History of the A's
Athletics Dethrone Terriers in O. L. A.
ATHLETICS
DETHRONE TERRIERS FOR SENIOR O. L. A. BOX CHAMPIONSHIP
CAPTURE
HONORS
BY
16 – 10 IN
THREE
SUCCESSIVE
VICTORIES
FIRST
SENIOR
TITLE
HERE
FOR
27 YEARS
HARRY
GREEN
EARNS
RATING
AS
STAR
OF
PENNANT
BATTLE
The
St. Catharines Standard
Saturday
September 24, 1938
Hail
to St. Catharines Athletics, for they are the new senior lacrosse
champions of Ontario. Orillia Terriers, three time champions, were
dethroned last night by 16 – 10 in their own northern stronghold, to
give the Garden City its first senior title in 27 years, six seasons of
which were in box pastiming. But youth and speed triumphed over veteran
experience. That tells the tale.
Like
the heroes of past decades, Athletics won it the hard way and Orillia lost
it identically. The fourth game of the O.L.A. finals was possibly one of
the sternest that could be witnessed, with no thought of quarter to be
asked or given. The checking, as witnessed in the three preceding three
conflicts, was bitter, yet it was no more unduly rough than seen during
the playoffs. All penalties meted out were minors with both officials
dispensing a brand of refereeing that was hard to surpass, even if it did
not meet with the approval of the crowd of 2,300 that jammed the arena. Of
that number, possibly more than 300 were loyal followers from this city
and the southern end of the arena rang with encouragement for the visiting
Garden City team.
Go
Down Fighting
Terriers
did not succumb without one of the most gallant displays seen by a team
that was destined to be deprived of triple honors. Coach Bucko McDonald
and his team threw everything they had into the game. Fighting with their
back to the wall, Terriers did everything humanly possible to overcome the
handicaps facing them. They donned white jerseys over their purple to more
easily distinguish the home roster. They tried every trick of the lacrosse
trade to match brains and brawn with the sturdy system of the A’s as
mapped out by Coach Art Brown. They raced themselves into exhaustion
during the first half to keep pace with their younger and stronger rivals.
They tried to wear down the Saints by dint of hardest checking imaginable.
Terriers did not toss whole lines of players into action, but inserted
them singly and when everything also had failed to stem the tide of
rampaging Athletics that were not to be denied, Orillia brought Hall out
of the nets during the final period to make him the odd seventh man on
attack. Hall played practically the whole quarter beyond centre, but even
that asset was unable to subdue the gallant band of Saints that swept the
title in successive contests.
Green
Was Matchless
While
every player on the Garden City club played steady and brilliant lacrosse,
the spearhead of their attacks was Harry Green. It was he who alone lifted
the Athletics from a 4 – 3 slim margin in the second quarter – best of
the four for Orillia – into a commanding lead at 8 – 3. All of which
was accomplished in the short space of 2 ˝ minutes, absolutely meriting
the ovation of the Athletic and Terrier fandom. He assisted Fitzgerald on
the first goal, scored the second one single-handed when he literally
carried four Orillia players right to the edge of the goal. He then drew
the checks of tow other Athletics aside to make it possible for Hope and
Urquhart to combine for the third counter, and to climax his thrilling
effort he duplicated his preceding one by again carrying three Terrier
defencemen into the mouth of Hall’s net. Surely, if any player deserved
to be termed a star, it was Harry Green on those magnificent individual
displays. On both his own goals he was subjected to a terrific gruelling
which cut him down on the very edge of the goal mouth, but never a whimper
escaped him as the arena rang with cheers.
A’s
Merit Brackets
Next
outstanding for the new champions was Billy Whittaker, who could not be
blamed for all the goals that pierced his net. When given the support he
rated, he was as sensational as in the Wednesday game here, while frantic
cheers rent the air on Terrier shots that seemed as if impossible to keep
from being recorded goals, as he skied, blocked or caught the flying
rubber. Ranking next was Urquhart, who staged one of the finest examples
of fighting for the ball seen in the playoffs.
Morton,
with taped ribs, raced from end to end in his usual dynamic fashion,
McMahon was the wizard and thorn in the flesh of old on individual
sallies, the defence of Barnard, Hope and both Madsens was a bulwark
before Whittaker. Fitzgerald’s consistent forechecking earned him three
worthy goals, while Wilson, Millar, Teather and Cheevers proved invaluable
aids in bringing the championship to their native city.
Brunskill
retained the honor of being the Terriers chief threat, getting four goals
(highest of the night), and being the one man Whittaker could not outguess
on driving shots. McDonald had two counters with singles to Snowden,
Steggall, Smith and E. Curran – Terriers collected but two assists on
the night, in sharp contrast to nine for Athletics.
Besides
the trio for Fitzgerald, McMahon had three, Urquhart one and three
assists, Morton, Green and Hope two apiece, Gus Madsen one and two,
Cheevers and Barnard a goal each, and Millar a fine assist.
Coach
Bucko McDonald and Mgr. Herb Caswell were first to congratulate the new
champions, frankly admitting that they bowed to a team that was superior
in department of lacrosse play and adding best wishes for the Eastern
Canadian honors and ultimate objective, the Mann Cup, emblematic of the
Dominion senior lacrosse laurels.
St.
Catharines—Goal, Whittaker; defence, C. Madsen, Barnard;
rover, Green; centre, Cheevers; wings, Wilson, Fitzgerald; subs; Hope, F.
Madsen, Urquhart, Teather, Morton, Millar, McMahon, Kelly.
Orillia—Goal,
Hall; defence, Wilson, Steggall; rover, Brunskill; centre, Snowden; wings,
E. and W. Curran; subs. McDonald, Smith, Bain, England, Boettiger,
McArthur.
Officials—Max
Peart, Port Colborne; Alan Willford, Hespeler.
1938 program cover courtesy of Mr. Bob Luey