|
History of the A's |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Teams Play "Water-Boxla" |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
ATHLETICS
LAND SECOND SPOT BY NOSING ARMY BULLETS
10 TO 9 SAINTS
EXCEL
IN
WATER-BOXLA
AS
WHITTAKER
HOLDS
HOME
DYKE GAME
OF
TRAVESTY
OF
CANADA’S
SPORT RIVALS
FORCED
TO
PLAY
IN
FOUR
INCHES
OF
WATER The St. Catharines
Standard
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7,
1943
St.
Catharines Athletics are in second place in the closing O.L.A. standings
and meet Toronto Lakeshores in the semi-finals. A’s nosed out Brampton
Army Bullets here last night by the odd goal at 10 – 9, thus putting the
Khaki boys up against Mimico-Brampton Combines in the other bracket.
Insofar as the game went, it was a travesty on the fair name of Canada’s
national pastime—utterly unfair to both teams. After a wash-out on
Saturday night, the teams were dated for last night, on order to “play
to a finish or toss a coin for second place.” If you were there, you
know all. If not, it simply beggars description. But
since boxla opened here in 1930, nothing like that was ever seen and we
venture to say nothing like it was ever witnessed in 70 years’ history
of lacrosse in the Garden City. A torrential storm broke over Haig Bowl
early in the game and in 10 minutes, the northwest half of the bowl was 4
inches deep in water. It still pelted down and half the 800 crowd fled
home. Army proved good soldiers, in obeying orders—the heritage handed
down from Balaclava. Athletics were in the same boat (could have used
canoes readily). Idiots
To Have Played It
wasn’t a game. It was a sickening comedy, verging on tragedy and
inviting serious injury to all concerned. Neither team could afford to let
the ball fall, or lose it in water. So, it resolved itself into which
squad became better water-poloists. If they went down, they were
unrecognizable in muddy water—and we mean muddy. They slipped,
slithered, sloshed, kicked the stuff in each other’s faces, dodged the
two vent-holes around which little lakes swirled and eddied. The gale even
kicked up whitecaps on it, on the deepest north side. And through it all,
Bill Whittaker stood out like the boy at the dyke in Holland—plugging
the hole. Big Bill saved the game for Saints and let none tell you
differently. He got in the way of 35 goals (16 – 5 – 6 – 8) by
period play, to 22 for Mortimore (7 – 4 – 7 – 4). Fireman
Night Fans
were quick to sense aquatic possibilities. They yelled “fire” to
George Hope and Cars Myers, as an inspiration to the city smoke-eaters. It
reacted on Norm Cassidy, who is chief of the Army Camp fire brigade, so
that he cropped up as the ace of the night in a scoring way, two goals and
an assist. Myers had two assists, Hope one and also cost A’s a goal when
he fell. Frankly, we’d say no one starred but Whittaker, but they were
all heroes (of the first water)…and also the last, so everyone who likes
lacrosse will trust. Fans roared in laughter at times, bit groaned more in
misery and dread. You really had to see it to appreciate it. It went with
the breaks and could have gone either way. Porpoises
in Turn A’s
went up to 3 – 1 early in the second, had Bullets knot it as 3-all, then
forged ahead at 5 – 3 and 5 – 4 for the halfway gong. Army proved the
better hell-divers in the third by having Saints in the deep end of the
tank, as they came up with three goals to one and took over the lead at 7
– 6. Norm Worthy tied it up early in the fourth, then Wilson, Morton and
Mackie dived in (is right) on Mortimore to put A’s in the van again at
10 – 7. Cassidy jerked on his red helmet, donned his hip rubber boots
and went out to “save me chee-ild” for the Army. He set Bob Thorpe up
and then gunned in one himself and it was 10 – 9 and 5:23 to go. Bullets
had the play and forced the pace at the driest end. Whittaker came up with
four in a row that were gems. A’s tried to freeze the ball, were called
for stalling, got it again and managed to retain possession until the
frenzied shrill of fans drowned out the gong. It took both teams an hour
to get dried out. Brampton
Army Bullets – Goal, Mortimore; defence, Haney, Cassidy;
rover, Ingram; centre, McMahon; wings, B. White, T. White; subs, J.
Creighton, Teasdale, Dixon, McLean, Campbell, Burrell, Thorpe, R.
Creighton. St.
Catharines Athletics – Goal, Whittaker; defence, C. Madsen,
F. Madsen; rover, Whitely; centre, Mackie; wings, Morton, Teather; subs,
Worthy, Hope, Cheevers, Wilson, Myers, MacDonald, Coupland. Officials
– Max Peart, Port Colborne; Marty Cahill, St. Catharines. First Period
Penalties
– Teasdale, Morton. Second Period
Penalty
– B. White. Third Period
No
penalties Fourth Period
No penalties |