History of the A's

St. Kitts Exports Come Back To Haunt

THROUGH THE SPORTS GATE 

by JACK GATECLIFF 

The St. Catharines Standard 

 Saturday July 21, 1951 

Clear and warm…That’s what the weatherman predicted for today and who are we to dispute his forecast after so many damp weekends. That means that for the first time this season, Athletics will be meeting one of the best clubs in the O.L.A. circuit on a reasonably nice night. It should also signify that the first two thousand crowd of the year will wend its way down to Haig Bowl for personal information concerning the relative merits of the clubs which have been battling for first place since the schedule got underway, Peterboro Timbermen and the Garden City Athletics. 

Barring these two teams meeting in playoffs, this will be the final appearance of Peterboro at Haig Bowl this season. In an effort to cut down the travelling expenses, the 1951 O.L.A. senior schedule was staggered so that clubs from the western end of the circuit would meet the eastern extremity just four times (2 home, 2 away) while the close clubs like Hamilton, St. Catharines and Brampton play each other six times. This may work a slight hardship on the fans but certainly alleviates the pressure on the players who must be in at work the next morning after a round trip of close to 400 miles. 

It is agreed by most lacrosse observers that Peterboro Timbermen rank, on paper, as one of the best O.L.A. senior squads of the past decade. The lumber company which took over sponsorship of the Lift Lock City team this year laid large stacks of greenbacks on the line to entice some of Ontario’s top lacrosse performers there for 1951. From goal out, the Peterboro personnel reads like a veritable “Who’s Who” of the available provincial lacrosse talent. Unfortunately, hand picked all-star teams don’t always work smoothly and Petes have had their share of difficulties this season. 

In goal Petes have Lloyd “Moon” Wootton, rated by some boxla reporters as the best guardian to come along since Bill Whittaker. On defence, Timbermen have an almost solid St. Catharines unit. Jerry Fitzgerald, Don O’Hearn and galloping Harry Wipper make up three-quarters of the brigade with veteran Mickey Magee (who must be at least 40 years old by now) and playing coach Don Crowe alternating as fourth man. 

Up front Petes have recruited Russ Slater and Jack Mason from last year’s Dominion champion Owen Sound Crescents, Bobby Thorpe another ex-Garden City player, Ike Hildebrand from New Westminster, B.C. and Ross Powless who was considered the best prospect in Ontario while playing for Port Dover. Added to these are holdovers from last year like Red Creighton, Arne Dugan and Dootch Vitarelli. Quite an imposing list when you consider that most are in the $50 to $100 a week bracket. 

While Athletics don’t boast the highly paid stars which grace the Peterboro lineup, the entire blue-shirt executive feel confident that the mixture of youth and experience welded together by Coach Joe Cheevers will more than hold up the traditionally strong senior club from the city. At the time of writing A’s are four points back of Petes in the struggle for first place but have one important game in hand. 

It is anticipated that Athletics will dress their strongest roster in this their most important home engagement of the year. It is strictly up to Coach Cheevers whether Bill Frick or Bud Smith gets the goal-tending chore but whoever is picked, he’ll have to be on his toes to keep the sharp-shooting Petes at bay. Tony D'amico and Ken Croft will be back in the lineup after missing the last Toronto game and it is hoped that Ted Howe will be back from his honeymoon jaunt. Better get there early if you want to have the pick of the choice seats. 

PETES  POTENT  TO  DEFEAT  A’s  14 – 10  IN  SENIOR  BOX 

WHIPPER SCORES FOUR GOALS 

The St. Catharines Standard 

Monday July 23, 1951 

Some of St. Catharines better known lacrosse exports came back to haunt their former team mates at Haig Bowl Saturday night while dressed in the jerseys of Peterboro Timbermen. Chief among the tormentors was Harry Wipper, now playing a strong two-way game with the league leading Petes. As well as giving Lloyd Wootton plenty of support defensively, Wipper was his usual driving self going up the crease, scored four goals and but for some excellent saves by Bill Frick in the Garden City goal, Harry might have doubled that output. 

Port Dalhousie’s gift to Peterboro, Bobbie Thorpe, added two goals to the visiting total while ex-Athletic Jerry Fitzgerald scored a single. The other St. Catharines player in the Peterboro lineup, Don O’Hearn, played a steady game but failed to hit the scoresheet. However, with seven of the 14 Peterboro goals already coming off the sticks of former Athletic players, O’ Hearn could afford to coast a little. 

The win by Peterboro gives them a six-point edge over our second-place Athletics and puts them to within a few victories of clinching that top spot. 

Good Turnout 

Despite a heavy downpour one-half hour before game time and clouds which threatened to spill over at any time, Haig Bowl catered to one of its better crowds of the season, proof in itself that lacrosse fans will brave the elements if they feel the game in question is worth seeing. Given a fine, clear night, it is quite possible that upwards of three thousand boxla lovers would have trekked to the hub of lacrosse but unfortunately, A’s just aren’t getting the breaks from the weatherman this year. 

Those who did risk the rain, witnessed one of the cleanest and fastest games of the year. Petes were full value for their win but Athletics also showed to much better advantage than in the past two or three home games. Both clubs dug in the corners for loose balls, passed the ball around well and played a thoroughly crowd-pleasing game. 

Chief difference between the clubs, and the deciding factor in this game, was the superiority Peterboro showed in marksmanship when in close. As an example, Athletics had ten shots in the third quarter, scored exactly half for five goals. In the same fifteen minutes, Petes had five shots, scored five goals. Believe us, Wootton wasn’t that good, or Frick that bad. It was just that Petes were picking the openings while A’s time and again drove shots right at “Moon’s” big pad. 

Peterboro held a 2 – 1 lead at the close of the first quarter and Athletics made their big bid early in the second when Steve Oneschuk and Bill Bradshaw fired goals in 2:39 for a 3 – 2 Garden City lead. Jack Mason and Max Woolley traded goals to maintain the one goal St. Catharines margin but Petes closed out the quarter with four in a row from Arne Dugan, Bob Thorpe and a pair by Wipper. The clubs divided ten goals evenly in the third and while Athletics controlled the ball for three-quarters of the fourth, they failed to crack the strong Pete defence and were out-shot 7 – 3 and out-scored 2 – 1. 

Referees Vipond and Murphy had a comparatively easy time, only handing out seven minutes in penalties to each team. Major outbreak came in the third when Doug Smith of A’s and Ike Hildebrand of Petes engaged in a wild stick swinging dual that later resolved into a wrestling-boxing match. Both received five-minute rests. 

Tank Teather made his first home start of the season for Athletics and while naturally not in peak of condition as yet, found time to score one goal and should prove a strong link in the Athletic defensive plans by the time the playoffs roll around. 

Peterboro—Goal, Wootton; defence, O’Hearn, Fitzgerald; rover, Dugan; centre, Thorpe; forwards, Ashbee, Whitnall; subs, Crowe, Mason, Wipper, Slater, Creighton, Powless, Hildebrand. 

St. Catharines—Goal, W. Frick; defence, Teather, D. Frick; rover, D'amico; centre, Nelson, forwards, Bradshaw, Croft; subs, Oneschuk, D. Smith, Woolley, Howe, P. Smith, Melville, Uhrynuk. 

Referees—Joe Murphy and Lou Vipond, both of Toronto. 

First Quarter:

Penalty: Slater

Second Quarter:

Penalty: Teather

Third Quarter:

Penalties: Hildebrand and D. Smith (majors)

Fourth Quarter:

No penalties

Goal saves: Wootton 5-2-5-3—18;  Frick 9-5-0-7—21.

RETURN