History of the A's

Mann Cuppers Spoil Home Opener

1934 Senior "A" Athletics

back row: Winston Millar, George McCartney, Bill Whittaker, "Wandy" McMahon, Coach Herb "Red" Millar, Alf Lines, George Hope, Bill Fitzgerald Jr.

front row: Rob Pinder, John Blair, Bert Doucette, "Bun" Barnard, "Bus" Rowden, Hugh Arbuthnot, partially seen Tom Richardson.

in front: stick boys Norm Garriock and Tommy O'Malley

^{photo courtesy of Nickerson Appliances, St. Catharines}

SPORT DONE BROWNE

By CLAYTON BROWNE

The St. Catharines Standard

Thursday May 31, 1934

Friday night marks the turning of a new page in the city lacrosse history when the senior dyed-in-the-wool pastiming returns to this hotbed of the national game. After achieving the best possible break in securing a berth in group 2, which is the highly touted family of the O. A. L. A., the St. Catharines Athletics officially open the season with the foremost attraction in the dominion as opponents. Russell Kelly and his Canadian titleholders, possessors of the Mann Cup, the famous Hamilton Tigers will battle out the issue with “Red” Millar’s blue-striped Athletics and lovers of the game will see lacrosse as it really should be played.

Kelly and his squad, captained and bolstered by the famous Rohmer brothers, are colourful to the extreme possessing everything in the way of size, speed, ability and a heavy scoring punch and thus far they have snared their first two victories of the season. But one St. Kitts boy is on the Bengal roster this year, “Peck” O’Malley, who learned his stick-handling in this city loop. The Athletics will need every asset to get the nod over the Canadian titleholders. 

TIGER CHAMPS HERE ON FRIDAY

MANN CUP LACROSSISTS TO MEET ATHLETICS IN SENIOR BOX OPENER

The St. Catharines Standard

Thursday May 31, 1934

St. Catharines, the home of Canadian lacrosse champions more than twenty years ago, will play host to a dominion title-holder Friday night when the Hamilton Tigers, Mann Cup winners, play the Athletics in a senior O. A. L. A. group two game at the city sports park at 7 o’clock.

The Tigers, bolstered by “Peck” O’Malley, who learned his lacrosse in this city and is starting his second season with the champions, will get into action Friday night fresh from a smart 16 – 8 victory over Mimico. O’Malley was the leading goal-getter in this game, netting four counters.

The Ambitious City crew have two victories to their credit this year and are at present leading the group. The Tigers have lost Bill Wilson, Ed Downey and Hal Wallace from their championship machine, but their showing to date has not indicated any weakness.

The Athletics, in their opening game at Brantford last Friday dropped a 5 – 4 decision to the Spaldings. The fixture that brought the blue-shirts together for the first time was cited by many as only a practice match and they should show a decided improvement in form tomorrow night.

In addition it is likely that Geo. Hope and Bill Fitzgerald, who were absentees in the first affair, will be in uniform for the Tiger game. The Athletics line-up will likely be chosen from the following players: Goal, Whittaker, Manning; defence, Hope, Lines, Blair, McCartney, Barnard; home, Arbuthnot, Fitzgerald, Cleverley, Millar, Rowdon, Bob Pinder, McMahon.

The new stands on the south side of the box are completed and with the bleachers on the north side, total seating accommodation for over 1,000 is afforded. These improved facilities will be welcomed greatly by the fans. It is likely that members of the parks board will take part in a brief opening ceremony. 

HAMILTON TIGERS BENEFIT BY PENALTIES TO TAKE ATHLETICS

FINAL PERIODS SEE BENGAL BOX SQUAD SCORE FIVE GOALS

FINAL REGISTER RESTED AT 9 TO 4

MANN CUP CHAMPS USED HEIGHT IN PASSING AS BIG ASSET

The St. Catharines Standard

Saturday June 2, 1934 

The Athletics took a 9 – 4 defeat from the Hamilton Tigers last night when they tried to “rough it” with the Canadian champions and ran into 12 costly penalties.

The senior O. A. L. A. group two victory lengthened the Tiger’s wins to three straight, while it was the second upset for the A’s.

Record Crowd

A record crowd of nearly 1,000 viewed the game and saw the blue-shirts hold the visitors during the first and last periods, but ruin their chances with penalties in the second and third sessions. In this latter stanza when the A’s where serving five rests, the Bengals ran in five of their nine goals. This was be far the most uninteresting period of the entire game, while the second was not far behind. Six of Tigers goals were scored while the Millar team were short-handed. The Athletics tallied one while the winners were short-strength.

In the opening periods the Tigers outscored the Saints 2 – 1, while they held them goalless in the last period and accounted for two goals. If they had maintained this form throughout the game the outcome might have been entirely different and certainly the impression made upon the fans would have been more favourable.

The Tigers with a sprinkling of juniors in their line-up were a big team and this height they used to advantage in an over-hand passing system. They showed fine finish around the nets and especially in the third session with their opposition short in man power they gave the crowd an impression of how fast they could score goals.

Gimblet Scores Four

Ross Gimblet, a husky who was brought in from Toronto, set the scoring pace for the Hamiltonians netting four goals. H. Clark was next with a tally and an assist, while Fitzgerald, Millar, Bob Pinder and Rowdon were the Athletic goal-getters.

The above Saint scorers along with Blair, McCartney, Barnard and McMahon played well for the Athletics. Gimblet, the Clarke brothers, Dunc Littlefair and J. Rohmer stood out for the Bengals.

Jack Rohmer was injured late in the third period and did not return for the balance of the game.

The visitors led 2 – 1 in the first session, 4 – 1 at halftime, and 9 – 2 at the three-quarter mark.

Brief opening ceremonies were held before the game in which H. B. Burgoyne, chairman of the Parks Board and W. J. Wood, a member of the Board and Ald. W. J. Westwood took part. Last night was the first time the new bleachers were used and lacrosse fans were high in their praise of the excellent accommodations.

The Tigers served seven penalties, while McCartney and H. Clarke were given majors in the second period for fighting.

The Summary:

First Period

penalties: C. Clarke, Hope, McCartney.

Second Period

penalties: H. Clarke (major and minor), McCartney (major and minor), Hope, Lines, Littlefair.

Third Period

penalties: Hope 2, Lines 2, C. Clarke, Worthy, Doucette

Fourth Period

penalty: Millar

The teams:

Hamilton Tigers – Goal, R. Rohmer; defence, C. and H. Clarke; rover, Gimblet; centre, J. Rohmer; wings, O’Malley, Littlefair; subs, J. Worthy, Kelly, Sweetman, Johnson, Dewar, Costigan.

St. C. Athletics – Goal, Whittaker, defence, McCartney, Blair; rover, Doucette; centre, McMahon; wings, Arbuthnot, Bob Pinder, subs, Fitzgerald, Hope, Barnard, Lines, Millar, Rowdon.

RETURN