right into the net. The quarter ended with the score 3 to 2 in favour of the Maitlands.

The second quarter was still faster than the first. Whitehead, Grenen and Braden, ex-Tecumsehs pros, were taking turns carrying the ball down to their home. Sparking, Spellen, Roland, Dwan and company were boring in from all angles, but the Athletics defense staved them off. The St. Kitts “million dollar” home again got working nicely and with that beautiful lightning passing Kalls got on the end of the prettiest pieces of combination work and beat Grant with a beautiful side-shot on the dead run, turning several somersaults after shooting the sphere. This again evened the score. Fitzgerald, who was doing a tremendous amount of fielding, got away from his man, passed the ball to Kalls, who gave it to Pople, Gordie passed it to Miller, Miller to Kalls, Kalls to Fitz, Fitz to Hope and Hope back to Fitzgerald, and the great home fielder bulged the net which put the Athletics in the lead for the first time in the game. The score at half time was 5 to 4 in favour of the Athletics.

By far the most strenuous part of the match was that of the third quarter. The boys from St. Kitts, as in the recent Leaside Indian game, got their proper stride. Manager Kalls moved May and Purdy farther out on the defense and the presence of these made the field much stronger, although Crowe and Miller had been doing a lot of excellent fielding. May continually brought the ball down to the home and on several occasions made the odd man. Lawson Whitehead intercepted a pass right in the mouth of the goal and down he went to the Athletics defense. Joe Green accompanied his teammate on the Tecumsehs on this excursion. The Maitlands got the odd man and Roland shot. Gayder stopped the shot, but Spellen batted the sphere in on the rebound.

Fitzgerald, Kalls, Hope, Pople and Miller again got the lightning combination working and it did not take Fitzgerald long to score two more goals. End-to-end play followed for a time, but both defenses were too strong for the opposing homes. On another beautiful piece of combination work, Hope took a pass right in the mouth of the goal and scored. Shortly after Pople bulged the net again on a pretty piece of work.

The score at the end of the three quarter period was 9 to 6 in favour of the Athletics.

Both teams decided to do or die in this period. The Maitland defense came down time after time with the ball, but Wiley, Immel, May, Purdy and England were holding their men safe. Both teams scored two on the final period, Lawson Whitehead taking the last counter for the Maitlands. The score ended Athletics 11, Maitlands 8.

Harry Holmes, Roy Kinsman, Pete Barnett, Charlie Querrie, Eddie Powers and many other of the professional stars were on hand to witness the match.

It was a treat to hear the Toronto fans cheer Fitzgerald and Kalls when they time after time performed some of their lightning tricks.

“Fitz” has lost none of his old time speed and as usual travels right for the net. His fielding on Saturday was a revelation.

Crowe played his first senior game on Saturday and he certainly made good in earnest.

It is a pretty tough proposition for any defense to keep out Kalls, Fitzgerald, Hope and Pople when this quartet gets going. They continually tie up the opposing defense in a knot.

It will be welcome news to St. Kitts fans to know that “Pete” Barnett will play with the locals for the balance of the season. “Pete” told the local management on Saturday that he would only be too pleased to wear a St. Kitts uniform again.

That will make some home – Hope, Kalls, Pople, Fitzgerald and Barnett with Crowe at centre and Miller playing third defense.

A nostalgic look back by columnist Ted Reeve

from the Toronto Telegram (1961)

Here is one who gets a thrill out of the announcement that Billy Fitzgerald . . . great home fielder of St. Catharines Athletics, frequent O. A. L. A. champs, then Vancouver and Toronto professional field lacrosse teams, has been voted to the Hall of Fame. For in the days mentioned above, he was a lean, racing, crowd-lifting goal scorer who would come in from centre field like the wind, pick a pass out of the air for a flashing shot, or set up a play for one of his inside men with his sudden take-away burst of speed.

Can still see him at Scarboro Beach when H. J. Fleming, a high class producer in this town if ever we had one, built the beautiful stadium at the end of his street car line and then with the help of the sage Jimmy Murphy put together a worlds championship 12 in 1912. Feuding all the while with Conn Jones of Vancouver who was also collecting a talented baggataway team to shake the proverbial New Westminster Salmonbellies loose from their long time supremacy. A task.

Many of the stars, Lalonde, Nick Carter, Burt Marshall, Longfellow, Howard and Fitz played in the east and west and salaries soared. Newsy and Fitz were required to get $5,000, the money then was equivalent to almost four that now, probably much more, and they played about a 12 or 14 game schedule.

As a boy we watched some of the grandest of competitions when the Tecumsehs of Chas. Querrie and Sport Murton clashed with Torontos at Beach or Hanlons Point, or, Nationals came swinging in from their home at Maissonneauve, whistling that ball around the attack, purple sweaters soaked with sweat . . .the stands packed and the awnings on the white clubhouse where the directors sat.

Torontos had a brawny defense built around massive Marshall and the cover point Harshaw . . . Duffy Braden, the powerful Eddie Powers Sr., and hard swinging Fred Stagg. Their attack was a wonderfully well balanced unit . . . the racing Fitzgerald . . . sturdy and fast Art Warwick . . . Kalls the strong little giant with his flashing stickhandling, the good play-maker Pete Barnett and Ed Longfellow, a Harry Grob of a man for physique combining rushing, the ability of Fitz and the skills of the others.

The open streetcars rocking down the sunny, tree-lined throughfares, straw skimmered passengers on the side steps . . . Rooting already. After the match the band concert at night when D'Urbano's Famous Italian Band filled the park to overflowing on the lawns and the lake covered with canoes as the golden music floated over the waters . . .

Two wars . . . three wars, you might say, and a depression only make these memories all the fonder.

Billy Fitzgerald . . . there he goes now, a step ahead of his check and drawing away . . . Longfellow has the relay from Braden and feeds it to Warwick, who crosses it to Barnett as they dodge out to keep the centre open and Pete lays it right in "the snare," shooting angle high at Fitz's shoulder and the ball, almost egg-shaped with speed, wings goalward.

The greatest athletic stunt from numerous standpoints pulled off in Ontario in many years was the Billy Fitzgerald memorial lacrosse – a lacrosse double header provided by both professional players of yester-year and certificated amateur players of the present day on the Thomas Street grounds on Saturday.

Of the two matches, that provided by the pros was in many respects the greater attraction of the two, presenting as it did the high art of the national game as it should be played, compared with the modern style.

The professionals were those players, several of whom had been in retirement many years, from Tod Downey, who played with the St. Catharines Athletics as far back as 1891, before Jim Corbett knocked out John L. Sullivan and knocked himself into the world’s professional heavyweight championship, down to Lionel Conacher, termed Canada’s greatest athlete of modern years, who recently turned professional to play hockey in Pittsburgh.

Both of these players appeared in St. Catharines uniforms on a team captained by George Kalls of this city against a team headed by Charlie Querrie of Toronto, with James J. Corbett facing the ball.

Toronto won the professional game 7 to 4 while the second game between the Toronto Maitlands and a picked team of St. Catharines amateurs went to St. Catharines on a score of 7 – 4.

Gentleman Jim Corbett met with a brand new experience when he was asked to face off the ball for the first game. As he stood over the crossed sticks ready to receive the sphere to set the game in motion, the conqueror of the redoubtable John L. Sullivan, appealed to Referee Jimmy Murphy of Toronto to come to the rescue and show him just what he was expected to do, as he had never before seen snow-shoes used for such a purpose.

After a demonstration by the former Cornwall Gladstone of lacrosse, Corbett soon had the game in progress and was apparently getting a lot of enjoyment out of it too.

And there was the best excuse in the world for everybody in the big audience enjoying the game, for notwithstanding lack of condition, the old boys, most of them carrying a huge excess of avoirdupois and grey hairs gave flashes of stellar stick-handling and combined play as well, that was positively wonderful to the more modern fans and the fans of other days were on their toes at various times relishing the exhibition during every minute.

Charlie Querrie, now silver-locked, organized attacks galore with the assistance of Eddie Longfellow, Dr. Lawson Whitehead and Neil Felker, that were serious and that during the absence of Billy Elliott and Shorty Richardson, carried them right on the flags repeatedly. Frank Dixon, in the nets for St. Catharines, allowed the first six shots to go by him before the old eye that won him fame on the island against Brantford 27 years ago, returned to the old form. Then Dixon became himself again and was airtight against a repeated fusillade of shots.

In the latter part of the game Dixon was relieved by Ted Brown, now of Toronto, who was imported to St. Catharines in 1904 as net guardian on the professional St. Kitts Athletics. Teddy allowed but one shot to go by him and this was just before the final whistle.

Felker, in spite of his weight, showed wonderful speed and played through the whole game without relief. Billy Braden, Jack McKenzie, Warwick and Rowntree showed surprising speed as well, but were glad to have relief.

Very conspicuous on the field was Ernie Menary, who had practically the old Tecumseh defence with him. They are all bigger now and George Kalls and Pete Barnett, who fielded as though they were really in condition, found little space to get by the huge defense men. Even the great Conacher found the way blocked. Only once was he able to penetrate that stone wall. Menary left his theatre in Orangeville to have a hand in the big affair.

George Parke, the heaviest man on the field, provided what to the minds of many was the sensation of the day. He played only about eight minutes, being unable to find a uniform that he could cram his big bulk into. He eventually prevailed upon the grey-haired veteran Tod Downey, who had played over three-quarters of the game that he had earned a rest and got into Downey’s field togs. George took his old place at third home just in time to get a pass from George Kalls who was coming in past centre in lightning style. Parke started one of his famous “bull rushes” of 23 years ago. He galloped past two or three men until the swelled-up old Tecumseh defense showed the “No thoroughfare” sign. Then George went through the move of passing the ball back to an uncovered player and was rather surprised to find that he had lost the ball several paces previously and that it was well on the way to the St. Catharines goal. Parke had no sooner carried his 280 pounds back to his position in the field than George Kalls leading another flying attack again passed to Parke, who turned a second attempt into a successful rush followed by a cannonball shot to the centre of the nets for the fourth goal.

Ed McCarthy, an old Montreal Shamrock player who played with St. Catharines during the war-time professional series against Maitlands and Leasides, was an exceedingly active performer with Kalls, Barnett and Conacher on the St. Kitts home, along with Billy Hope and Corby Richards.

Kalls’ St. Kitts Pros – Frank Dixon, Ted Brown, James Sullivan, Fred Stagg, "Tod" Downey, Corby Richards, H. Flynn, Geo. Kalls. Pete Barnett, Willie Hope, Geo. Parke, Hedley Marriott, Wood, Pat Haffey, E. McCarthy, Lorne Tufford. Art Brown, Lionel Conacher.

Querrie’s Toronto Pros – Bill Hanley, Jack McKenzie, Ernie Menary, Art Warwick, Art Harrison, Lawson Whitehead, Eddie Longfellow, Fred Rowntree, Spicer Spellen, Jimmy Collins, Neil Felker, Charlie Querrie, Billy Braden, Corbett Denneny.

Not only was the game an eye-opener as to the quality of the game displayed, but also it served as a reunion for players and old friends among the fans. Toronto having a big representation of both on the grounds, as well as serving the prime purpose of raising funds for the family of the late Billy Fitzgerald. The executive officers of the enterprise to who are due a great share of credit for the successful carrying out of the day’s program is as follows:

Note: Walter Westwood and J. D. Wright would later become St. Catharines mayors.

The playing of the St. Catharines Athletics against the Toronto Maitland team was a revelation to local fans and showed what might be done if everybody pulled together to field the best possible team. The locals hung up a 7 – 4 defeat on the Toronto aggregation and earned their right to the victory by plenty of good, snappy work.

Vince O’Brien, at present residing in Buffalo, was at the top of his game, and the work of this player and several others carried the minds of the fans back to 1921 when the junior Alerts went through the entire season undefeated to win the Ontario title.

The Toronto team took a one-goal lead in the early stages of the game, but the Athletics came back before the period had ended and were leading 2 – 1 when time was called.

Each team scored two goals in the second quarter to bring the score to 4 – 3. The visitors evened the count in the third session, and then St. Catharines stepped out in the final period to score three goals and put the game on ice.

Both teams showed plenty of good lacrosse and the fans certainly had an afternoon of pleasure.

Toronto Maitlands – McArthur, Brown, Fallis, Plummer, Chandler, Pherril, McLean, Scott, C. Peddil, Gallagher, Johnson, Holmes, Dowling, McAllister, Potter and Laceby.

Athletics – Williamson, May, Purdy, Barber, Oille, Wagstaffe, W. Pennie, Stevens, Thom, Miller, Peart, Stuart, Birmingham, E. Sheehan, McGlashan, A. Sheehan, V. O’Brien, Cudmore, A. Herr, and Doucette.