Thistles

1867 to 1884 - CHALLENGE LACROSSE

It was a very different game back in the 19th Century. It was field lacrosse, the sticks were wooden and players wore baseball caps but nothing for protection. Matches were not timed. Instead the first team to win three games (score three goals) won the contest. When timed lacrosse was introduced it lasted for 4 twenty minute quarters. The goals initially consisted of two poles. Eventually a cross bar and net were added. There were four different playing positions: home, midfield, defence and goaltender. The home players were responsible for most of the scoring, like a soccer striker. Midfielders had to be the most versatile, especially the centreman. He took the draws and quarterbacked the offence. Defencemen obviously played defence - without the advantage of today's long stick. The goaltender was very different from the modern game. He wore no protective padding and normally held his stick at shoulder height. When facing a clear shot he would move out of his crease to cut down the shooting angle or charge the shooter in the hope of blocking the shot or creating a turnover. One other key difference: there were no rules governing player movement. This allowed defencemen, even goalkeepers to constantly rush up field. It also meant that a team clinging to a lead could pack all their runners into the defensive end.

Native Canadians had always played the game. For Canadians of European descent, it started in Montreal in the 1860s. In 1866 the National Lacrosse Association, later National Lacrosse Union (N. L. U.) was formed and a pennant provided for competition. N. L. U. records later listed the Montreal Lacrosse Club as its first champion, on October 27th 1866. Interesting, because the Montreal papers neglect to mention a game being played that Saturday, nor any Saturday immediately before or after that date. Other records list Ottawa defeating Montreal 3 games to 2 in the first inter-city game. Very curious. Welcome to the imperfect science of Lacrosse History. One thing is certain, the following summer Montreal met Caughnawaga on Dominion Day for the championship. During this era the pennant holder was like a boxing champ and remained champion until being beaten by a challenger. Montreal's reign as king was short-lived. The Indians came from 2 games down to defeat them 3-2.

Caughnawaga's crown passed on to St. Regis before the end of the year. St. Regis then went undefeated through 1868. The following season started disastrously. They faced Montreal on Victoria Day, in front of 3,000 fans at the Montreal L.C. Grounds. With the score knotted at 2-2 and over 90 minutes played, the two clubs battled for an additional 27 minutes of sudden death lacrosse. Finally St. Regis scored. Much of the crowd shouted, "Game!" and rushed onto the field. However Montreal disputed the game. The Indian umpire agreed with them, insisting that the ball had not passed between the poles. The contest should have continued, however the St. Regis players, still convinced that they had won, refused to return to the field. They packed up their equipment and went home. Montreal was awarded the championship by default.

A lacrosse controversy. What a surprise! Montreal later withstood challenges from Toronto and the Crescent Lacrosse Club, before ethnic tension brought their existence to an end. Two new squads, Shamrocks and Caledonians, played for the title in 1870. The Irish prevailed 3-1 in 59 minutes. The final two goals were scored by O'Rourke. After winning the clean contest Shamrocks continued their success in the post match races. Moffat won the 1/4 mile over Vosburgh. In the 1/2 mile for married men Anderson triumphed when his opponent quit at the third corner.

Shamrocks held the pennant for close to 5 years. They were displaced by the Toronto Lacrosse Club, who, in turn, lost to the Ontarios, another Queen City club. Toronto regained the championship in a rematch then met Shamrocks on July 29th, 1875. The titleholders took an early 2 games lead but the Montrealers managed to level the contest after close to 1 hour of play. A tight war of attrition followed as neither side gave an inch. Shamrocks came close to winning as a 40 yard shot sailed over the goal. They claimed the game but it was not given. The 82 minute marathon was ended by a smart Toronto rush. Suckling scored the winner to a deafening roar of approval.

Notable in the Toronto lineup was a player named Arthurs. He starred in their next match with a goal and assist. Their victims were Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, nicknamed the Winged Wheels because of their team emblem. The champs humbled them 3 straight in 74 minutes.

June 9th, 1877 was the next scheduled Toronto-Shamrock championship match. It never took place. The Irish planned to start Burke, an ex-convict, thus Toronto refused to play them. Instead they arranged for White Eagle's Caughnawaga team to replace the Montrealers. The visitors lost the first game in 22 minutes, then routed the champs three straight. Yet the Pennant was not to be theirs. The N. L. U. ruled that Toronto had defaulted the title by refusing to play Shamrocks. Therefore the Caughnawaga win was officially an exhibition game.

It was 54 weeks before the Shamrock-Toronto rivalry was renewed. The match was held in Toronto, in front of 4,000 wet spectators. After four games the score was 2-2. In the deciding game the black and green shirted Irishmen pressed for a winner. Both Lynch and Farmer – the smallest player on the field - had excellent opportunities but failed. The hosts then threatened as Arthurs beat the Shamrock goalie but defender Hoobin saved the game. The winning strike came shortly after. Hyland was leading a Montreal threat when he was tripped by J. Innes. The Toronto player grabbed the loose ball, ran the length of the field and scored. Hyland complained to Referee Varcoe that he had called, "foul". Whenever a foul was claimed a time out was suppose to be called so the official could make a decision. In this case the referee ruled that Hyland had not called foul so there was no time out. The Shamrocks still argued that they had called "time!' plus Innes' winning goal had not gone in. Mr.Varcoe accepted neither claim. Surrounded by a wildly excited Toronto mob he had no intention of reversing his decision. Thus the challengers won the contest 3-2.

Rarely were championship matches played outside Montreal and Toronto. August '78 saw one such occasion when Toronto travelled to Tecumseh Park in London. With their big defence they shutout the home team, yet London's defenders were just as difficult. The pennant-holders were ahead 2-0 when the contest had to be called so they could catch their train. London had its one moment in the lacrosse spotlight, however Toronto returned home with the pennant.

As usual it was standing room only for the crowd at the Jarvis Street Grounds on a bright, cool September afternoon. Caughnawaga was the opponent and this time the game would count. The Queen's Own Rifles performed one hour before the contest. Don't worry they didn't shoot anybody, they were a band. The visitors drew first blood when Tom Monique scored at the 23 minute mark. Toronto answered 25 minutes later. From behind the goal Innes passed to Suckling who then set up Ewart. The next game lasted a dozen minutes. Sam Hughes made a beautiful catch near the Indian goal but shot wildly. Luckily the ball deflected off a defender's chest and bounced through the poles. The game was disputed but allowed to stand. Caughnawaga tied it 2-2 in only 3 minutes. A careless Herbert Ross pass was intercepted by Kamronwe. He worked the ball to Strong Arm who scored on a long shot. In the final game the Indians' conditioning prevailed over Toronto's size. The home team's defenders continually knocked the Caughnawaga attackers over, like ten pins, but the challengers kept coming. A clever pass from behind the goal to Cross The River won the game. Toronto's players cheered the winners and the new champs returned the favour. The spectators cheered both teams lustily.

1878 concluded with two October showdowns between Caughnawaga and Shamrocks. They first met at the Shamrock Grounds in front of a disappointingly small crowd. The contest was a short one, only 35 minutes. Cairns struck first for the Irish but Michel Lefevbre answered for Caughnawaga. The third game was the only one of significant duration, lasting about 20 minutes. It ended in spite of goaltender Kay's big stop on Daillebout. The rebound was scrambled through the poles. The Indians concluded the match a short time later, winning 3-1.

A fortnight later they met again. On this occasion the fans got their money's worth as the initial game lasted 65 minutes! The play was highly skilled, yet neither side could score. The game eventually went to the challengers. After that the flood gates opened. Caughnawaga responded like steam engines and tied the match in 75 seconds. Shamrocks dominated after that. The third game was won on a high shot which was disputed but allowed to count. It was now 4:42 pm and the evening shade was closing in. The Irish play quickened while the Indians, sensing they were beaten, resorted to rough tactics. Shamrocks kept their temper and won the last game in 11 minutes.

The Irish held the title until 1880 when Toronto beat them. The Ontario squad extended its championship run into 1881 and began the season with a Victoria Day challenge from Montreal A.A.A. The 10th Royals Band played musical selections throughout the contest, possibly to cheer the badly outclassed Winged Wheels. Toronto made short work of them. Just past the 11 minute mark of the initial game Bonnell cleared the defensive zone, passing to A. Martin. He charged the Triple A's goal, then slipped the ball to McKee and it was 1-0. F. Martin won the ensuing draw, kept possession for 2 minutes, then scored on a long throw. The final game was also brief, only 5 1/2 minutes. Toronto's third scoring play was: T. Martin to McKay behind the goal, in front to McKee who finished it.

Toronto lost the pennant to Shamrocks later that summer. It took the Queen City club two years to defeat the Montreal side and win the championship back. On July 19th 1884 they defended their crown against a much improved M.A.A.A. squad. Toronto took the opening game in 10 minutes. Hubbell won a loose ball and started a rush which went from Gerry to Irving and finally to Smith. The next game was a long affair. At one point the Toronto fans roared, thinking their boys had scored, however it was a false alarm. The umpire had raised his arm to catch his hat which had blown off his head. Later the visitors won the game when Tom Paton checked the ball from Hubbell, then beat goalie Sam Martin. The third game lasted 49 minutes. There was a bit of a delay when Archie McNaughton fell awkwardly on his ankle. The Winged Wheels scored their second when Paton again stole the ball from a Toronto defender. This time he passed to Billy Aird for the goal. Smith responded for the titleholders, tying it 2-2. The finale was over in 90 seconds. The home team won the draw and threw everybody into attack. The Triple A's endured the heavy pressure, then Cleghorn relieved to Gardner to Aird to McNaughton. Archie fired a shot from 40 yards out which fooled Martin. After the match Toronto captain Hamilton presented the pennant to the winners in the Montreal dressing room. The Winged Wheels returned to their hotel with the flag flying from the top of their bus. They traveled home Sunday afternoon and were greeted by many fans, in spite of the rain and the train being one hour late. The players suffered through a handshaking ordeal to get off the platform.

M.A.A.A.'s hold on the pennant was a short one. Two weeks later they met Shamrocks in what would be the N. L. U.'s last challenge match. A record crowd of 7,000 jammed into the M.A.A.A. Grounds, many of them Irishmen. The challengers wasted no time. Mike Cregan put them ahead in 75 seconds. The Winged Wheels did get to handle the ball in the second game, however their defence was too loose. Shamrocks scored in 16 minutes when Heelan checked goalkeeper G. Aird behind the goal, dashed in front and fired it home. The demoralized champs had no answer. They went down three straight 7 1/2 minutes later. Heelan's second goal sealed their fate. Irish fans raced onto the field blowing their tin horns.

1885 - LEAGUE LACROSSE COMMENCES

Two Montreal (A.A.A. and Shamrocks) and two Toronto clubs (Torontos and Ontarios) took part in the N. L. U.'s first league competition, simple double round robin with the teams playing each other home and away.

The season opened the last Saturday in May. Toronto defeated M.A.A.A. 3 straight in under half an hour. Ross Eckhardt was the hero with 2 goals. The Winged Wheels were without their best goalie Billy Aird. With Aird in their line-up they would go undefeated the rest of the way to finish 5-1.

On June 13^th lacrosse's bitterest rivalry resumed when Shamrocks and Triple A's battled. The night before, the two squads met to reconcile past quarrels. The result was a cleanly played 67 minute game. Winged Wheels won 3-2.

It was an inconsistent year for the Irishmen. They were swept by their chief rivals and only two victories over the weak Ontarios gave them a respectable 3-3 record. Their third triumph came against Toronto, in a game dominated by drunken brawls in the crowd.

M.A.A.A. rolled to the title after a close 3-2 win over Toronto, followed by another one game victory over Shamrocks. They clinched the pennant in their final match by beating Ontarios three straight, in only 23 minutes.

Toronto Ontarios miserable year had only one success. On July 11th they held Toronto to a 2-2 tie, in front of 1,500 at Jarvis Street Grounds. Knotty Martin won both games for the last place club. The match was called at 7 pm. Tied games were not replayed the first two seasons of league lacrosse.

1886 - THE FACTORY TOWN WADES IN

Cornwall's initial year in the league was a modest success. In a triple round robin, twelve games total, they enjoyed six victories but each one came against the bottom two clubs. They were no match for M.A.A.A. or Toronto. They managed only one goal in three games against each squad.

The Shamrock season opened with three losses. They then surprised the defending champions by beating them 3-2 in 81 minutes. It was a fluke win as the Irish struggled to a 3-9 record.

M.A.A.A. and Toronto were the only pennant contenders. They battled from June to the beginning of October. Toronto gained the early edge thanks to the Shamrocks upset win. On July 3rd they increased their lead by beating the Triple A's 3-2. Ross Eckhardt won two games and set up the third. The victory overshadowed the previous week's performance when Ontarios tied Toronto. That small slip would loom large by season's end. At the time Ontarios had only one win and they would proceed to lose their final nine games.

The Toronto game was the Winged Wheels last loss of the year. Two weeks later Billy Aird would play his first match of the season. His return sparked an eight game winning streak taking M.A.A.A. to 10-2. Down the stretch he twice shutout Toronto. On August 28th, in 63 minutes, as W. Hodgson scored two and on September 25th, in 55 minutes, as Tom Paton also counted a brace. The latter was the Queen City club's last contest. At 9-2-1 they had to hope Montreal would falter in their final two games. A week later they nearly did. Shamrocks battled M.A.A.A. for over 80 minutes before losing 3-2. Paton's hat-trick saved the day. The final match was not so dramatic. The Triple A's took three straight from Ontarios in under 15 minutes.

1887 - THE CLA SENIOR LEAGUE IS FORMED

For twenty years lacrosse had been rapidly growing. Though Montreal was the sports' centre, Ontario was where the greatest expansion was taking place. The key year had been 1867. At the start of the season there were only 6 clubs in the country. By year end there were 80, the majority in southern Ontario. In 1868 a twelve team tournament was held in Paris. Dr. George Beers organized the event and refereed most of the games. Akwesasne shutout Prescott in the final 2-0. 1870 saw the creation of the Excelsior Lacrosse Club. T. W. Duggan formed the team at Brampton High School.

The creation of the Canadian Lacrosse Association (C. L. A.) was the initial step towards league lacrosse in Ontario. One of the C. L. A.'s first acts was to ban professionals from the game. At the time, 1880, almost all paid players were natives. They were the best available and some commanded a salary, however most only received travel expenses. Any exchange of cash was unacceptable in the Amateur Era.

Throughout the early years Ontario's small town clubs were active in local competitions. These battles were for little more than a trophy and bragging rights. An example was the Calcutta Silver Cup. It was donated to the Peterborough junior club in 1884. In August they hosted a tournament with the cup as grand prize. Cobourg won the trophy by beating the home side 3-1 in the final. A fortnight later Peterborough traveled south to win the cup back. A century ago it was not a simple trip down Highway #28. The Peterborough squad, accompanied by the Fire Brigade Band, took a ferry down the Otonabee River then across Rice Lake to Harwood. The rest of the journey was made by train. All that effort to get beaten 3-1 again! As for the Calcutta Cup, like so many similar trophies, it has left no trace. Probably melted down for its silver content.

1887 was a landmark year as Ontario lacrosse started its own leagues. The C. L. A. Senior and Intermediate leagues were created, the former to rival the N. L. U. The defection of both Toronto teams from the N. L. U. was the new circuit's immediate gain. They were joined by eight other clubs from Ottawa, Orillia, Richmond Hill, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Brantford, Paris and Woodstock. There were even more teams at the Intermediate level, so many that the league was divided into zones, similar to minor lacrosse today.

In the Senior League matches were played to 3 or 4 goals, determined by the teams or the amount of daylight. Like the N. L. U., Ontario clubs also had local rivalries which were old and strong. September 3rd was a memorable day for the Paris club. On that Saturday, the Brants travelled down to Brantford and, led by George Tait's hat-trick, defeated their neighbours 4-1. It was their first win in the Telephone City since 1879! Returning home that night, the players were met by an Italian band and escorted to the Bradford Hotal for supper. Later there was a torchlight procession involving a crowd of over 400.

Not a bad way to end the season. Yes it was over for Paris because Toronto had already clinched the championship. The Queen City boys concluded their season by taking on the N. L. U. champs. Cornwall humbled them 3-0.

To the east, Brockville and Ottawa replaced the Toronto teams. With Jim McConaghy between the poles playing every minute Brockville claimed two early wins over Ottawa and M.A.A.A. Their third came in August, again beating the Winged Wheels.

The titleholders fell off badly with a 3-5 record. For a change they had Billy Aird from the start of the year. Unluckily he suffered a season ending injury in their second game. On offence W. Hodgson took the year off.

In their place Shamrocks returned to form and challenged Cornwall for the pennant. The Irish did not begin their schedule until July 2nd, M.A.A.A.'s third game, and entered completely unprepared. Shanks debuted as the Triple A's goaltender and produced a 22 minute shutout. Shamrocks quickly put that setback behind them. The next week John Reddy played his first contest in goal and shutout Cornwall in half an hour. The Colts had won their previous two and would win all the rest.

One of the highlights of the year was the August 20th Cornwall home game versus Brockville. It coincided with the Caledonian Picnic. 100 highlanders with pipes entertained the lacrosse fans. The Factory Town also hosted the season finale on October 1st, between two 6-1 clubs. With the championship on the line Colts had Norm Carpenter in goal. He had missed the loss to Shamrocks and had since surrendered only two goals in five games. The Irish were at full strength but it wasn't enough. The home side won three straight in only 30 minutes.

1888 - TURMOIL IN THE EAST

This was not one of the N. L. U.'s better years. First, M.A.A.A. dropped out of the league. Next the July 7th Shamrock at Cornwall game had to be cancelled because no referee showed up. O'Fraser, from Brockville, should have been there but a strained foot prevented him. Pollack, a Cornwall referee, was available but unacceptable to the Irish. 2,000 spectators were given their money back.

The last and most serious blow to the troubled season came a week later. Another Shamrock game was postponed, against Ottawa. On this occasion the Irish didn't even make the trip. Earlier in the week they had informed Ottawa that they would not play if J. Clewes and Tommy Crown dressed. Both were accused of being professionals. They had played for Toronto Ontarios the previous summer. At season end the team had given each of their players a medal, valued at $15. Crown and Clewes took cash instead. The former to pay a doctor's bill, the latter to buy his own medal. As far as Shamrocks were concerned that made them professionals. The league did not agree but it took most of the summer to decide the dispute.

A trimmed down C. L. A. Senior League completed its schedule with only one hiccup. Toronto Ontarios decided they did not wish to travel to Woodstock for their final match. Thus they defaulted it. It would have been their final game ever as the Ontarios became the first of many Toronto teams to pass on.

On a brighter note, Paris Brants romped to the title with a 9-1 record. Led by the goal scoring of George Tait they were proved themselves to be the best in the league. The Brants capped the year with an exhibition win over Shamrocks. A 3-1 shocker in Paris which stunned the lacrosse world. A tiny village club defeat the Montreal Shamrocks! It really wasn't the N. L. U.'s year. The Irish avenged that September 15th loss a week later at home. In front of 4,000 fans the Montrealers defeated Paris three straight. After the contest Shamrocks proposed that they and Cornwall play two games to decide the N. L. U. championship. It was the best way to save the year. Neither Ottawa nor Brockville could protest because they'd combined for a 1-6 record in league play. Montreal and Cornwall were clearly the top two.

The series took place in early October, plagued by cold and wet weather. The Colts won at the Shamrock Grounds in 37 minutes. The next Saturday they won three straight at home. The Irish did not hesitate to concede that Cornwall had the best team.

1889 - RETURN OF THE WINGED WHEELS

Lacrosse's first game with a time limit was a Victoria Day exhibition contest between Toronto and Shamrocks. 4 twenty minute quarters were played, with a halftime break in the middle. Toronto marked its return to the eastern league with a 6-1 triumph. Their first championship win would also be over the Irish. That victory did not come until the last Saturday in July. The Queen City club struggled to a 2-6 record. The miserable Shamrocks joined them at the bottom of the league.

The Winged Wheels also returned but lost star Archie McNaughton when he twisted his ankle in a pre-season game. Consequently M.A.A.A. lost their season opener to Ottawa. With Brockville out of the circuit, Jim McConaghy jumped to Ottawa. He let only one shot past and outscored the Triple A's by picking up two assists.

The defending champs were strong again and won their first three games. Then they met up with the Winged Wheels and were bounced 4-1. Both McNaughton and Hodgson had a goal and two helpers for Montreal. The Colts had three weeks to recover, yet didn't. Their next contest was a 3-1 upset loss to Toronto.

Ottawa suddenly sat on top of the standings with four wins and one loss. They had put an early 5-2 defeat to Cornwall behind them and looked to be the surprise of the summer. Their fine run came to a halt in mid August. The Triple A's topped them 4-1. In their next match, the pretenders again only scored once. The Colts beat them by two goals.

That left M.A.A.A.(6-1) and Cornwall(5-2) to decide the title on September 21st. The titleholders took the lead on and Alex Black goal. The Winged Wheels answered with four straight, three from Tom Paton. The final score was 5-2. The Triple A's were new champs.

To the west, the Senior League shrunk again. First Toronto was lost, then Woodstock quit in mid season. On June 5th they had lost 3-2 in 115 minutes to Paris. A fortnight later Brantford thumped them 4-1 in 65 minutes. That was their grand finale. Paris, Brantford and St. Catharines were left to fight for the championship. Two Athletic wins settled the matter. They doubled the Brants 4-2 on June 15th. Exactly one month later Paris again fell, 4-1 in 50 minutes. The Double Blues had their first pennant.

1890 - TWO BLUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

A season for blue-shirted celebrations. In the east Cornwall romped to a 7-1 record. To the west the Double Blues of St. Catharines were perfect. The A's went 8-0, sweeping away challenges from Niagara Falls, Toronto Capitals, Paris and Brantford. With John Notman on offence, Jack Downey controlling the midfield and Frank Williams on defence the Garden City club was invincible.

Cornwall was the class of the N. L. U., though they needed to win some close games early to carry them through. They edged M.A.A.A. 3-2, Toronto 4-2 and Shamrocks 5-4. Their only loss came in the rain when Toronto doubled them 4-2. The Queen City club already had two losses and proceeded to tie their remaining games. Alex Black dominated for the Colts. He scored 13 of their 30 goals, 5 more than anyone else in the league. 'Red' Dave Danaher and James Broderick also helped Cornwall's cause with 5 markers each.

With three defeats in their first four matches the Winged Wheels never gave themselves a chance to repeat. Tom Paton and Hodgson had retired (half of their offensive output from 1889) leaving the offence solely on the shoulders of Archie McNaughton. Archie was in his final year with the Triple A's. He would head west during the off season and be instrumental in building New Westminster into a lacrosse powerhouse. For M.A.A.A. the decline was only beginning. The previous year's championship was to be their last winning season until 1905!

It was another difficult year for Shamrocks. Their only win came at Ottawa's expense, a 7-1 rout. They declined to play the rematch in the nation's capital, at season's end. Yet Irish fortune was also about to change. Thanks to good, young players such as: James McVey, Willie McKenna and Tom Dwyer Shamrocks would soon be Montreal's number one team again.

1891 - LAST HURRAH FOR CORNWALL

By winning their fourth pennant in five years the Colts proved that they had the greatest lacrosse dynasty to date. The '91 title came in a walk over. Nine straight wins, outscoring their opposition 38-14. Alex Black and 'Red' Danaher both averaged more than a goal per game, while Norm Carpenter backstopped another championship run. Only twice was Cornwall even threatened with defeat. Ottawa Capitals battled them hard in their debut, losing 3-2. A month later Willie McKenna's hat-trick gave the Colts a scare but they rallied to beat Shamrocks 5-4.

It was a season of change. Toronto and M.A.A.A. were out, while Ottawa fielded two teams. Ottawa L.C. had a fine mix of youth and experience but lacked the overall talent to challenge the best. 3 wins was all they could manage. The young blood included defenders Frank Bissonette (25-years-old) and Midland's Tommy Crown (26). On offence were the Carson brothers from Orangeville. Hugh (24) was in his second year, while younger brother George was a noted speedster, having run the 100 yard dash in 10 1/2 seconds. Bert Henry appeared as a junior call up and scored in his debut. Henry would dominate Ontario lacrosse in the next century. The veterans included Joe Kent and goal saver Jim McConaghy. McConaghy would head west in '92 to make a name for himself.

After a number of seasons in minor leagues Ottawa Capitals had joined the majors. They boasted an impressive line up: 22 year old Ottawa College football star James Murphy, teenager Harry Ketchum, who had only picked up a lacrosse stick upon moving from Orangeville to Ottawa the previous year, 25-year-old Bramptonite Harry James, former Shamrock 24-year-old Jimmy Devine and teenager Harry Carleton. All that potential, however only two wins to accompany seven losses. Still time was on the Capitals' side.

The saddest event of the summer occurred in an all Ottawa match on August 29th. The father of Capital captain Egan died of a heart attack during the contest. The 58-year-old had been suffering from Bright's Disease the past three years. The game was postponed with Capitals leading 2-0.

To the west, Ontario's crown remained on the Niagara Peninsula. It simply shifted from St. Catharines to Niagara Falls. The flipside to such success was Brantford. The Telephone City representatives lost a disputed game when the league ruled against them. The club was so upset that they quit in mid season. Not only that, Brantford ceased to have anything to do with the C.L.A. again in the 19th century. Lacrosse had temporarily lost one of its major centres.

1892 - MERGER IN OTTAWA

Montreal contractor William Stewart changed lacrosse in the nineties. The Capital manager brought about a merger with Ottawa L.C. which instantly made the Capitals contenders. Stewart made two other key moves. He switched Tommy Crown to goal and he signed defender Barney Quinn. The latter change cost Ottawa two victories because Quinn had started the year with Orillia Intermediates, then joined Capitals without waiting the necessary 30 days. Both wins, over Cornwall, had to be replayed.

The Winged Wheels returned and the Montreal rivalry was as heated as ever. The final meeting was so violent that the city's mayor rushed from his seat down to the Shamrock bench. Mayor McShane shouted: "For God sake Mr. Polan, control your men!" To which the Irish captain replied: "I know Mr. Mayor, but what can I do?"

It was a record setting year. Montreal's Hugh Adams began the season by throwing a lacrosse ball 449 feet 5 1/2 inches. In September, Barney Quinn broke that record. During a pre-game warm up the 23-year-old tossed a ball 497 feet 7 1/2 inches!

The two returnees had a rough time. M.A.A.A. managed only two victories, both over Toronto. The Queen City crew went 0-8 and scored only 10 goals.

In the Factory Town it was the farewell season for Alex Black. He led the league in goal scoring for the third consecutive year as he averaged two per game. The defending champs were only able to split eight contests. They lost all their meetings with Ottawa and Shamrocks.

The championship race was a two horse affair. Head to head Shamrocks and Capitals split their two meetings. On June 11th the Irish prevailed 4-1 as Joe O'Meara scored three and Nick Neville had a trio of assists. Ottawa responded on July 23rd by doubling the green shirts 4-2. James Murphy's pair of goals was the difference. The Montreal squad completed its schedule on September 17th, leaving Ottawa with two must win games to tie. The first was the final Cornwall replay, in the Factory Town. It began disastrously as Capitals fell behind 3-1 in the opening half. The contenders elevated their play during the final 40 minutes. With George Carson's two goals, Ottawa rallied for a 4-3 win. A week later they easily defeated a short staffed Toronto team. Prior to the contest the Torontos asked to see Barney Quinn. They gave the new record holder three cheers.

The tie break for the pennant created unprecedented interest. The Governor General, Lord Stanley of Preston, insisted that the results of each quarter be telegraphed to him. He was not the only interested sports fan. A crowd of 14,000 gathered in Montreal for the title match. The cold October weather did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm. Shamrocks entered the contest at a disadvantage because their regular goalie, James McKenna, was injured. William Duggan replaced him and performed admirably. He was under siege early as Ottawa came out fast and stormed to a 2-1 lead. Harry Carleton scored first, from Frank Bissonette, then combined with George Carson to set up Harry Ketchum for the second. In between Joe O'Meara answered with a solo effort. O'Meara tied it again, in the second half, with help from John Tucker and James McVey. It was McVey who counted the winner, late in the affair. The Irish then defended furiously as Capitals threw every man forward. With the final whistle the green shirts had their title.

1893 - SHAMROCKS/CAPITALS - THE DYNAMIC DUO

Ottawa lost a Victoria Day encounter to Shamrocks 4-1 but avenged it with a 7-1 victory ten days later. The second exhibition game would be a sign of things to come.

Inter league exhibitions produced several matches of interest. On Dominion Day Ottawa played Stratford. The Iroquois were defending C. L. A. champs and would repeat in '93 and '94. Against Capitals they were no match, losing 5-1. Toronto took on New York Athletics and doubled them 4-2. In mid September the same score went against them in a match versus Victoria. A hint that the west would soon be heard from.

A horrific season for the Triple A's as they lost all eight of their matches. Toronto and Cornwall both faired a bit better by winning three each. Yet they were miles behind the Big Two.

Capitals opened championship play with a pair of three goal triumphs over M.A.A.A. and Toronto. The Irish also beat the Winged Wheels 4-1, plus they prevailed in a couple of two goal games over Toronto and Cornwall. The two undefeated clubs met on July 22nd. Ottawa produced a convincing 6-1 win. Billy Leacy, formerly with Cornwall and Brockville, assisted on half the goals. George Carson was a bigger contributor with five points, including two goals.

The leaders followed that victory by steamrolling over their next opponents. Yet the pennant remained in doubt until their final meeting with Shamrocks. The green shirts struggled after the Ottawa loss. They barely defeated Toronto and Triple A's in one goal games. Still they remained in striking distance of Ottawa, setting up a big finale. Capitals completed their perfect season with a 3-2 victory. James Murphy's two counters were the key.

1894 - THE IRISH AGAIN!

Led by the scoring heroics of George Hamilton M.A.A.A. fielded their best team in some time. They began with wins over Toronto and Cornwall but concluded June with a 5-2 loss to Shamrocks. Too much Dave Danaher. Cornwall's star had defected to the Irish and his hat-trick sunk the Winged Wheels. The Triple A's title hopes were dashed in July. The month commenced with a tough 5-3 loss to Ottawa and ended with a crushing 8-0 rout by Shamrocks. Unable to defeat the top pair, M.A.A.A. would finish 4-4.

Three wins more than Toronto or Cornwall! Old news for the Queen City crew but how quickly the mighty Colts had fallen. Player losses such as Danaher and Bill Leacy had taken their toll. Plus outstanding net-minder Norm Carpenter played only one game in his final season.

The pennant race again came down to Ottawa or Shamrocks. The Irish delivered a knockdown early. On June 23rd the defending champs were beaten 5-4. The actual lacrosse was not the main event. That occurred when an Ottawa spectator called green shirt Bob Wall a nasty name. Wall went towards the crowd, then they came towards him. The result was a 25 minute field invasion. In disgust, Lord Aberdeen left the grounds. Besides angering the Capitals' fans, Wall scored four goals in the contest.

The knockout blow came two months later. The Irish were again victorious, topping the titleholders 5-3. John Tucker, Danaher and league scoring champ Wall each scored three points. They clinched the championship a fortnight later with a resounding 8-1 victory over Toronto. Ottawa concluded the year by bouncing M.A.A.A. 5-3 - as youngster John Powers scored his first hat-trick - then shutting out Toronto. It was too little too late. The undefeated Shamrocks were #1.

The N. L. U. showed clear superiority over their C. L. A. rivals in inter-league play. Toronto prevailed over St. Catharines 7-1, while Shamrocks beat Brampton 6-1.

1895 - FROM STRATFORD TO SEAFORTH

The break-up of the three time defending C. L. A. Senior champs from Stratford led many of their players up the road to Seaforth. Consequently the Beavers easily won the '95 crown. A 9-1 record with only a sixth games loss to Fergus.

As usual the C. L. A. had its problems. Toronto won only one game but had it taken away after a protest by Tecumsehs. On July 1st Fergus traveled to St. Catharines for a regrettable affair. The Thistles started well and scored the first goal. Unluckily the referee overruled the umpire from Fergus. The enraged Thistles marched off the field and headed for the train station, with the Athletic team chasing after them, attempting to convince them to return. By the time they had reached the station, St. Catharines had agreed to allow the goal to stand. Still Fergus would not be swayed and were soon on their way home. The Double Blues won the game, by default, but had to give the holiday crowd their money back.

It was another grand year for the Irish of Montreal. Shamrock A.A. opened their new grounds on July 6th. A full house, 7,000 seated and 1,000 standing, cheered the home side to a 4-3 victory over Ottawa. Joe O'Meara potted all four, while John Powers was involved in all the losers scoring. From there the Montreal squad rolled to another title. With three different players scoring in double figures (O'Meara a league leading 15 goals, followed by Bob Wall, 12 in 5 games, and Dave Danaher with 10) the Irish only lost once. Cornwall defeated them on Dominion Day 4-2. Rookie John Broderick's two goals were the difference. Danaher counted a brace for the shorthanded Shamrocks. Wall missed the contest. Broderick was the league's newest sensation as he led the Colts to a 5-3 record.

Capitals had another strong club and stayed with the leaders until September. Their second loss to the Irish, by a 6-2 score, ended their pennant hopes. They completed their schedule a week later with a 7-0 rout of Cornwall. It was their second big score against the Colts. Earlier they had won an unfinished match 8-0. Their final tally had come in the third quarter. Deciding they had done enough, the Capital players huddled, gave themselves a cheer, then left the field. The Colts were more than happy to make an early start for home.

On the downside were the performances of Toronto and M.A.A.A. The Queen City club went winless and defaulted a game to the Winged Wheels. Toronto had some talent with a youthful Tack Hendry and Brampton's Ed Peaker but they weren't nearly enough. The Triple A's only 2 wins came against the bottom side. They also had a promising new star, Albert Dade. Unfortunately he would not begin to peak until switching to Shamrocks, two years later.

1896 - CAPITALS NEAR PERFECT

Ottawa won its second title. With a dozen goals from John Powers plus 8 from James Murphy Capitals marched to a 9-1 record. Weakened by the retirement of Joe O'Meara, Shamrocks lost twice to the champs enroute to their runner-up position. There was only one black mark on the Ottawa record and it was a suspicious one. They arrived in Cornwall for the second last game of the year poised to clinch the pennant. Yet the leaders were hammered 6-1! Immediately the press speculated that the contest had been thrown. It was true that the loss revived Shamrocks title hopes, however that was not necessarily bad for Capitals either. The final game was Ottawa at Shamrocks and half the gate would go to the visitors. Capitals denied the accusation and pointed out that Cornwall were not a bad team. Colts had earlier beaten the Irish 4-2. Plus they placed third in the circuit with 6 wins. As for the Ottawa players, the dispute regarding their honesty would not be resolved until the following season.

Surprisingly few Ottawa fans traveled to Montreal for the final match. Most expected another loss, meaning the tie break would open in the nation's capital a week later. Curious because the Irish had been beaten in the initial encounter 7-1, thanks to Powers' four goals. John Tucker may have led Shamrocks with 15 goals on the year but he came up empty against Ottawa, twice! In the rematch Capitals again showed the green shirts up and won the championship outright. They topped the Montrealers 4-1 as Harry Carleton's brace carried them home.

Named after the great Shawnee chief who was killed during the War of 1812, Toronto Tecumsehs debuted in the big league. They pleased everyone with their offensive style. To accompany their 5-5 record they scored 44 goals, only one behind Capitals. C. Cross led the league with 18. Tecumsehs had strong out of town support, including: Barney Quinn (Prescott), Larry Hay (Orangeville), Tod Downey (St. Catharines) and the Milners (Brampton).

The other Toronto team went winless again. M.A.A.A. were not much better at 2-7. The bottom pair did not play their last game.

1897 - CAPITALS PUTS DISGRACE BEHIND THEM

The N. L. U. entered the season minus Montreal A.A.A. Lack of competitiveness led to the Winged Wheels dropping out. A Victoria Day exhibition contest showed that the Triple A's executive had made the prudent choice. They were hammered 7-1 by Toronto. The other Toronto club also withdrew from the league. Tecumsehs returned to the C. L. A. and won the senior title. They also claimed the Queen City championship by twice defeating Torontos 7-2 and 5-2.

The defending N. L. U. champions started the year fast. Harry Westwick scored 30 seconds into their opening game. They went on to top Shamrocks 4-3, followed by a 6-0 shutout of Cornwall. Yet the Capital Express derailed on Dominion Day. Toronto, with only one league win in the previous three seasons, handed the titleholders a 7-5 loss! Rumours immediately circulated that the game had been thrown. Three days after the defeat, Ottawa shocked its fans by suspending four players: Harry Carleton, Jimmy Devine, James Murphy and Mick Shea. To protest the suspensions John Powers resigned. Much of the press agreed with Jack, that the quartet had been unjustly punished. "Where's the proof?" they all demanded to know. The proof would soon come out.

It was a bewildering July for all lacrosse fans. As word spread about a mysterious Prescott man, a suspiciously large bet on Toronto and bribes to certain players, Ottawa took the field for their next contest without three perennial top ten scorers and two starting defenders. Toronto soon added to the confusion by picking up Shea and playing him in a 4-3 victory over Cornwall. They claimed that the Capitals had released him, however the rules clearly stated that a player could not switch teams in mid season. Cornwall protested. Rumours next had all four suspended players joining Toronto. Before that could come about the league supported the Colts, threw out the Toronto win and ordered the match to be replayed on the 31st. Thus the month ended with Cornwall winning the second contest 5-2.

The Capitals' situation was what concerned people most. The answers to their questions, the few questions which would be answered, became public in an Ottawa courtroom in October. On trial for fraud were two entrepreneurs (gamblers?) Joseph Troy and Frank Bissonette, a former Capital. The key witnesses were the Prescott man and the four suspended players. How matters appear to have transpired were as follows: George McCrea, from Prescott, bet $3,000 on Toronto on behalf of the accused. McCrea said he had heard that some of the Ottawa players were not expected to be in top form for the match. For his troubles George received $100. As for the bribes, Carleton claimed that he had been offered $50 by Bissonette but had turned it down. Shea admitted to taking $50 but later returning it. With none of the players confessing that they had taken money TO THROW THE GAME the court case went nowhere. Still, in an age when a player's amateur status was life and death, even to be suspected of accepting cash to lose was unacceptable. The four Capitals were tainted. None would play in the N. L. U. again.

As for the Ottawa club, their July 10th match was the second leg of consecutive games with Toronto. The Queen City squad led 3-0 and were up 3-1 when their star Ernie Burns was sidelined for the day. Capitals scored five more unanswered goals to win 6-3. George Carson and Ed Murphy both counted a brace to highlight the rally. For Murphy it was his senior debut. Two weeks later John Powers returned to the team and scored four in a 7-3 victory over Cornwall. The titleholders were far from dead.

Shamrocks were their chief threat. The Irish began with only one win in their first three starts, then they lost centreman Dick Kelly with a broken finger. During his three game absence they suffered their third loss. Luckily the league was playing a 12 game schedule so there was time to recover. On August 28th they defeated the champs, handing them their third setback. The game was a thriller. Ottawa had built up a 3-2 edge thanks to Powers' two goals and assist. Bob Wall's third counter, against the run of play, tied it. In overtime Albert Dade scored the winner in 9 ½ minutes.

In August the experts began to doubt whether Ottawa could overcome the loss of four valuable veterans. The month started as it had ended, with a loss. A large group of Ottawa rooters paid $1.50 train fare for the return trip to the Factory Town. They were disappointed to see Cornwall win 5-4. Colts used four different goalies in the game. Starter James Broderick was not 100% so John White began the contest. The big Indian was of greater value on defence so he was replaced by O'Callaghan. He eventually gave way to Bob Degan. Degan completed the first half and lasted through the third quarter. Finally Broderick dragged himself off the bench and, like a baseball fireman, preserved the win. One of only four the third place Colts would manage on the year.

The pennant race went down to the final month. The green shirts got the jump in early September by beating Cornwall 8-3, on the 4th, and Toronto 8-2 a week later. John Tucker scored four against the Colts and Dade had hat-tricks in both games. Wall also potted four, against Toronto, giving him 20 on the year. Meanwhile Capitals were preoccupied with two exhibition games against Tecumsehs. They lost in Toronto 5-2, before beating the Indians 6-1 at home. Thus they went to Montreal for the big showdown with a 7-3 record, compared to Shamrocks' 8-3 mark. With Ottawa still to play Toronto only 2 wins on the year) the game on the 18th was for all the marbles.

Capitals played a junior goalie named O'Dougherty in place of Alex 'Bowery' Robertson. Shamrock stopper Stinson had beaten the titleholders a month earlier. History would not repeat itself. Ottawa disappointed the 8,000 Irish fans by doubling Montreal 4-2. From the moment Premier Laurier started the match Capitals played like champions. Powers led the offence with a goal and two assists. The victory was a bit of a surprise to the Ottawa fans in attendance. Little money changed hands as few were prepared to bet on the visitors. Upon their return home, the team was greeted by a big crowd, then escorted to Russell House. There Mayor Bingham made a speech.

There was still some unfinished business regarding the championship. Capitals had to win their final game to clinch the pennant. With 'Bowery' back between the poles they blanked Toronto 7-0. Powers' hat-trick allowed him to catch Toronto's Frank Nolan for top goal scoring honours. Both counted a record two dozen.

1898 - BEAVERS' BITTER DEPARTURE

A bad year for the C.L.A. Senior League. Five clubs battled for the championship, Georgetown, Orangeville, St. Catharines, Seaforth and Tecumseh-Elms. The competition was spoiled when the Toronto team defaulted its final game in Orangeville. This news came as a terrible shock to Seaforth Beavers. They had already clinched the pennant and could not be caught, even by an Orangeville victory. Unfortunately C.L.A. rules stated that if a squad failed to complete its schedule all its games must be thrown out. Thus Seaforth lost two victories while Orangeville was able to shed an earlier loss to Tecumseh-Elms. This created a tie between the two clubs and a one game playoff. The Beavers shock soon turned to dismay as they lost the tie break to Orangeville. It was the last Senior lacrosse game they ever participated in. Orangeville Dufferins were Senior champs but they were not the best team in the province. A further black eye was given to Senior lacrosse when the Intermediate titleholders from Orillia defeated the Dufferins 11-1! In fairness to Orangeville, the Terriers of the 1890s, like the Orillia Kings one hundred years later, should not have been in the B League. With stars like George Armstrong, who scored six against the Dufferins, Jack Curran, Fred Grant and Bob Watson they had dominated Intermediate for most of the decade. Their reason for remaining B was practical. In their zone they faced clubs from Markham, Beaverton and Peterborough. That was a great deal more inviting than regular trips to St. Catharines and Seaforth. They probably could have won several Senior crowns but never did challenge.

As with hockey, Montreal's francophones were slow to take to lacrosse. With the M.A.A.A. out of senior, a void was left to be filled by the Frenchmen, Initially there were few French players on the team. The Valois brothers and Cousineau were the only ones on the '98 side. Montreal lacrosse was still dominated by Irishmen thus the Nationals wisely filled their line-up with the most talented available. Years later the violet et blanc would truly be a French-Canadian team.

It was an off year for Montreal's other squad. Shamrocks had lost Bob Wall and star centreman Dick Kelly to retirement. After an opening win the green shirts lost three straight and never recovered. A losing season of 3 wins and 5 losses followed. They did salvage their pride with a big September win over Ottawa, 5-3.

Middle of the pack for Cornwall Colts again. They split their eight matches even though they had the worst offence in the league. Defence bailed them out, in particular young goalkeeper Corey Hess. Hess back-stopped all four Cornwall wins.

Another wooden spoon for Toronto. They were competitive, averaging four goals per game. Frank Nolan's 14 markers were second best in the circuit. Nevertheless last place for the Queen City boys with a 2-6-1 record.

Mighty Ottawa and the new kids from Montreal fought for the pennant. The titleholders won five out of their first six, including an 8-1 rout of Nationals. On the other-hand the Frenchmen also lost to and tied Toronto before hitting their stride. The key to their championship run came immediately after the Ottawa loss. They squeaked past Cornwall 2-1 as Shiner White scored both. Then came two narrow victories over Shamrocks. Paddy Brennan fired a pair in the 4-3 win. The next week the violet et blanc prevailed 6-4 in spite of John Tucker's hat-trick.

The turning point for Capitals was a three week mid-summer break. When they returned to action on September 10th the defending champs had lost their edge. Shamrocks were without midfield sensation Harry Hoobin yet still upset them. That set up the crucial match a fortnight later against Nationals. Again the titleholders fell 5-3. White scored twice and Walsh helped on three as the Frenchmen triumphed. Top league scorer George Donaldson was contained along with the rest of the Ottawa attack. The following Saturday the violet et blanc replayed their Toronto tie and clinched the pennant with a 4-2 win. Brennan's deuce was the difference. Nolan replied with both Toronto goals. The Shamrock/Capital juggernaut had been broken, by a first year team.

1899 - THREE'S COMPANY

A superb championship race highlighted in an expanded N. L. U. New teams in Quebec City and Sherbrooke gave the league more french flavour. The Quebec entry began well by splitting their first four contests. After that it was difficult, one win in eight, including a 15-0 loss to Shamrocks. Sherbrooke's only success was a 2-1 win over Quebec.

Believe it or not, Toronto actually finished out of the basement. They even finished ahead of Ottawa. To top everything they managed a winning record of 7-5. Frank and Fred Moran, Pick Lillie and Ed Peaker all scored in double figures to lead the revival. For the Capitals, it was a nightmare, 4 wins and 8 losses, their worst season since the merger. Their great offence went flat and too many close defeats meant a long summer.

The emergence of Jack Brennan and Bert Henry as stars catapulted Shamrocks back into contention. Brennan set a record with 26 goals. Albert Dade followed with 19 and Henry added 18. Lest we forget the motor running the Irish machine! Harry Hoobin quarterbacked the offence, plus found the time to chip in 13 markers.

Joining the green shirts in the pennant hunt were the titleholders and Cornwall. Shamrocks reached September with an 8-1 record. Colts were immediately behind with 7 wins and 2 losses. Nationals trailed with a 4-3 mark. Once again the Frenchmen had the finishing kick, though this
time they needed help. It was Toronto who brought their chances back to life by shocking Shamrocks 9-0 on Labour Day. The following Saturday they topped Cornwall 3-2. Lillie scored five over the two games. The defending champs responded by winning their final five matches. On September 23rd they edged the Irish 3-2. A fortnight later Paddy Brennan scored half in a 4-1 victory over Ottawa. That created a three way tie.

Shamrocks put the rally to rest in October. Consecutive wins over their rivals gave them the pennant. Bert Henry's remarkable five goal effort carried the green shirts past Cornwall 6-2. Next Henry counted two, along with Dade, as Nationals were dethroned in a 5-1 game.

More success for Orangeville Dufferins in Senior lacrosse, another C. L. A. crown. Yet another embarrassment at the hands of the Intermediate champs. A kid named Charles Querrie led the Markham Stars past Orangeville for provincial honours. Among the Stars zone rivals were Beaverton Checkers. The Checkers deserve to be mentioned, if for no other reason than their catchy team song.

CHECKERS' YELL
Red and white, red and white,
red and white is our delight.
Hobble, gobble, razzle, dazzle,
Sis cum bah!
The Checkers, the checkers,
Rah! Rah! Rah!

So ended the sweet and innocent 19th Century.

1900 - THE MINTO CUP

After several years of teams coming and going the N. L. U. regained stability to start the new century. Quebec City and Sherbrooke were gone, however Montreal A.A.A. returned. The six team league would remain unchanged for the next four years.

With the base firmly set, Shamrocks entered the new century poised to become the greatest dynasty in the sport's history. With talented youths like Jack Brennan, Harry Hoobin, John Currie and Ed Robinson their immediate future was well secured. Yet something went terribly wrong in 1900. They entered the season missing three key players as Bert Henry and Albert Dade defected to other teams (Orangeville and Nationals) while veteran John Tucker retired. With those losses and a 0-2 start, Shamrocks season never got off the ground. They did tie for second place but with a 5-5 record.

Toronto also split their ten games. The arrival of Charles Querrie from Markham kept them respectable. Querrie scored 7 goals while leading the league in assists and points. His first of two scoring championships put him in a select group along with Tom Paton, Alex Black, Joe O'Meara and Bob Wall. Jack Brennan would soon join them. They would all be topped first by Jim Hogan with three title, then Newsy Lalonde with four.

Towards the bottom of the league was Cornwall (4-6) Nationals (4-6) and M.A.A.A. (3-7). Angus 'Bones' Allen led Colts offence with 8 goals. Edouard 'Happy' L'Heureux became the Frenchmen's new net-minder. He improved on his 1-8 record with Sherbrooke by going 4-4, a modest start for someone who would become the winningest goaltender in field lacrosse history. The Winged Wheels enjoyed early successes over Cornwall, 3-2, and Shamrocks, 5-4. Their best result was a 5-1 triumph over the defending champs. Unfortunately the Triple A's lost their last five contests.

The first notable event of the summer was New Westminster's tour of the east. Their best performance was against Capitals. Captain Archie McNaughton's side landed in Ottawa on Labour Day Saturday and humbled their hosts 4-1.

Most notable of all was the Minto Cup. Lord Minto's trophy would be symbolic of Canadian lacrosse supremacy. In 1900 there was only one big league, the N. L. U. Thus the Cup would go to that league's champion. Ottawa Capitals would be first to claim it.

This was Ottawa's year. They regained the pennant by an enormous four game margin. With a third match 3-2 loss to Cornwall their start was ordinary. In July they quietly grabbed top spot, then pulled away from the pack. August was no different. A 9-3 win over Colts, on the strength of Harry Westwick's trio, preceded a 4-0 shutout of Shamrocks. Toronto was next to fall, 3-1, as Pat Murphy scored a pair. A week later Nationals lost and the championship was settled. The loss to New Westminster did not look good, however it was an exhibition match. There would be more at stake when Ottawa met the C.L.A. Senior champs later in September.

The C.L.A. Senior circuit was in a sad state. Orangeville Dufferins and Toronto Tecumsehs were the only clubs in the league. Orangeville proved their ability by taking four out of five league games from the Indians. They also played Montreal Shamrocks to a 7-7 draw in July. The two game final in August decided the Senior crown. Dufferins won twice with ease, 5-0 and 3-0. Billy Irvine scored a pair in the opener and all three in the rematch.

A trip to Ottawa to challenge for the Minto Cup would not be such a picnic, 7-3 for the cup-holders. Ed Murphy scored five as Ottawa easily outclassed Orangeville.

1901 - SENIOR RENAISSANCE IN ONTARIO

A rebirth in the C. L. A. Senior League, from two to nine clubs as Fergus, Paris and Brantford all returned after long absences. St. Catharines was also back. The other new teams were: Shelbourne Dauntless, Mount Forest Lornes and Galt Manchesters. For Brantford it was the beginning of their drive to win the Minto Cup. Boosting such local talent as William Brierly, Frank McLaren and Fred Graydon was former Toronto N.L.U. star Dolly Durkin and Orillia's Mickey Connor.

Orangeville won a record fourth straight pennant. Put in a weak northern division they had little trouble reaching the league final. Dufferins went 5-1, most wins by very lopsided scores. The biggest was a 16-2 decision over Mount Forest. Their one setback was a 4-3 loss to Shelbourne.

In the southern district, Brantford and St. Catharines duelled in a lively race. Brantford topped Orangeville's mark by scoring 17 against Paris. Interestingly the same Paris squad beat Tecumsehs 15-1! That was the Brants only victory. The Athletics had a perfect record until the final game. Brantford defeated them 4-1 to force a tie break. McLaren was the hero with two goals. But they could not beat the Double Blues in consecutive games. St. Catharines squeaked by in the rematch 4-2, as Gourlay scored a hat-trick. In the C. L. A. Final, Orangeville were tested but won out 7-5. Joe Hatcher, Bert Henry and Billy Irvine each tallied a brace. In a losing cause George 'Tod' Downey also had a pair.

In the east, Shamrocks returned to the top. The key to their success came from Nationals. Albert Dade rejoined the Irish, bringing Tack Hendry with him. More importantly Paddy Brennan also defected. Those three would combine to score 36 of Shamrock's 59 goals in the campaign. Mixed in with the fine talent the green shirts already had created a powerhouse. Shamrock's first championship was no foregone conclusion. Ottawa was not about to go away, plus Cornwall was back.

A Victoria Day loss to Toronto was a bad omen for Capitals. Disaster struck on July 20th during a 4-2 win over the Irish. Ed Murphy took a stick to the face and suffered a broken jaw. Diagnosed out for the year, Murphy made a remarkable recovery to play in the final two contests. He would manage three goals, bringing his season total to 11 in five games. Yet the damage had been done. During his absence, Ottawa lost 4-2 to Cornwall, then a must win game to Shamrocks. The green shirts prevailed 5-3, eliminating the titleholders from contention. They would finish 6-4. There would be a new Minto Cup champ.

Colts were the surprise of the year. Led by the Brodericks and Degans, plus the support of the likes of John White, Bob Madden, Bones Allen and Corey Hess, they posted an 8-2 mark. John Broderick led the league with 18 goals. Hess recorded one of the few shutouts of the season blanking Nationals 6-0. Shamrocks matched their eight wins, setting up a tie break in Ottawa, a one game final to determine the new Minto Cup holders. Hendry, Dade, Jack Brennan and John Currie all scored in a 4-2 triumph for the Montreal squad. The Shamrocks had only just begun.

1902 - IMPORTS! IMPORTS! IMPORTS!

Ottawa Capitals had been recruiting out of town players since they joined the N. L. U., however their '02 squad was basically a local team. This was the year the C. L. A. really got into the act. Woodstock rejoined Senior lacrosse and practically their entire roster was full of imports. Corey Hess, Tom Leahy and Reddy McMillan were the most notable. Brantford also stocked up on outsiders as they hoped to make a Minto Cup run. They signed Bert Henry from Orangeville, then brought in Albert Dade and Tack Hendry from the National Champion Shamrocks. The trio tore up the league. Hendry scored 21 goals in his first four games. He finished with 29, one behind Henry's 30. Dade was the playmaker with 15 assists to accompany 23 goals. 82 of Brantford's 103 goals were scored by this foreign contingent. Bill Taylor's 7 markers were best among the locals.

McMillan led the Woodstock crew with 19 goals, followed by Leahy's 18 and 14 assists. Hess tended goal in 7 of the Beavers' 8 wins. They won the western district over London Cockneys, Stratford Iroquois and Paris Brants with an 8-1 record. Their only loss came to London on Dominion Day, 5-3. They also opened the season in London with numbers on the backs of their uniforms. The Cockneys seemed to always be in the news this season. Brantford goalie Jack Kelly had lost his stick at a game in London. The next week he traveled to Woodstock to recover it. Before the contest between London and Woodstock commenced he marched onto the field and began to examine every Cockney stick. He eventually spied a London player hiding in a corner. The Cockneys agreed to surrender the stick if Kelly could identify himself. Woodstock Police Chief Zeats guarded the stick while Kelly went to find a newspaperman. Shortly after, he had his stick back.

Brantford ruled the east over St. Catharines, Tecumsehs and Orangeville. They avenged the previous season's tie break loss by crushing the Athletics 11-1 on opening day. Two weeks later they destroyed the defending champs 14-2! It was an inglorious year for Orangeville. They won only three games and proved themselves to be poor losers by defaulting their final match. They would drop down to Intermediate at year end, beginning an exile of nearly two decades. Brantford rolled to first place with a 10-2 record. Road losses to Tecumsehs and St. Catharines were their only failings. Woodstock had little trouble wrapping up their work in the west after Stratford and Paris dropped out in July. That set up a two game September showdown for the championship. The Beavers went to the final without Tom Leahy, a handicap they could not overcome. Albert Dade blasted them early in the opening game. He scored three of the first four goals as Brantford waltzed to a 7-2 victory. The second contest was even more one sided. 8-1 Brantford as Tack Hendry scored 6 and helped on the other pair.

1902's Minto Cup challenge came from the west. New Westminster Royals arrived in Montreal for the July holiday weekend, truly the first national final. Though officially called the Royals, the more common nickname was Salmonbellies. Shamrocks won the Saturday opener by a convincing 6-1 score. Jim McKeown counted three and Ed Robinson two. On Tuesday the home side suffered a key setback. With the game tied 1-1, field general Harry Hoobin was injured. Still the Irish midfield overcame the loss as Robinson had another great game, along with John Currie. Jack Brennan led the offence with a brace as Shamrocks prevailed 5-2.

You would have thought the loss of Dade and Hendry would have crippled their Irish. Dade was the N. L. U.'s defending scoring champ, while he and Hendry had scored 27 of Shamrocks' 55 goals the previous season. The key to the Montreal squad wasn't its home players, it was their midfield, in particular Hoobin. Harry was universally recognized as the greatest lacrosse player ever. He would hold the green shirts together come what may. Even with the offensive loss the Irish would erupt for 80 goals in 12 games. The midfielders became more active up front as Hoobin led the league with 18 goals and Robinson chipped in with a dozen. Newcomer McKeown also added 14. Shamrocks still had the best team going.

They would get decent competition. Not from their two local rivals though. Nationals and M.A.A.A. combined for only 3 wins in 20 games! Toronto had one of their best squads. They began the year on a British Tour, and then came home to post a winning record. Their most notable success was a 4-1 triumph over Shamrocks. That gave them a 6-2 record, very much in pennant contention. Their title bid ended with a 3-1 loss to Ottawa. John Power's deuce was the difference. A week later they fell to the Irish 9-6. Paddy Brennan was 2 and 2, while Jack scored a trio. Charles Querrie's 4 points were in a losing cause.

Ottawa and Cornwall were the other two challengers. Capitals could always be counted on for a tough fight and they stayed with the Minto Cup holders right to the end. Colts were very competitive. They only finished 5-5 but also had three ties, two against Shamrocks.

Due to the Minto Cup, the Irish faced a heavy finishing schedule. From mid-August on they played five consecutive Saturdays, plus a Labour Day Monday contest. The titleholders added to their woes by tying Cornwall 5-5. That replay of an earlier tie meant another replay at year end. Shamrocks followed that disappointment with their Toronto loss. They regained their form on Labour Day weekend. Hoobin scored 7 and Percy Quinn posted the shutout in a 12-0 win over M.A.A.A. They then avenged their Toronto defeat. Both the green shirts and Capitals won on September 6th, setting up the title match the following week. Shamrocks (7-1) versus Ottawa (7-2). The pennant-holders defended the flag with a 4-2 win, in spite of Ed Murphy's two scores.

1903 - BRANTFORD REPEAT

Anticipation for the upcoming season had never been greater. In May a rumour circulated throughout Brantford that Albert Dade and Tack Hendry were about to arrive from Montreal. Twenty-five enthusiasts rushed to the T. H. & B. station to meet the train. When the Montreal Express arrived without either star all of the waiting men were quite ashamed. Some claimed to be expecting an aunt, while others went to check the luggage. None of the fans dared return straight to town, instead they took the most circuitous routes home. Naturally all denied ever having been there.

Interest was also high in Port Hope and Oshawa. Both towns had gone to great lengths to give themselves a senior team. Port Hope recruited John White (from Cornwall) George Donaldson (Ottawa) plus Toronto veteran Billy Kelly. Oshawa's acquisitions included Eddie Hagan (St.Catharines), Bob Degan (Cornwall) and the much sought after Donald Cameron. Along with the Cameron Derby, most teams had spent the spring courting Orillia's Mickey Connor. He chose to play Intermediate for Galt.

Brantford was still the team to beat. The defending champs helped themselves to Ottawa's Pat Murphy, like they needed another goal scorer! He chipped in a dozen markers as the Telephone City crew sailed to another pennant. Both Dade and Hendry suffered from irregular attendance. When they were in the line up they were devastating. Bert Henry was around for every game and ran away with the scoring championship.

It was a confusing C. L. A. year. A double round robin was originally scheduled, totally 8 games for each club. Yet interest was so high by July that the clubs decided to double the schedule. Only Port Hope passed on the second half. Surprising as they'd posted a respectable 4-4 record. Even more amazing, in an August exhibition contest they upset Brantford 5-4, thanks to Pennock's hat-trick. Still senior lacrosse had a short life span in Northumberland County. Port Hope Ontarios joined the Trent Valley Intermediate League the next season.

The chief threat to Brantford's title came from St. Catharines. Boosted by youngsters George Kalls and Charles Lowe, they split four meetings with the champs, handing them their only two defeats. It was a bitter rivalry. In the first showdown Tack Hendry viciously slashed an Athletic across the face. Prior to the second encounter, a threatening letter was sent to the Brantford star. It was written in black ink, splatter with red ink (supposedly blood) and signed Ironeater. Tack missed the game in St. Catharines, supposedly, Brantford claimed, to rest his sprained wrist. He did make it to the Garden City for the third meeting. Hendry further endeared himself to Double Blue fans by breaking William Elliot's nose! The final meeting took place in Brantford on a hot August afternoon. During the contest a lady fainted from the heat. As the crowd stepped back to give her air, they noticed she was wearing St. Catharines' colours. Everyone cheered her misfortune.

To the east, Montreal A.A.A. were the most improved club. They vacated the basement with a 5 win 5 loss effort. Tom Leahy deserved much of the credit. Fresh from his Woodstock sojourn he hammered home a league leading 23 goals. Montreal's French were far from improved. A 7-5 win over Toronto was their only positive result. They really were awful. Their worst beatings included: 13-4 to Toronto, 9-3 to Shamrocks and 15-0 to Ottawa. Frank McLaren scored six in the Toronto game. The Queen City squad were not much better. A 3-7 record, though they did score as many goals as they gave up. Cornwall was the other slacker, posting a 5-5 mark.

For the second year in a row Shamrocks had to cope with serious off season losses. Percy Quinn and Frank Nolan retired, plus John Currie and Jim McKeown only played sparingly. Harry Hoobin even missed three games! Yet the Irish rose above it all. Defenders Jim Kavanaugh and John Howard must have drawn lots before each game to determine who would tend goal as the pair split the duty. Joe 'Spike' Hennessy arrived on the scene to contribute 15 goals. Other newcomers were junior Jim Hogan and defender Shaun O'Reilly.

The pennant run was a two horse race. The green shirts won their first seven. Capitals were right on their heels. They'd added Dolly Durkin (14 goals) to compliment Ed Murphy (15) and John Powers (12 in only 5 games). After an initial 5-2 loss to Toronto, Ottawa responded with seven straight wins, capped by a 6-5 thriller over Shamrocks. Powers played and counted two along with three assists. Durkin's pair cancelled out Jack Brennan's brace and Harry Westwick bounced home the winner. The following Saturday disaster struck. Cornwall upset Ottawa 3-2. Durkin had another deuce but it wasn't enough. Colt goals by Shiner Eastwood, Bob Madden and John Broderick drastically altered the championship race. Shamrocks took advantage of the Capital blunder, just barely. They slipped past the Winged Wheels 4-3 on the strength of Hennessy's hat-trick. Thus Ottawa headed to Montreal needing a win in order to tie for first. It didn't happen. Two from Jack Brennan and two more from Ed Robinson as the Irish won 7-0. Jim Kavanaugh earned the shutout.

1904 - THE MIGHTY SHAMROCKS

It was a chaotic year for Ottawa. They were kicked out of the league in late June for playing Charlie Pringle, a professional. In the end the N. L. U. backed down. They finally admitted that they could not prevent the encroachment of professionalism. After all, every team in the league was paying players in one form or another. With the ruling the floodgates opened for N. L. U. and C. L. A. clubs. The sport was booming and there was money for everyone.

Albert Dade and Tack Hendry made their return to Montreal on the Dominion Day weekend. Their Brantford squad was after the Minto Cup. The C. L. A. champs were without two stars from the previous year. Bert Henry and Pat Murphy. Henry had moved on to Tecumsehs. Having won championships five consecutive years with Shamrocks, Orangeville and Brantford he would put that streak on the line in Toronto. Murphy had returned to Ottawa. Brantford did not sit idly by as their talent slipped away. John Powers came over from Ottawa, plus John White joined the club after his short stay in Port Hope. This was a team determined to earn national honours. However they were matched against the greatest lacrosse team ever.

Montreal Shamrocks of 1904 were awesome. They won every contest they played and averaged an unheard of 11 goals per game. The Brantford offence were also strong, however they were no equal to the Irish. That was proven during the Minto Cup Final. The green shirts won twice, by scores of 8-5 and 9-4. Jack Brennan scored three in both games. For the losers, Hendry was held pointless.

How good were Shamrocks? The three goal win over Brantford was the closest game they played all year. After the Minto Cup series they got better and better. 16-3 over Cornwall on July 16th as Jim Hogan scored five and Paddy Brennan four. On August 6th they crushed the Winged Wheels 14-4. Four more for Hogan, while Paddy added a hat-trick. September 17th saw them top Nationals 11-6. Five more for Hogan, with deuces to Joe Hennessy and Jack Brennan. To top everything, a week later they humbled their arch rivals. A shocking 12-0 victory over Ottawa. Four for Hogan, three for both Brennans and a pair to Harry Hoobin. The year concluded with another five goal triumph over the Frenchmen. This time 6-1 as Hennessy and Paddy B. both counted a brace.

Capitals were bridesmaids again. Had they won that September 24th game they could have made a late charge on the league leaders. Wishful thinking. Pat Murphy finished second to Hogan in the scoring race. Bones Allen and Shiner Eastwood both came over from Cornwall to contribute significantly. With such a talent loss Colts season was a disaster, only one win. But what a sweet win it was. On July 1st they upset Ottawa 5-3. Two goals from John Broderick made the difference. The Triple A's also managed only one victory, 4-1 over Nationals. The Frenchmen were more respectable at 3-5. The fact remains, the entire league had been humbled by the mighty Shamrocks.

Fergus returned to Senior lacrosse in the C. L. A. but it was an unsuccessful half season effort. The appearance of Harry 'Sport' Murton was the most noteworthy thing about the Thistles. He scored twice during the 1-5 campaign. Fergus' one victory came over St. Catharines, a 7-2 surprise. It was also an off year for the Athletics. Only 5 wins in 14 tries, a major disappointment. Toronto Chippewas were the circuit's other new club. They place a respectable third with a 6-8 record. They upset Brantford on the August Civic holiday 4-3. Archie Adamson scored two and Mickey Connor had 1 and 1 in the win. Five days later the defending champs blasted them 11-0 as Albert Dade scored a record 8 goals.

Toronto Tecumsehs were back! After several miserable years they had a contender again. Toronto Lacrosse Club was to thank for this development. The Torontos not only dropped out of the N. L. U. they dropped right out of senior by joining the Queen City League. Charles Querrie had not left his hometown of Markham to end up an Intermediate side. Consequently he moved to the Tecumsehs. A huge turn of events as Querrie would soon be the largest figure in Toronto sports. In a few short years he would be managing the Indians as well and eventually their owner. He would also accomplish much in the winter, like winning two Stanley Cups with Toronto St. Pats. The first as manager, the second as owner. Then he would sell the club to Conn Smythe, who renamed the team Maple Leafs.

Tecumsehs other additions included Bert Henry and George Donaldson. Thus they had plenty of pep when they hit the field in late May. Two early wins were followed by a 1-1 draw with the pennant-holders. John White scored for Brantford and Jim Murray answered for the Indians. The pair next met in late August. Toronto was in first but that changed dramatically. On the 20th Brantford hammered Tecumsehs 9-2. Dade led the way with 4 goals. One week later the champs won again, a 3-2 nail-biter. John Powers notched the decider. It was an ugly contest which flew out of control in the third quarter. A Toronto mob led by Querrie and his team-mate Hugh Lambe attacked the referee. Fortunately the official survived the incident unharmed. Both Querrie and Lambe were fined $20. Now the championship was level and would remain so until the season finale. Bert Henry hoped to win another pennant. He scored once in the match, as did defender Lambe. Brantford kept pace with goals from White and Bob Degan. Powers set up one and he also assisted on the winner. Dade broke the tie. The Telephone City crew had won again.

1905 - AMATEUR ERA OVER

In May, Montreal A.A.A. announced that they would pay their players, ending the last holdout to professionalism. In both the N. L. U. and C. L. A., senior amateur lacrosse was no more. The immediate result for the Winged Wheels was their first winning season since 1889. Bringing Frank Nolan out of retirement and attracting Rod Finlayson from Shamrocks boosted their cause. So did a young newcomer named Henry Scott. With 5 wins and 3 losses the Triple A's placed second, two games back of Shamrocks.

The Irish still dominated. Their only defeat came in the fourth match, a wild 12-9 loss to Ottawa. Shamrocks were without Paddy Brennan. Capitals took advantage as Ed Murphy and Horace Gaul both scored four. The titleholders other hiccup came a month later. Nationals held them to a 3-3 draw. The green shirts were without Harry Hoobin but it was the goaltending of Happy L'Heureux which saved the Frenchmen from defeat. On the positive side, both Jack Brennan and Jim Hogan scored 21 to lead Shamrocks and the league.

A disappointing year in Ottawa. They received plenty of production from their Cornwall players: Shiner Eastwood (12 goals) and Bones Allen (11), however their goaltending was a nightmare. No Bouse Hutton for the second year in a row and it showed. Capitals' 69 goals for were only two behind Shamrocks but they gave up a league high 55! Ed MacDonald and long time defender Bowery Robertson struggled throughout the season. Ottawa settled for a 4-4 record, ending four consecutive winning seasons.

Nationals were losers again with only three wins but Cornwall suffered terribly. Another one win season for Colts. They only had John Broderick for three games, dooming their cause. The one bright spot was rookie net-minder Edouard 'Newsy' Lalonde.

Another lively summer of senior lacrosse in Ontario. Toronto returned to the C. L. A. and picked up Bert Henry, Hugh Lambe and John Powers to lead their challenge. It was not a successful challenge as they placed fourth out of five.

There would be a new champion in 1905 as Brantford lacrosse had shot its bolt. Tack Hendry remained but he was the only big name player left. Two early losses to St. Catharines, followed by three more to Toronto, meant a weak third place effort. 5 wins was all the pennant-holders could manage, against 9 losses.

Toronto Chippewas owned the basement. Their solo win was a 6-4 victory over Toronto. Mickey Connor led them with a deuce. The season concluded with a record loss of 27-0 to Athletics. That was the final match Chippewas would ever play.

That left the Double Blues and Tecumsehs to fight for the pennant. First blood to the Indians on June 17th. They doubled St. Catharines 6-3. Fergus' Harry Murton led the Toronto side with a pair. The next week it was 11-2, for Athletics. Four from George Kalls and three more from Pete Barnett settled the issue early. Tecumsehs never recovered from that unsettling loss. On July 3rd Brantford upset them 5-2 on the strength of Lawson Whitehead's hat-trick. The killer blow fell at the end of the month. Once again St. Catharines romped over the Indians. 15-3 was the score as Kalls added five more to his totals. In the end the Double Blues cruised home with a 12-2 record. Tecumsehs at 9-4 were second best.

Only the Minto Cup remained with both games to be played in Montreal. On September 16th the Shamrocks took the opener, Jim Hogan scored three, as singles were credited to Harry Hoobin and Brennan (don't know which one). The Athletics answered the Irish's five goals with only three of their own, a brace from Forester and one for Barnett. The next week in Montreal it wasn't even close, 8-1 green shirts. Three scored by Jack Brennan, two from Paddy and Hogan, with Hoobin counting the last. Eddie Hagan was the only Athletic to beat Shamrock goalie M. Kenney.

Montreal Shamrocks were Minto Cup champions for the fifth time in succession. Top marks to the men who had played on all five teams: Jack and Paddy Brennan, John Currie, Harry Hoobin, John Howard and Ed Robinson.

Read another perspective of the 1905 Minto Cup showdown at: 1905 Minto Cup Challenge

1906 - THE BIG LEAGUE

The C. L. A. Senior League returned and went international. Buffalo Bisons joined Brantford, Hamilton and St. Catharines. It was a bad idea. Even with veteran Athletic Tod Downey leading them, the Bisons only won two games. Hamilton and Brantford also had losing records. St.Catharines was a perfect 12-0. There were several low points in the poor season. On June 8th, a brawl at the Hamilton-Brantford game sent Isaacs, Henhawk, George Walsh and Ed Campbell to court. All were found guilty of disturbing the peace and fined $2 each. The August 5th Brantford-Hamilton match was postponed because Brantford forget its equipment. A week later a Brantford mob attacked referee Hall, from Oshawa, after he had allowed a St. Catharines goal to count. Could any lacrosse fan honestly say they had missed the senior league in 1906?

The N. L. U. defending champions struggled to a 3-8 record. The team had hardly changed from the previous season but everyone was a year older. Ottawa had six starters who had been in the league since the last century. Experience was fine, however lacrosse was a young man's game. For too long Capitals had relied on importing talent, mainly from Cornwall. The time had come to pay the price.

Ottawa barely avoided the basement. The dishonour of last place went to Montreal A.A.A.. They only won two contests. Early against Cornwall the Winged Wheels prevailed 9-4 as Albert Dade scored 5. Two months later they slipped past Capitals 5-4.

Things were only marginally better for Nationals and Toronto. Both won four but in different fashion. The Frenchmen were very competitive. They scored 72 goals and gave up 73. A 1-5 start doomed their cause. The turnaround game came on July 27th versus Toronto. 20-5 was the score! Dare Devil Gauthier and Didier Pitre humiliated the Queen City boys. Dare Devil scored seven with one assist. Pitre was three and five. The normally competitive N. L. U. suffered a number of lopsided results. The chief culprit was Toronto. James Murphy's side took some terrific beatings. Besides the Nationals' game, Shamrocks routed them 14-1. Even worse was Tecumsehs record score, 21-7!

The Indians had an offensive powerhouse. They scored a record 116 goals in 12 games and placed five players among the top ten scorers. Harry Murton was scoring champ with 29 goals, another record. Right behind him was Charles Querrie with 15 goals and 28 points, Neil Felker scored 13 along with 14 assists, Archie Adamson fired home 23 markers and Dolly Durkin scored 14.

Offence alone does not win championships. That was something the Toronto side discovered in late summer. The Irish were back, from last place to first as they reclaimed the Minto Cup. It did not come easily though. They were challenged, not just by Tecumsehs, but also by opportunistic Cornwall.

On August 31st Colts handed Shamrocks their second loss. In the 6-3 win Bob Degan counted a trio while John White helped out with three points. The green shirts had entered the day hoping to clinch the pennant. They needed help from Nationals, which they got. The Frenchmen shocked Tecumsehs 11-3. Yet Shamrocks failed to take advantage due to Cornwall. At the end of the day they were even with Colts at two losses each, plus the Indians were still lurking nearby with an 8-3 record. Though mathematically alive, Tecumsehs hopes had realistically been smashed. Cornwall they could take care of because they were scheduled to meet on Labour Day, however they needed the Irish to lose their finale to Ottawa. Indeed the Indians did take care of Colts - 14-0! Now both clubs had to wait and hope Shamrocks faltered.

Unlike Ottawa, the Irish were continually bringing young talent onto the team. The old warriors were still on hand, Jack and Paddy Brennan, Ed Robinson, Jim Hogan, Shaun O'Reilly, Jim Kavanaugh and Spike Hennessy, however it was the new blood which allowed them to surge back to the top. Playmaker Jimmy Munday picked up 21 points in his debut season, George Roberts scored 9 goals in four games and Frank Tierney ended their goaltending concerns, a fine combination. Good enough for a 10-2 record.

Shamrocks did defeat Ottawa to clinch the title. 8-2 was the score as Jack Brennan scored three and Munday added a pair, plus three helpers. Seven championships in nine years for the Montreal squad. Yet this was to be the green shirts last great moment. The next time they would take the pennant the N. L. U. would be a much different league. The golden era was slowly winding down and this was Shamrocks last time at the top

1907 - FROM LAST TO FIRST

1908 - SHAMROCKS' BELLY FLOP

The N. L. U. line up remained unchanged as Quebec City was refused admission into the league. What did change was that the Minto Cup went west.

New Westminster Salmonbellies came east for the cup and went home with the prize. It was the biggest upset in lacrosse history. The N. L. U. champ was King of the strongest lacrosse league in the world, whereas New Westminster had only needed to defeat Vancouver to win the west. Further proof of eastern superiority came before the final commenced. In an exhibition game Archie Adamson scored 4 times as Tecumsehs hammered Salmonbellies 10-4, That would be the only loss of their tour.

The championship series commenced with a shocking 6-5 win for the westerners. Back in New Westminster, hundreds of fans gathered outside the telegraph office to hear the latest game score. The cheering was loud indeed. Even louder two days later when the Fishmen completed their coup. A convincing 6-2 win over the beaten Irishmen. A huge celebration began in the Royal City, involving thousands, practically the entire town. By nightfall there were torchlight parades and monster bonfires. Back in Montreal only a stunned silence remained.

The season was a total disaster for Shamrocks. On top of those two Minto Cup losses, they dropped to the basement in league play again. Only four wins in twelve tries.

The year was not much better for Toronto. James Murphy's crew also won only four matches, plus they got their ears boxed in an exhibition game against St. Catharines, losing 8-2. They did get to host the Prince of Wales. The future George V attended the July 25th Toronto/Nationals game accompanied by Earl Grey. The home side won 6-1.

The other two Montreal clubs ran hot and cold all summer. Montreal A.A.A. boasted the top offence in the league but it translated into only five victories. Albert Dade took home scoring honours with 28 goals. Frank Hogan was second best with 21 markers and Henry Scott was not far back with 16. The Winged Wheels opened well by beating the Irish 4-3, but then lost four straight. By that time the pennant was out of reach. Nationals split their 12 contests. They were 5-3 in early August, thanks to a remarkable 13-2 win over Ottawa. Georges Dussault scored four, followed by trios from Didier Pitre and Oncle Lamoureux. The next week they dropped from the title chase. Tecumsehs felled them 11-6.

The Ottawa veterans took one last run at the pennant. Two newcomers aided the rejuvenated Capitals. Tom Gorman had three hat-tricks on the year and Fred Taylor scored 16 goals. Taylor made bigger headlines with his temper. He lost it during a game with Toronto and punched referee Tom Carlind. Such behaviour might have been condoned in wild hockey towns, like Renfrew, but not in the Queen City. Cyclone Taylor not only received a game misconduct. He was arrested!

Along with Ottawa, Cornwall and Tecumsehs battled for the championship. Capitals' hopes faded with an 11-4 loss to M.A.A.A. on September 5th. That fifth defeat meant a 7-5 record, not nearly good enough. Starting in August, Colts put together a five game winning streak to gallop into contention. An unusual 1-0 shutout was included in this stretch. Newsy Lalonde outduelled Happy L'Heureux. Win number five came over Shamrocks on Labour Day. Bob and Charlie Degan both counted a pair in the 5-4 victory. That gave Cornwall a 7-4 record. Alas they had left their charge too late. Tecumsehs had lost their opener to Nationals, then run off five consecutive wins. They were front runners the rest of the way. The Indians swept both Ottawa and Cornwall to prove their superiority. Archie Adamson murdered Capitals with six goals in two games. Bob Gilbert came up with a big hat-trick in one of the wins. Gilbert also had five points in a win over Colts. The other victory over Cornwall was a narrow 5-4 contest. Neil Felker notched the decider An August 29th loss to the Irish kept things interesting. Charles Querrie set up Adamson for both goals in the feeble 8-2 loss. Tecumsehs won their ninth game on Labour Day to clinch the title. They defeated Toronto 6-5. A brace for Harry Murton and three points from Querrie carried the day. Dolly Durkin scored the winner. A championship for Toronto but no Minto Cup. Tecumsehs would tend to that matter the following summer.

Another St. Catharines C. L. A. title was a foregone conclusion. They averaged over 10 goals a game and won all six of their matches. Hamilton finished 3-3, while Brantford lost all its games. It was no surprise. Two games into the season the Brantford players quit because they had not been paid their salary. Hastily the Royal Canadian Indians, a Six Nations squad, were called in to replace them. Eventually some of the original players returned, however the Indians completed the schedule.

Athletics were perhaps the best team to come out of the Garden City. Eddie Hagan was one of their stars, as usual. George Kalls played in three games, moonlighting on Toronto. He scored 7 goals and 10 points. Best of all was Bill Fitzgerald. He started his rise to prominence with a five point effort in an 8-6 win over Hamilton. The Double Blues also proved they could play with the big boys. Along with an exhibition win over Toronto, they split two games with the champion Tecumsehs.

1909 - MINTO CUP ON THE COAST

Once again there was no C. L. A. Senior League. As in 1906 the defending champion Athletics faced no challengers. They simply held on to the Gold Shield for another year.

To the west there were a pair of Minto Cup challenges. First one came from Regina. The Prairie Boys had grabbed a handful of eastern talent and headed for New Westminster. They had Bones Allen and McDougall. They also stole two key players away from the defending N. L. U. champions. Tecumsehs would have to do without goaltender Bun Clarke and home player Harry Murton. At Queens Park, Regina gave a good account of themselves to start. The opening game was only a 6-4 defeat. The rematch was a disaster. Salmonbellies routed the visitors 12-2. New Westminster had too much talent for Regina. Included in their championship roster was: J. Bryson, Feeney, George Rennie, Clifford Spring, Gordon 'Grumpy' Spring, Alex 'Dad' Turnbull, Len Turnbull and Bill Turnbull. Gray tended goal for the cup-holders.

The second challenge came from Toronto Tecumsehs. Roy Kinsmen was now their net-minder. Enroute to B.C., the Indians paused in Saskatchewan to exact some revenge. They destroyed Regina 16-7. Dolly Durkin and Neil Felker both scored four, while Archie Adamson added three. Next came New Westminster. Everyone in the east expected the fluke loss of 1908 to be avenged in style. Didn't quite work that way. The Fishmen took the opening contest 6-4. Bob Gilbert's pair of markers was not good enough. J. Bryson had the deciding brace. Archie McNaughton refereed the match smoking a cigar in the first half and his pipe in the second. Salmonbellies completed their defence with a 6-5 victory. Len Turnbull had a hat-trick and Bill Turnbull supported with a deuce. Adamson's trio was in vain. Further disgrace for the N. L. U. It had not started to dawn on their fans yet, however the Cup had been lost for good.

There was a four way pennant race in the east but it did not include Ottawa. Capitals never recovered from a spring ownership crisis. In fact, they would never recover. There would be many more money problems and ownership controversies to come. Consequently last place would become a regular position for the once great franchise. The final years would be similar to what the Rough Rider Football Club would experience eighty years later.

Capitals did win two matches and both were huge. On August 28th, they shocked Tecumsehs 5-4. Ernie Butterworth combined with John Powers on a 'give and go' to score the winner. A week later, Ottawa handed Toronto a catastrophic 13-4 beating. Shiner Eastwood's four goals led the last place club. Harry Lavallee followed with three. This was the same Lavallee who had been arrested earlier in the season. He and Fred Gagnon had mixed it up in one contest. Their behavior was so unruly that both players were charged with "breech of the peace".

Nationals and Colts both suffered through a losing summer. For the Frenchmen, they still had not had a winning season the entire century! Both clubs were at the bottom of the league, averaging only four goals per game. Dare Devil Gauthier led Nationals with 9 goals, while Georges Dussault and O. Dupras chipped in with 8 each. Cornwall's top guns were Dot Phelan and Ambrose Degray. Both counted 9 scores.

Charles Querrie's champs never recovered from their western trip. They had departed sporting a 6-1 record but returned to lose their final five games. Even after the Ottawa loss, they were still in the hunt. The schedule concluded with them playing the two front runners, an opportunity to bring the leaders back to four losses. It didn't happen. M.A.A.A. eliminated them with a 4-2 Labour Day victory. Fred Scott won it with two goals. Shamrocks put Tecumsehs out of their misery by routing them 7-2. Jack Brennan and Jim Hogan starred on the last Saturday of the season. Both scored hat-tricks. For Brennan, this was his final year. He would score one more goal, in the Tie Break, and that gave him a career total of 198, the league's all time best. His 253 career points was another mark no one would ever touch. Not bad for a guy considered unworthy of the Hall of Fame!

The Ottawa loss was a bigger blow to James Murphy's crew. They had put together a six game winning streak, including a 14-6 win over Capitals and a 12-1 victory over Shamrocks. With a league high 104 goals, Toronto's firepower had carried them into contention. Their high scorers were: Art Warwick (25 goals), Nick Carter (21), Pete Barnett (21), Bill Fitzgerald (18) and George Kalls (16). However the loss Capitals dealt them was their fourth. They were not eliminated but they needed help. The kind of help Tecumsehs did not provide.

Three losses was the magic number. The Triple A's and Shamrocks were the pair who posted 9-3 records. Another last to first effort by the Irish, however the pennant was not theirs yet. Jim Hogan led the green shirts with a league record 30 goals. George Roberts followed with 28. The trouble was Roberts no longer sported the shamrock. His jersey now had the famous winged wheel on it. Roberts' defection was crucial. In the championship decider on September 18th, he prevented his former team from clinching with a three goal effort. M.A.A.A. won 6-2 to setup the tie. They had also won the initial meeting in June, 6-3. All that was forgotten when the playoff began.

4,000 spectators braved rainy weather to see the Irish win the first match 7-5. Jim Hogan counted four goals. Albert Dade and Henry Scott each scored a pair for the Winged Wheels. Down two goals, M.A.A.A. responded admirably in the rematch. 'Alderman' John Brennan Jr., a former Shamrock, held the green shirts to one goal. Triple A's scored five, two each from Fred Scott and Roberts. Montreal A.A.A., a team which had posted only one winning season since 1889, had their second . . . and a championship to boot!

1910 - THE MANN CUP

This is a puzzle reminiscent of 1866. According to C. L. A. records the Mann Cup champions of 1910 were Young Torontos. Who were Young Torontos? And how did they win the Mann Cup? In my research I have never come across Young Torontos prior to 1910. I assume they were an Intermediate team before that date. As for the Mann Cup being won in 1910, I've discovered no national championship that year, nor have I even found evidence that the Ontario Lacrosse Association (O. L. A.) even existed then. Official records today are no help. They state incorrectly that the O. L. A. was formed in 1887 - they have the C. L. A. in mind. What's the difference between 'C' and 'O'? Only eleven letters. Back in 1911 there was a huge difference.

The C. L. A. was a professional league by the end of the first decade. The O. L. A. represented a amateur revival. It and the Mann Cup changed lacrosse for the entire century. Whether this revival began in 1910 or 1911, I can't say. Perhaps there was an O. L. A. Senior League in 1910. It might have been made up of exclusively Toronto clubs. Due to the popularity of the N. L. U. the new circuit could have been completely ignored by Toronto papers (such a scenario came to exist in 1918 due to the war). Let us assume Young Torontos did win the first O. L. A. crown and, for their effort, were presented with the Mann Cup. A cup they defended the following year and lost to a Vancouver amateur side. Thus the Mann Cup headed west. A nice, neat and simple story. But is it correct?

The problem is with the C. L. A. Senior League of 1910. It resumed play and ran a four team league. Three clubs tied for the title: St.Catharines, Tecumsehs and Young Torontos! St.Catharines won the tie breaks, beating Tecumsehs 5-1 and Young Torontos 4-3. How do Young Torontos get the Mann Cup out of all that? The trouble isn't that they failed to win. How could they earn Canada's amateur championship by playing in a pro league? Perhaps they were not paying their own players? Doesn't matter. The idea of amateur in 1910 was a long way from today's wish washy Olympic amateurism. In 1910 an amateur lacrosse player competing against a professional was like a ladies' bridge club meeting in a brothel! It wasn't done. So how did Young Torontos earn the Mann Cup? Tecumsehs fielded two squads in 1910. Their best was in the N. L. U. and the other in the C. L. A.. Did Young Torontos have two teams? But there is no hint of an O. L. A. league in the media, probably because there was no league. Why form a second team if there was no league to play in? The appropriate question appears to be: did Young Torontos win the first Mann Cup?

Minto Cup matters are much clearer. Montreal A.A.A. headed west in July with high hopes. Their chances lay in the hands of three young hot shots. Fred Scott was having his best year and would finish second in N. L. U. scoring with 26 goals. George Roberts was putting together another strong summer and would complete league play with 20 markers. Henry Scott complimented the trio with a 16 goal season. Veteran Albert Dade was another force. He only played in four N. L. U. games but was available the entire Minto trip.

They began well, with an exhibition win in Winnipeg. 11-4 was the result. On the west coast everything went wrong. They were simply outclassed by New Westminster. Salmonbellies won both matches by scores of 10-4 and 13-5.

Back in Montreal, a Cornwall kid was making good. Newsy Lalonde was a proven scoring star in hockey. The time had finally arrived for him to show his mettle in lacrosse. He joined Nationals at the home position. With Happy L'Heureux set in goal there was nowhere else to place Lalonde. The switch revolutionized the game. Ten years later, baseball would experience a similar transformation when Babe Ruth moved from pitcher to outfielder. Newsy's initial season won him his first scoring title, with a record 31 goals. It was a modest start compared to what he would do in the years to come. Lalonde was well on his way to earning the honour of Lacrosse Player of the Half Century. And the Frenchmen, overnight, had become a powerhouse.

Cornwall was left at the opposite end of the scale. Colts had talent, three Cummins, three Degans and John White captaining the squad. Unfortunately it was sort of like being captain of the Titanic. 3-9 was the end result.

Two wins more than Capitals and two less than the struggling Shamrocks. Talk about bad omens, former Ottawa centre Charles 'Chick' Watts died of pneumonia on May 19th. The rest of the season was downhill from there. Capitals still had some talent, such as, Tom and Joe Gorman, Shiner Eastwood and Bob Pringle. Unluckily their other big name players were getting old. Horace Gaul and Ernie Butterworth only appeared in 6 games, John Powers 5. Fred 'Cyclone' Taylor suited up for Ottawa twice. He failed to score. Disgruntled Barney Quinn only played half a game, in goal. When his demand for $25 per game was not met he took the summer off. The Irish were rebuilding. Only John Currie remained from the dynasty years and he appeared in just 3 games. The new kids were Harry Hyland (14 goals), Morgan Quinn (8) and Jimmy Munday (7). Their 5-7-1 record actually flattered Shamrocks. They scored 50 goals on the year but gave up 95! Their one tie was against Nationals. That game had to be called early because of a free fight.

Unlike the previous season, Tecumsehs finished strongly by winning their last five games. McDougall and Harry Murton had returned from Regina to boost the offence. Plus teenager Max McGregor stepped forward with a 17 goal season. Despite the strong finale, the Indians fell short with an 8-4 record. Three July losses were too great a blow to recover from. Winged Wheels stayed in striking distance until Tecumsehs beat them on August 27th, in overtime. They also fell to 8-4. Toronto were not even that good. They had four top ten scorers, three from St. Catharines: Bill Fitzgerald, Pete Barnett and George Kalls. Fitzgerald suffered a dislocated jaw on June 4th, yet only missed one game! Toronto's inconsistency was their downfall. They never really mounted a serious challenge. Fourth place with 7 wins and 5 losses. That left Montreal Nationals standing tall with a 10-2 record.

The year concluded with the Frenchmen heading west in late September. They went without centreman Dulude, injured in their final league game. Thus New Westminster controlled ball possession and won the first contest 7-3. Nationals next lost Lalonde. He missed the second match because of food poisoning. Salmonbellies won 11-1.

Read another perspective of the 1910 Mann Cup showdown at: 1910 Mann Cup Muddle

1911 - GO WEST YOUNG MEN

And west they did go. Lured by the salesmanship of Con Jones many N.L.U. players did head for Vancouver. Jones wished to wrestle the Minto Cup away from New Westminster and put together essentially an eastern all-star team. The roster spoke for itself: Newsy Lalonde (Nationals) Bill Fitzgerald and Nick Carter (Toronto), Don Cameron and Dot Phelan (Cornwall) Mickey Ions, Archie Adamson, and Harry Griffith (Tecumsehs) and Bones Allen (Ottawa). Lalonde was paid $208.45 per week.

The B.C. Final was a two team affair, Vancouver versus New Westminster. Jones' money had been well spent, 4-2 Vancouver in the season opener. Fitzgerald, Carter and Adamson all scored, while Ions and Lalonde had two assists each. The next win was 6-3. Newsy scored three and was involved in every goal. Fitzgerald helped with a deuce. Salmonbellies battled back with a 6-4 win. Grumpy Spring's pair of goals made the difference. Three of Vancouver's markers came from eastern sticks. Thus the titanic struggle was underway. It would rage all summer long. By early August it appeared that the Cup would go to the challengers. A convincing 7-4 win gave Vancouver a 5-3 series lead. In that game it was a hat-trick from Lalonde and a pair from Fitzgerald. Len Turnbull's two scores were too little. The champions came storming back to even the series with two wins. The August 19th victory was very controversial. With the contest level 5-5, Lalonde appeared to score the winner. Newsy and his teammates began celebrating, however the umpire ruled that the ball had only hit the post. Clifford Spring tallied the decider with three seconds left in the match. The next two games were split, thus the series ended 6-6. A two game tie break was needed to settle the matter. At this point Con Jones' boys stepped it up a notch. They took both contests, by scores of 4-3 and 6-2. New Westminster was dethroned! The N.L.U. had sort of won back the Minto Cup. Of course Burrard Inlet was a long way from Central Canada.

This year Young Torontos did win the O. L. A. Senior title. Early on Woodbridge appeared to be their chief threat. They won three out of their first four, defeating Torontos and Brampton. Excelsiors knocked them out of contention with a 5-2 win in late July. The Brampton/Toronto rivalry started the season with an 8-8 tie. Their second meeting, in front of 800 spectators, was one of the fastest amateur games ever seen. The red shirted Excelsiors led 4-3 after three quarters but Torontos scored three straight and dominated the final 20 minutes. The schedule concluded by replaying the tied match, a must win game for Brampton. They responded with an emphatic 10-4 victory. Duchy Davis and Bill Stevens both scored hat-tricks. The tie break was held at Woodbridge. On a wet field the Toronto club prevailed 7-4.

Please do not ask me about the Mann Cup. It did end up in Vancouver by year end. Whether the western amateurs came to Ontario and beat Young Torontos or not, I do not know. It was only through the coverage of the Brampton Conservator that the O.L.A. season was pieced together. The Toronto media had other things on their mind besides the O. L. A. or C. L. A.

By the way, the C. L. A. league had grown to six teams, four from Toronto. St. Catharines waltzed to another title.

With or without the Mann Cup, the N. L. U. was still the big league. The summer began on a sad note. Alex 'Bowery' Robertson passed away in June, suffering from a tubercular condition. The former Capital had served from 1897 to 1905. He left behind a wife and two children.

Ottawa had a sickly bunch this season. They won only once and surrendered an astounding 135 goals! Capitals tried seven different goaltenders through the year. Matters were no more cheery with Cornwall or Shamrocks. 3 wins each against 9 losses.

For the top four clubs, it was as fiercely contested a championship as ever. The Montreal team's rivalries were the most bitter. M.A.A.A. and Nationals teamed up down the stretch for the roughest match. Nationals won on the scoreboard, 8-6, and physically. Three Winged Wheels left the field unconscious, plus George Roberts had his nose broken. That was his reward for scoring a pair of goals. Henry Scott tallied a trio and was lucky to survive the contest. At one point Secours tried to take his head off. He missed Scott and accidentally hit his teammate Dulude! Dulude left on a stretcher as Secours was penalised ten minutes. The Frenchmen's snipers fared better. A hat-trick for Oncle Lamoureux and a brace for Bouliane as they left the field on two feet. Lamoureux's 40 goal season set yet another record.

It was a year for record scores. M.A.A.A. started it on Victoria Day by defeating Ottawa 18-3. 7 goals and 3 assists for Roberts, while Frank Hogan counted 6 and 3. Tecumsehs crushed Capitals in June 19-2. Max McGregor counted six and Dolly Durkin added a modest four. Nationals got into the act by hammering Ottawa 16-7. Seven goals for Lamoureux. He had another seven goal game in September, at Shamrocks expense. 18-1 was the score as Dare Devil Gauthier helped out with six markers.

This was Tecumsehs' year. They only faltered twice enroute to the pennant. On July 15th, the Triple A's defeated them 8-2. Both Scotts did the damage with three goals each. A month later Nationals made the title race interesting by beating the indians 6-4. Three for Lamoureux and a pair for Didier Pitre. Tecumsehs response was immediate. They ended the Winged Wheels' hopes with a 5-4 win. McDougall counted two as Neil Felker potted the winner. Next came Toronto on Labour Day. Fred Rowntree led with two goals as the indians won 5-2. That was their tenth victory, they could not be caught. Hard luck for the high scoring Nationals at 9-3, plus 8-4 Toronto and M.A.A.A.

Tecumsehs concluded the season by heading west. A Minto Cup win was not on the cards. Vancouver shut them out and Newsy Lalonde did the damage with three of the five goals. The visitors did not go home empty handed. In the second match they became the first eastern club to win on the coast. They took the game 3-2 but lost the series by four goals.

1912 - THE GREAT SCHISM

This was the beginning of the end for the N. L. U. The league split as both Toronto clubs and Nationals quit the circuit. They formed the Dominion Lacrosse Union (D. L. U.) and were joined by a fourth team, Irish-Canadians - a side made up of the best Shamrock and M.A.A.A. players. Money was the cause of the break. It's effect was truly devastating. The N. L. U. was instantly reduced to minor league status and practically forgotten by most fans and the media. The game itself had changed forever. Lacrosse in Montreal would never be the same again. One positive was the opportunity many young players were given. The teams were all desperately short of talent.

With such confusion in the N. L. U., it was Cornwall who benefitted from being the best organised. They won their first six contests enroute to a 15-3 record. Ambrose Degray won the scoring title and Mark Cummins led the league with 33 goals. Ed Nicholson, Bob Degan, H. Ransom, Lawrence Degray and captain John White were all major contributors. Against Ottawa, they prevailed in the rain 8-4, despite only managing 10 shots on goal. Capital cover point Ernie Butterworth fell awkwardly on the wet field and broke his leg. On Dominion Day, Cornwall won number six against M.A.A.A. The match was delayed during the third quarter because of a grass fire behind the south grandstand. The Colts did lose twice to Ottawa. The second loss was 3-0 as Capitals scored all their goals in the last eight minutes. Cornwall still went on to clinch its first pennant in over twenty years.

Both Montreal squads were overshadowed by their D. L. U. rivals and suffered for it. The Winged Wheels won 8 contests but Shamrocks could only muster 3 wins. A cash crisis hit the irish in late August and they had to ask their players to play for free. Morgan Quinn and Barry quit in protest, though Barry soon returned. A new league rule called for players to be fined $10 for the most serious penalties. Triple A's Frank Hogan was guilty of such a foul. Rather than pay the fine he quit for the year.

Ottawa began as the least organised team. They lost their first three games, plus fourteen year veteran Butterworth to a career ending injury. For their next contest they started six juniors and a new goalie, Clint Benedict. It was the turning point of their season as they defeated Shamrocks 7-4. From there it was a steady improvement, concluding with a 10-8 record. Yet it wasn't all roses for Capitals. They lost a game to M.A.A.A. when manager Herb Ralph pulled his team off the field in the third quarter to protest bad officiating. On another occasion, the Govenor General was asked to perform the opening draw before a match. Unluckily someone forgot the game ball. That's the kind of year it was.

The Big Four, as the D. L. U. clubs were known as, had a much better run. They played some entertaining lacrosse in front of typical N. L. U. size crowds. The press coverage the junior circuit received dominated the sports pages that summer. It was as if the N. L. U. had never existed. Of course we all know how fickle the media attention can be. Montreal lacrosse fans would find out the hard way in a few years time.

Toronto took top honours with a 14-4 record. The bulk of their talent was still from St.Catharines. Bill Fitzgerald returned from Vancouver to hook up with mates George Kalls and Pete Barnett. Other stars were veteran Art Warwick and newcomer Eddy Longfellow. Nationals followed with a 10-8 mark. The French Connection of Didier Pitre, Oncle Lamoureux and Dare Devil Gauthier kept violet et blanc supporters smiling. Irish-Canadians placed third with 7 wins. George Roberts, Fred and Henry Scott all made the natural switch from Shamrocks to Irish. Tecumsehs had a sad 4 win season. One bright rookie was another Garden City native Willie Hope. The rest of the team was old and experienced, perhaps too old. The names were familiar: Dolly Durkin, Neil Felker, Charles Querrie and Lawson Whitehead. The club record 14 losses were not.

It was the last hurrah for the C. L. A. Senior League. Guess who won the title? Athletics again! Their 5-1-1 record left all challengers behind. The Eatons team handed St. Catharines their only loss and tie. Behind them were Toronto Maitlands and a Brantford squad which retired after three losses. Professional lacrosse was finished in small town Ontario.

Meanwhile amateur lacrosse was hanging in there. That said, it was only a three team league with each club playing four games. Brampton won out over Young Torontos and West Toronto Junction Shamrocks. Excelsiors posted a perfect record. Still their first championship was a close affair. Both meetings against Young Torontos were narrow victories. On June 22nd, C.V Charters scored the deciding goal in a 4-3 triumph. They met again on Dominion Day. Another 4-3 win, with 21 year old George Sproule scoring a pair. Brampton wished to go to Vancouver to compete for the Mann Cup but it did not work out. A Winnipeg club took the only dates available to them. Instead Excelsiors concluded the year by playing an all-star team. Brampton won 11-4.

1913 - OTTAWA GOES AMATEUR

Yet another loss for the N. L. U. as Capitals took the year off. In their place was Ottawa Shamrocks, an amateur club which participated in the O.L.A. championship. Ottawa joined the East Division with Almonte, Carleton Place and Prescott. In the West it was Brampton, Lansdowns, St. Catharines and Young Torontos. Shamrocks and Almonte tied for first place with 4-2 records. The tie break began in Almonte. The home side humbled Ottawa 8-1. The next week they nearly blew their seven goal lead as Shamrocks beat them 7-1. The series still went to Almonte by a 9-8 count.

Jack Carmichael's Excelsiors came through in the West. Not even the A's, last C. L. A. champs, could stop them. Brampton lost only once, in the Garden City on July 19th. St. Catharines surprised them with an 11-5 victory. A week later Excelsiors, wearing their home whites, hammered Young Torontos 11-3 to secure the division crown.

The championship final opened in the Rose Town. Almonte arrived on a Friday to find the entire place covered with red and white tissue paper and flags. Even pictures of old Excelsior teams were seen bedecked in store windows. The visitors were entertained at the Griffin Theatre that evening and given a Saturday morning tour of Dale Estate. They also received pictures of the town. 1,400 witnessed the afternoon contest. It was a clean game, with few penalties, and no player required medical attention. Almonte scored 2 minutes into the match, however they were hopelessly outclassed over the following 78 minutes. George Sproule scored 7 goals and 11 points as the home side won 25-3!

The Excelsiors travelled east for the rematch. They were hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Garbutt and given a tour of the Thousand Islands. With a 22 goal lead the championship was secure. The Red Shirts extended that margin as they cruised to a 13-2 win.

Two new clubs replaced Capitals in the N. L. U., St. Thomas Aquinas and Sherbrooke. Both newcomers won once, against each other. Neither team would be back in 1914 and neither would be missed.

Cornwall and M.A.A.A. duelled for the pennant. Shamrocks struggled to a 4-4 record. Colts had lost Ambrose Degray and Ed Nicholson to the D. L. U. At least Lawrence Degray stuck with the club and Fid Cummins returned from Vancouver. Another addition was hockey star Cy Denneny. He scored 12 goals in 9 games. The Winged Wheels had to cope with limited production from their veterans. Frank Hogan only played three games. Defensive specialists George Finlayson and Clarrie McKerrow missed most of the season also. It was the Triple A's young guns who turned their fortunes around. S. McDonald led the circuit with 27 goals, followed by 21 from Billy Walsh and 14 from Jimmy Walsh.

M.A.A.A. grabbed the early advantage with a 6-4 victory on June 24th. Cornwall responded by winning 8-4 on August 16th. Both finished at 7-1. The first tie break game was outstanding for three quarters before controversy ruined the day. The score was 6-6 when Colts sent on Henry Donihee. The former Cornwall player had spent 1 1/2 seasons in the D. L. U. He had not yet played for 1913 Cornwall and Winged Wheels captain Andy Hamilton had warned Colts not to use him. Thus tie and Donihee banned for the final match. The Triple A's won it 8-4 as McDonald scored three. It would be M.A.A.A.'s last N.L.U. pennant.

Big Four honours went to Irish-Canadians. They began the year in Quebec City but the experiment failed and they quickly returned to Montreal. The Irish finished 12-6 only one game better than Nationals. Close wins were the key as they only scored 10 goals more than they gave up. They were led by league scoring champ George Roberts. He tallied 30 and teammates Henry Scott (23 goals), Jimmy McIntyre (18) and Fred Scott (16) all did their bit. Jim Hogan played two games and fired home 7 goals.

The Frenchmen were without Newsy Lalonde for 2/3 of the season, yet they still had the best offence. Their top scorers were: Bouliane (29), Oncle Lamoureux (23) Didier Pitre (19) Ambrose Degray (12) Dare Devil Gauthier (11) and Georges Dussault (11). Newsy appeared in six games and scored 19 goals - a sign of things to come.

Both Toronto teams had losing records. Tecumsehs were 8-10 and the defending champions fell to 5-13. The Indians grabbed Guy Smith from Cornwall, good for a dozen goals, however they lacked the consistency to contend. Toronto was competitive for their record. They just couldn't buy a win the second half of the season. They defeated Tecumsehs on the August Civic Holiday to improve to 5-7. Then came the six game losing streak. Henry Donihee was the first rat to abandon the sinking ship. He had scored 11 goals while the squad was winning.

Nationals kept snapping at Irish-Canadians heels right to the end. A crucial three game August winning streak put the Irish at 11-5 with a two game lead. The violet et blanc prevented them from clinching on Labour Day thanks to their resounding 17-2 win over the frontrunners. Give the Irish credit, they rebounded like champs. The next Saturday they defeated Toronto 14-11 to clinch the pennant. Lucky for them they did win because Nationals beat Tecumsehs 10-9. Newsy Lalonde scored 7 goals and added 2 assists in that game.

1914 - EXCELSIORS' FINAL SEASON

Vancouver hosted a Mann Cup challenge from Calgary during the Victoria Day weekend. They defeated the Albertans by scores of 12-0 and 5-2. Brampton was next to venture west. They arrived on the coast June 27th. Excelsiors opened the two game series by surprising the cup-holders 5-4. Duchy Davis' hat-trick gave Brampton a one goal lead. A week later they slipped badly. Vancouver rebounded with a 6-2 win, taking the series 10-7.

The red shirts headed home to face a busy O. L. A. schedule because they had only played one game through the first two months of the season. Young Torontos gave them a rude welcome. Stew Cowan scored three as they topped Brampton 5-4. A week later the Mann Cup hangover continued as Excelsiors struggled past St. Simon's 9-6. Only George Sproule's six goals avoided an upset. In their season opener Brampton had tripled the Anglicans 18-6. On August 8th the titleholders found their form. They hammered Young Torontos 15-5. Yet the Queen City crew created a tie for first place the next Saturday. They handed Brampton their second loss, 6-3. The fight for division honours came down to the last game on September 6th. Two late goals by Sproule secured Excelsiors' 8-5 win.

Against the eastern champs Brampton had little difficulty winning their third league title. At home they won 22-1. Sproule led with seven tallies. He was shutout in Ottawa as Shamrocks won 3-1. Still Excelsiors claimed provincial honours thanks to their 19 goal edge. That marked the end of the Brampton dynasty. With war started in Europe the team disbanded. It would be five years before Excelsiors returned.

Toronto Rosedales joined the N. L. U. and they were simply too good for the other teams. They had eight players with pre 1912 N. L. U. experience, compared to eleven on the other three teams combined! And the quality of the Rosedale veterans was undeniable. Pete Barnett, Bill Fitzgerald, George Kalls and Harry Murton had all been top ten scorers, plus Murton had won a scoring championship. Cornwall, M.A.A.A. and Shamrocks could not compete against that. They didn't as Rosedales went 12-0. Game results best display their dominance. They handed the Irish an 11-1 beating, the Winged Wheels 11-3 and concluded the year by routing Cornwall 18-6! Only the green shirts came close to defeating them. They got three goals from Paul Jacobs and two each from J. Egan and John Quinn. Rosedales, however, scored eight, five from Barnett. Pete Barnett had an incredible year. He was runaway scoring champ with 44 goals. Second best in the league was M.A.A.A.'s S. McDonald with 23.

Shamrocks were the most improved team. Their record bounced up to 6-6 as the young players were finally meeting expectations. The Triple A's and Colts both fell to 3-9. Jimmy Walsh produced 18 markers for M.A.A.A.. Cornwall had lost Mark Cummins and relied on George Anderson (15 goals), Jim Penny (14) and Dot Phelan (14) for offence.

Montreal Nationals romped to the Big Four championship. Their performance was stunning. 17 wins and 1 loss, plus an incredible 274 goals scored! They finished eight games better than second place Toronto and miles ahead of Irish-Canadians and Tecumsehs, five wins each. What had happened. Very simply, Newsy Lalonde had happened. He led the greatest offence lacrosse had yet seen. Plus he was available the entire year. Lalonde began quietly. He scored only once in the Frenchmen's season opener. They defeated Tecumsehs 13-3. Newsy came to life with four goals against Toronto in a 12-7 win. Next he really got serious by scoring six as Nationals slaughtered Toronto 28-10! Yet the finest effort of the summer was saved for August. Once again Toronto was the victim, 27-8 was the score. Oncle Lamoureux fired home 10 markers. Lalonde went one better counting 11! Keep in mind, this was not some bush league the violet et blanc were tearing up. It was the four best teams from the two largest lacrosse centres in Canada. Plus in 1914 lacrosse still enjoyed immense popularity and had more participants than any time in its history. There was nothing ordinary about these Frenchmen.

Of course a team does not set a scoring record with just one player. Newsy Lalonde had plenty of help. Nevertheless his 66 goals in 16 games does stand out. Honourable mention to such teammates as: Lamoureux (52 goals), Didier Pitre (36) and Ambrose Degray(30). Other sharpshooters were, for Toronto: Henry Donihee (24) Clifford Spring (24) Art Warwick (23) and Alex Turnbull (23). George Roberts led the Irish with 28 goals, followed by Charlie George(22) and Henry Scott(21). Tecumsehs top marksman was Ed Carmichael with 23 tallies.

This was the grand finale for the Big Four. Its three year run had been a success, however the beginning of the Great War changed everything overnight. The effect of the war on lacrosse would be devastating. Chief casualty would be Montreal, Canada's sports capital. Never again would that city be a major force in the game. Such was a blow that would take lacrosse many years to recover from. The sport never really has fully recovered.

1915 - TRYING TO COPE WITH THE WAR

These days lacrosse fans often complain about the short schedule O. L. A. teams play. Eighteen and twenty games hardly seems enough to break a sweat over. Back in the 1940s they played 30 games plus 3 rounds of playoffs! Well fans be grateful you were not around in 1915. The O. L. A. Senior League commenced play the first Saturday in June and concluded the season a week later. With only two clubs in the circuit they simply played a home and away series to decide the title. Young Torontos opened with a 9-3 victory over St. Catharines. The next week they won 8-3. The offensive stars were Stew Cowan and Bill Scott (4 goals each), Gene Dopp and John Powers (3 each). Gord Pople led the A's with 3 markers.

In fairness to the Athletics, all their stars were on Rosedales again. The Toronto club had left the N. L. U. and joined Tecumsehs in the Queen City League. Another two team circuit. With the war on, times were tough and travel expenses had to be cut. The two Toronto teams played a 15 game schedule. Rosedales won nine, though the Indians outscored them by two goals.

With all the Irishmen rejoining Shamrocks expectations were high. Which made their last place finish seem like a double disaster. 1 win and 11 losses, Shamrocks worse showing in the N. L. U. ever! In July, matters were at their worst thanks to Henry Scott's driving skill. He ran his car into a ditch. Scott only missed one game with a chest injury. His passengers were not so fortunate. Mack Brady suffered a fractured skull, Alf Kane a broken jaw and Aspell a fractured arm and thigh. That was one goaltender and two defenders out for the year.

League talent reached a new peak and the scoring had never been higher. Nationals did not equal the phenomenal success they had in the D. L. U., still their offence was a major force. Newsy Lalonde led all shooters with 36 goals. That was more than double anyone else in the league except teammate Didier Pitre. Pitre scored 25.

The top three clubs, Cornwall, Nationals and M.A.A.A. were all in contention. The Frenchmen jumped out to a 6-1 record. An 8-5 loss to the Winged Wheels was the only black mark on their record. The Triple A's stayed close at 4-2. Cornwall had a horrible 3-4 start. All three wins came against Shamrocks. Yet back to back wins on July 3rd and 10th gave them important momentum which carried over to their next match against Nationals. Mark Cummins, Dot Phelan and Guy Smith each scored a pair as Colts upset the Frenchmen 7-5. M.A.A.A. followed with consecutive wins over the irish. George Roberts joined the Winged Wheels and fired home seven in the two games. Jimmy Walsh counted five more. Suddenly the championship was tied. Cornwall further complicated matters by winning two more to move to 6-4. The 5-3 victory over M.A.A.A. was huge. Against Shamrocks they sneaked by 11-10. Henry Donihee made his season debut and saved Colts by scoring six times. On August 21st came the death blow to the pennant race. The Irish won their first by shocking the Winged Wheels 8-5. In this game Paddy Brennan scored the final goal of his career. A grand total of 140 in 116 games. Tied for seventh in N. L. U. history.

Now it was wide open for the violet et blanc and they took full advantage. As M.A.A.A. were losing, Nationals edged Cornwall 7-6. Back to back wins over Shamrocks followed. That pushed their record to 9-2. The Triple A's had fallen to four losses, thus the championship was decided.

Neither Rosedales or Nationals had the funds to go west and challenge for the Minto Cup. Instead they agreed to play each other for Eastern Canadian honours. The Frenchmen won the initial contest 16-10. Pitre counted six and Lalonde five for the winners. In Toronto, Rosedales rebounded with an 11-7 win. Two goals short of what they needed. Eddy Longfellow and George Kalls each scored three.

1916 - OFFENCE GALORE!

Another wild year of goal scoring. Nationals led the parade by scoring over fifty goals more than anyone else. The N. L. U. had its first, and only, fifty goal scorers. In 18 games Newsy Lalonde (57), Didier Pitre (51), both for Nationals, and George Roberts (50) reached the half century. Roberts had shifted his allegiance back to Shamrocks due to M.A.A.A. not fielding a team. The Winged Wheels were another casualty of the war. They would be back as an amateur club in the 1920s. Ottawa took their place in the four team league.

Capitals imported western star Clifford Spring and he led their offence with 32 goals. Tom Gorman and Cy Denneny also reached the thirty goal plateau. 6 wins and 12 losses was the best Ottawa could do. Three wins better than Cornwall. Colts top gunner was Henry Donihee with 26 markers.

The two Montreal clubs dominated. Shamrocks' renaissance was due to the addition of several former Triple A's. Along with Roberts were Jimmy and Billy Walsh, Nate Penny and Harry Hyland. Those five accounted for 146 of the Irish's 163 goals! Neither the green shirts or the violet et blanc gave an inch. The pair split their first two meetings. On June 10th, Nationals won 7-4. Lalonde was shutout but Ambrose Degray covered for him with three scores. Two weeks later Shamrocks had their revenge. A 9-2 win. Happy L'Heureux left with a slight injury earlier in the third quarter. The Irish blasted six past his replacement to break open a defensive struggle. The advantage shifted back to Nationals on Dominion Day. John Brennan Jr. missed his only game of the year. Mack Brady took to the Shamrock net and gave up seven goals. That was enough as the Irish fell to Ottawa 7-5. A fortnight later the frontrunners were level again. Capitals produced another upset by beating the Frenchmen 13-7. Tom Gorman's four goals won the day. The next Saturday, the green shirts grabbed first place with a 6-4 triumph over the violet et blanc. Penny's pair was the difference. On August 7th, Ottawa had its last say in the pennant race. Cy Denneny scored four as they topped Nationals 9-7. Five days later, the Frenchmen regrouped and beat Shamrocks 8-5. Lalonde led with a hat-trick. That sparked a four game winning streak for the violet et blanc. Their fourth victory was also at the Irish expense. Nationals doubled them 10-5. Pitre's four tallies carried the day. That created another tie at the top, both clubs with four losses. On September 9th, the contenders met for the final time. Over 10,000 crowded into the Maissoneuve Grounds. The Dare Devil shone brightest for the Frenchmen. The ubiquitous Gauthier was all over the field and brought the crowd to its feet when one of his famous rushes produced a goal. Yet it was the Shamrock fans who did the most cheering. Mainly for George Roberts' five goals. Also for Jimmy Walsh's hat-trick. And for the Irish defence which shut down Newsy Lalonde. The green shirts triumphed 11-8. Lalonde redeemed himself the next week with 8 goals in a 23-11 romp over Cornwall. That gave Nationals a chance at a tie. It wasn't going to happen. On September 23rd, Shamrocks crushed Ottawa 17-5. Five goals for Egan, with four going to Roberts and a trio for Penny. The Irish were champions again, ending a nine year drought.

The O. L. A. season lasted past June! Of course league play did not begin until Dominion Day. St. Catharines delayed proceedings with their June trip to New York. They played Brooklyn Crescents in an exhibition game and managed a 5-5 tie. Not a bad effort. The Crescents had been playing matches against N. L. U. clubs over the years and had usually been competitive. Unluckily that would be Athletics high point of the year. Their championship bid would be a major disappointment. Young Torontos waltzed to another title without too much trouble. Another perfect record, 4-0 this time. Among their stars were: Gene Dopp (8 goals), Eddie Powers (5), Bill Scott and Gordon Coulter (3 each). At the other end Bill MacArthur surrendered only 10 goals. The key game was their initial contest in the Garden City. They prevailed over the Double Blues 7-5. The pair would meet again at month's end. The Toronto squad won 7-0. In between Toronto Riverdales lost three matches. Their opener was their best effort, a 7-3 loss to the champions. They did not bother travelling to St. Catharines for the finale.

1917 - THE UNFINISHED SEASON

On June 9th, Nationals defeated Shamrocks 11-7. During the contest a disagreement arose between George Roberts and Ambrose Degray. It concluded when Roberts bit Degray. Where? At the Maissoneuve Grounds. Naturally the Irish player was thrown out of the game. Commissioner Joe Lally, from Cornwall, suspended him indefinitely. Heavy handed leaders were rare in lacrosse and Shamrocks did not hide their displeasure over the decision. Still, they proceeded to win their next two contests without their best player. They continued to trail the Frenchmen by a game but had two matches left against them.

As if the league did not have enough problems, Cornwall lost its largest gate of the year on Dominion Day. Tecumsehs did not show for the contest. The Toronto team had returned to the N. L. U. but was struggling to find players. The Queen City had plenty of players but the majority of them were amateurs who could not play with Charles Querrie's professionals. In canadian society there were still many people who viewed professionalism in sport the way we view prostitution today. Remember, Sunday lacrosse was taboo and decades away. Three days later, Manager Querrie wrote an open letter to the Montreal Star explaining his position. He had singlehandedly tried to keep the team going but it was a losing battle. Querrie would turn his attention to hockey matters. Tecumsehs were no more.

The demise of Tecumsehs was a blow but not a disaster. There were still four teams in the league, plus the N. L. U. had often gotten by without Toronto clubs. Ottawa assured Shamrocks they would be in town for their scheduled Saturday match. It would be business as usual. Unluckily the Roberts controversy resurfaced. The Irish stated that they would not play Capitals without their star. Indeed the game was not played. The following Monday, Shamrocks announced that Roberts would dress against Nationals in the upcoming match. Commissioner Lally would not back down. In his view Roberts and the Irish club had not been sufficiently punished. The star player had missed two games, easy wins. The only way to really punish Shamrocks was to make Roberts miss a Nationals game because both Montreal squads were miles ahead of the other teams. The irish were not going to let that happen. They were so concerned that they insisted on bringing Roberts back a week early to prepare him for the Frenchmen. Lally did have the support of Cornwall and Ottawa. Interestingly, the one team which stood to gain from the suspension remained quiet. In fact, Nationals were not opposed to Roberts return.

On July 14th, George Roberts played against the violet et blanc and scored in the Shamrock win. Two Frenchmen, Dare Devil Gauthier and Oncle Lamoureux, quit in protest. Nationals played without them. In the days that followed it became clear that the big city/small town split of 1912 was occurring again. Both Montreal clubs stood together in opposition to the Commissioner and his Cornwall/Ottawa supporters. For the rest of the summer Nationals and Shamrocks would play exhibition games - likewise for Colts and Capitals. The 1917 championship season was over.

St. Catharines entered O. L. A. play with a good team. Strong enough to even challenge Young Torontos. Yet they showed little of that potential when the season opened. A Dominion Day home encounter against Riverdales ended in a 4-4 tie. Five days later the same Riverdale club was routed 9-2 by Young Torontos. Next, Athletics travelled to Don Flats and again drew with the bottom team, 5-5.

The big match was on July 21st. What slim championship hopes the Double Blues had depended on their performance against the title-holders. They responded by shocking Young Torontos 6-1! Suddenly the defending champs were in trouble. They answered back with a 10-3 win over Riverdales, then avenged their one loss by beating St. Catharines 5-1. Attention shifted to the A's and they won both their replays against Riverdales to finish 3-1, tied for first.

A straight forward two game tie break was to follow. In this year of aborted championships nothing was straight forward. A week before the series was to begin the Double Blues travelled to Chicago to participate in a fund raiser for the Red Cross. $8,000 were raised as a crowd of 5,000 watched the two sides play to a 7-7 tie. Harry Flynn led A's with a trio. Two St. Catharines' natives led the American team. Short of players, Chicago used two professionals, George Kalls and Bill Fitzgerald. When word reached the O. L. A. that the amateur Athletics had played against professionals the tie break games were called off. It took five weeks of negotiating before St. Catharines was allowed back into the championship. Not everyone was happy with the decision. In fact Young Torontos were greatly weakened because their starting netminder Bill MacArthur refused to play. Ironic that MacArthur would not play against players who had played against professionals. Later, in 1932 MacArthur would join a pro box league!

When the tie break resumed the titleholders started Tommy Thornton in goal, only his second senior game. He won 4-3. A week later, the two squads played a dramatic 4-4 tie. Wendell Holmes tied the game and won the series with his second goal, late in the contest.

1918 - PRO LACROSSE BACK IN ONTARIO

A C. L. A. Pro League was formed for this one season. Toronto Maitlands, Leaside Braves and St. Catharines Athletics were the participants. Notable players for the Maitland crew were Pete Barnett, Corbett Denneny, Lawson Whitehead and juniors Ted Reeve and Cliss Starling. Leaside was an Indian team led by John White. St. Catharines welcomed home George Kalls and Bill Fitzgerald. They both donned the double blue uniform for one last summer. Other A's stars were: Willie Hope, Gord Pople and Red Millar.

All three clubs finished tied with 4-4 records. The initial tie break paired the Toronto sides. Eddy Longfellow, who had scored 7 in only 2 regular season games, terrorized the Braves. He scored four in a 7-5 Maitland win. Longfellow continued to dominate in the two game final. Six more goals as Maitlands narrowly edged St. Catharines. Both teams won at home but the Toronto squad prevailed by outscoring the Athletics 11-10.

Professional lacrosse was not quite dead in the east either. 1918 was a bleak year for the N. L. U. but the league did resume play. In July, organizers scrambled to revive the circuit. The result was a three team league involving Montreal Nationals, Ottawa Capitals and Irish-Canadians - another Montreal side. The squads would play home and away, a grand total of four games each. The championship opened on the 13th, in the nation's capital. Only 300 spectators witnessed Ottawa's fourth quarter come from behind win. Trailing the Irish 7-4, Capitals scored four unanswered goals. Frank Hearn had two of them, including the winner. This was the only league game Baillargeon played for the Irish. He switched to Nationals for the rest of the season. In the past, such a move would not have been tolerated. In 1918, however, no one wanted trouble so no complaints were made.

Senior lacrosse returned to Montreal on the 20th. Irish-Canadians defeated Nationals 8-7 in a game which had everything. Henry Scott scored four times in a losing cause. Such fine play was overshadowed by a game ending brawl. The less than angelic George Roberts started the trouble with a cheap shot.

Competitive lacrosse continued as Ottawa slipped past the Frenchmen 5-4. Again Hearn counted a deuce but it was Jimmy Dooley who broke the tie. Capitals clinched the pennant a fortnight later by beating the Irish 3-1. Former Colt Dot Phelan broke Clint Benedict's shutout.

The season appeared to be over because Nationals could not catch the leaders and Ottawa were not eager to travel to Montreal for the final contest. It was eventually played, after a three week wait. Newsy Lalonde's intervention saved the day. Lalonde had not played all summer but agreed to join Capitals if they made the trip. Just under 2,000 fans filled Maisoneuve Grounds, mainly to see Lalonde. He scored a hattrick before being thrown out for a violent foul. Thus ended his N. L. U. career. The three goals gave him 161 career - fourth place behind Jack Brennan, George Roberts and Didier Pitre. Nationals overcame the effort of their former star and managed to win 8-7. Lalonde headed for Toronto to join Leaside. He scored once in their playoff loss to Maitlands. That was the last game for the man voted the best lacrosse player of the half century.

Not much of a season in the O. L. A.. Toronto Beaches and Riverdales were the only two teams. The Beaches kids were a product of a junior program which had won a record three consecutive provincial championship. With wins in 1918 and 1919 they would extend the streak to five. Statistically this league is practically barren. No Brampton or St. Catharines papers to give detailed coverage. Only the Toronto media and they never reported more than a couple of lines on any game. There were only four games played! The first was a 4-4 tie. Coutie tended Beaches goal, as he would in every contest. Jacobs made his only appearance for Riverdales. Horton was the new net-minder in the second match. Beaches won 6-2. Riverdales then signed Tommy Thornton and reversed that score on Beaches to tie the series. Thornton was blitzed for 12 goals in the finale. Beaches won 12-3 to take the title.

Read another perspective of the 1918 professional C. L. A. at: 1918 - Our Professionals Come Home

1919 - MANN CUP IN WINNIPEG

St. Simon's and Brampton tied for the league title. That was when the real drama began. The O. L. A. ordered a one game final to be held at Weston. The Excelsiors had requested a two game home and away series. Consequently they refused to play the final. The chosen Saturday arrived and St. Simon's were awarded the championship by default. The following Monday, Brampton notified the league that they were prepared to play an one game final anywhere, even at St. Simon's, but not at Weston. The O. L. A. gave the Anglicans the choice of playing the game or keeping their tainted title. At a team meeting the older players voted to play, however the younger ones voted against and won out. Thus no tie break was played.

St. Simon's next turned its attention to the Mann Cup. It had been years since the O. L. A. champ had challenged for it because the trip west was simply too expensive. In 1919, however, the C. L. A. decided to hold the final in Winnipeg. Four clubs met in two semi-final series, with the winners then playing off. The Anglicans drew the host team and faltered badly. They lost twice by scores of 8-7 and 8-4. Meanwhile, Victoria defeated Edmonton 19-4 and 9-1. In the final contest Victoria topped Winnipeg 17-7.

Once again the accuracy of official records must be questioned. The 1919 Mann Cup champ is listed as Vancouver Foundation Club. It is quite possible they defeated Victoria after the Winnipeg tournament. It's just as possible that the records are incorrect (like in 1910?). The only thing certain is that Vancouver did not participate in the Mann Cup Final.

Montreal Shamrocks were back in the N. L. U. with most of their stars: Jim and Bill Walsh, Harry Hyland, Jim and Nate Penny. Nate was a professional boxer, a very useful skill in lacrosse. George Roberts rejoined the club for its second game, claiming to be a changed man. On July 19th, he proved it by not retaliating after an Ottawa player cut him on the chin. His remarkable transformation was spoiled in September. Roberts thought he had beaten Cornwall goalie Hank Smith but umpire Aspell ruled no goal. The Shamrock star lost his Irish temper and broke Aspell's umbrella. Shamrocks were very embarrassed and gave the umpire money to buy a new one.

The main story of the year was Happy L'Heureux's last game. The thirty-nine year old was in his twentieth season as Nationals' goalkeeper. He had led Sherbrooke to a Quebec junior title in 1897, then an Intermediate crown the next year. When Sherbrooke moved to the N. L. U. Happy switched from home to goal. By 1919 he had established himself as the N. L. U.'s most durable goaltender. His career wins (83) were 19 more than anyone else. Also his minutes played (13,741) were more than 5,000 ahead of his closest rival. Plus none of those statistics included the heavy workload he'd carried through three D. L. U. campaigns! Understandably it had all taken its toll on L'Heureux. In early July, he admitted to a friend that this would be his final season. Two weeks later, he took up his usual position to face the Colts. It was a big game for Nationals because they'd been embarrassed in Cornwall 12-2 the previous Saturday. To add insult to injury, the Frenchmen's equipment had never arrived and they had to borrow some from their opponents. At Maissoneuve Grounds, Cornwall again had their number. They grabbed a 2-0 first quarter lead. Early in the second L'Heureux began to suffer chest pains and pulled himself from the contest. He promised his teammates he'd be back for the second half, then headed to the dressing room. With long-time teammate Dr. LaChappelle examining him, Happy was anxious to get back to the game. He asked for a cigarette but an attendant informed him that smoking was prohibited, due to a grandstand fire which had broken out in the spring. Seconds later, L'Heureux dropped dead of a heart attack. The game was postponed and replayed at season's end.

Shamrocks and Cornwall battled for the championship. The Irish started the year by beating Colts 7-6 in overtime. Eddie Butler scored the winner. Yet Cornwall beat them a week later, thanks to Henry Donihee's hat-trick. The '19 schedule was interesting because teams often met on consecutive weekends. Cornwall grabbed first place on Dominion Day by beating Shamrocks 8-6. They threw that advantage away on Orange Day when Ottawa defeated them 9-4. Cy Denneny and Frank Hearn starred in the Capital upset. It was one of only three games Ottawa won all year. Another was two weeks later, when they bounced Shamrocks 8-5. Eddy Longfellow made his Capital debut in this win. Cornwall soon had a big edge as the green shirts lost again the next week. Nationals upended them 9-8. Georges Dussault inspired the Frenchmen with four point, a remarkable accomplishment. This was the first game for the violet et blanc after L'Heureux's death. Credit Happy with one more win? After that, the Irish got serious. They ran off six straight wins to conclude the schedule. Leading the charge was Jimmy Walsh. He was married at the end of August but delayed his honeymoon over a month, until the season had concluded. On September 6th, Cornwall failed to clinch the pennant when Shamrocks beat them 12-4. The Irish followed that by routing Caughnawaga 15-5 as Jimmy Walsh scored six goals. That forced Cornwall to reply the postponed game with Nationals. A full eighty minutes was to be played but Colts carried over their 2-0 lead. The big disagreement was over gate receipts. Neither side would compromise so the league decided that admission would be free! Cornwall won 7-5 (officially 9-5).

On October 4th, the tie break began in Cornwall. As Jimmy Walsh's bride shivered in the cold, Hugh Campbell gave Shamrocks the lead ten seconds into the contest. The home side did not get into the game until the second quarter. A pair of goals by Watson, forty seconds apart, reduced the Irish lead to 4-3. The green shirts replied by scoring the next eight! Four from George Roberts' stick. 12-7 was the final. Bill Fitzgerald scored once for Colts. He would miss the rematch, likewise for Bill Walsh. Never mind, it was another scoring exhibition for Roberts. Five more and teammate Butler chipped in four as Shamrocks romped to a 17-6 victory. Their last championship ever!

1920 - THE END OF THE N.L.U.

The N. L. U.'s last year began with Ottawa dropping out before the season had started. Too many Capitals had obtained amateur cards to play in the new East Canada League.

The three remaining teams lasted only five games. Drawing crowds as low as 200, the professional clubs couldn't possibly survive. The league's final game was played in Cornwall on July 3rd. Colts defeated Shamrocks 5-3 as veteran defender John White scored twice. An appropriate ending as Shamrocks and Cornwall were the two winningest teams in league history. Since 1885, the Montreal side had won 208 games, had 18 winning seasons and taken home a dozen pennants. Colts had won 180, along with 16 winning seasons plus 5 championships. Both teams tried to enter the amateur league but were turned down. They did join in 1921.

Most of the players extended their careers well into the decade. Bouliane, Cy Denneny and Vincent all played in the professional box league of 1931-32. 'Goal A Game' Louis White outlasted them all. White came out of retirement in 1943 and played one game for St. Regis. The sixty-seven year old did not get his goal that game.

The East Canada League title was won by Ottawa Senators. They won 5 and lost 2 enroute to first place. Charlie Connell was the reason for their success. He scored a hat-trick in all but one game and finished the year with 30 goals. Ottawa concluded the schedule with a resounding 19-2 win over second place Montreal. Connell fired in eight goals.

Toronto Maitlands joined the O. L. A. Senior league led by Lionel Conacher. The Big Train scored twice in his debut, a 4-3 loss to Young Torontos. Maitlands went on to place third and post a winning record of 4-3. Fourth place for Young Torontos with only 2 victories. Niagara Falls was the other new squad. Nine starters were from St. Catharines. Due to poor attendance the team moved to the Garden City in August. An improved crowd of 2,000 saw them lose a heartbreaker to Brampton. The home side actually tied it, however referee Bert Booth ruled that time had run out. That was the only close game the winless Falls crew were involved in.

The Brampton/St. Simon's rivalry was renewed in June. Excelsiors claimed revenge with a 10-6 win. Jack Burrell counted three for the victors. The teams drew 4-4 on Dominion Day, leaving the championship in doubt until the end of August. In the replay, Anglicans won 7-4 to create another tie for first place. On this occasion the final was played. St. Simon's won easily 8-2.

The Saints had a busy finish to the year. In late September, they met the Eastern Amateur champs from Ottawa. The Toronto club won 9-3, then tied in Ottawa 7-7. Next came a match against Brampton for the newly created Desborough Cup. Excelsiors started fast and grabbed a 3-0 lead. St. Simon's battled back. They tied it while a Brampton player lay injured on the field. The red shirts refused to play overtime, thus the Anglicans claimed the cup. A number of old-time players attended the contest and they were not impressed by the level of play. They would have been even more disappointed a week later. St. Simon's met Intermediate titleholders Orangeville for the Clare Levack Trophy. The series opened Wednesday up north. Due to Wednesday being a half work day, Dufferins played most home games on this day. The green shirted intermediates surprised the Saints with their free flowing style and won 9-6. There was more grief in store for the Senior champs on Saturday. Again Orangeville defeated them, by a 7-3 count.

N. L. U. STATISTICAL LEADERS

TEAMS

GAMES	WINS	WINNING PERCENTAGE	WINNING SEASONS	PENNANTS
Shamrocks - 362	Shamrocks - 208	Rosedales - 1.000	Shamrocks - 18	Shamrocks - 12
Cornwall - 354	Cornwall - 180	Tecumsehs - 0.637	Capitals - 16	Capitals - 6
Capitals - 277	Capitals - 141	Shamrocks - 0.584	Cornwall - 16	Cornwall - 5
M. A. A. A. - 267	M. A. A. A. - 121	Cornwall - 0.520	M. A. A. A. - 9	M. A. A. A. - 5
Toronto - 221	Nationals - 104	Capitals - 0.515	Toronto - 9	Nationals - 3
Nationals - 208	Toronto - 88	Nationals - 0.512	Nationals - 8	Tecumsehs - 2
Tecumsehs - 93	Tecumsehs - 58	M. A. A. A. - 0.465	Tecumsehs - 5	Rosedales - 1
Ottawa - 35	Rosedales - 12	Toronto - 0.411	Rosedales - 1
Sherbrooke - 20	Ottawa - 10	Brockville - 0.300
Ontarios - 18	Brockville - 3	Ottawa - 0.286
	Quebec City - 3

PLAYERS

GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS	PENNANTS
John White - 184	Jack Brennan - 198	Charles Querrie - 88	Jack Brennan - 253	Jack Brennan - 7
Bob Degan - 159	George Roberts - 194	Ambrose Degray - 68	Didier Pitre - 218	Paddy Brennan - 7
Jack Shea - 153	Didier Pitre - 164	Neil Felker - 63	George Roberts - 212	John Currie - 7
Rod Finlayson - 145	Newsy Lalonde - 161	Ed Robinson - 63	Charles Querrie - 197	Ed Robinson - 7
Jim Kavanaugh - 142	Albert Dade - 157	John Currie - 62	John Powers - 195	Harry Hoobin - 6
Jack Brennan - 136	Henry Scott - 148	John Powers - 58	Henry Scott - 192	John Howard - 6
Fred Degan - 132	Jim Hogan - 140	Jack Brennan - 55	Albert Dade - 191	Spike Hennessy - 5
Don Cameron - 126	Paddy Brennan - 140	Didier Pitre - 54	Newsy Lalonde - 190	Jim Kavanaugh - 5
Albert Dade - 125	John Powers - 137	Frank Nolan - 54	Paddy Brennan - 188	John Powers - 5
Ernie Butterworth - 124	Oncle Lamoureux - 136	Alf Kane - 49	Jim Hogan - 177	Jack Adams - 4
Charles Querrie - 119	George Kalls - 134	Paddy Brennan - 48	Oncle Lamoureux - 175	Alex Black - 4
John Powers - 118	Pete Barnett - 134	Harry Hoobin - 47	Ambrose Degray - 172	Norm Carpenter - 4
Paddy Brennan - 116	Jimmy Walsh - 130	Bob Degan - 47	Pete Barnett - 169	Dave Danaher - 4
John Broderick - 114	Ed Murphy - 116	Dolly Durkin - 46	George Kalls - 161	Jim Hogan - 4
Clarrie McKerrow - 114	Dolly Durkin - 113	Dare Devil Gauthier - 45	Dolly Durkin - 159	Jim McKeown - 4
		Billy Starrs - 45		Ed Murphy - 4
				Shaun O' Reilly - 4
				George Roberts - 4
				Harry Smith - 4

GOALTENDERS

MINUTES	WINS	WINNING PERCENTAGE *
Happy L'Heureux - 13,741	Happy L'Heureux - 83	Wendall Holmes - 1.000
John Brennan Jr. - 8,070	John Brennan Jr. - 64	Billy Aird - 0.929
Bouse Hutton - 7,660	Bouse Hutton - 49	J. Stinson - 0.864
Arthur Hamilton - 5,420	Norm Carpenter - 40	Tommy Crown - 0.837
Jim Muir - 4,740	Tommy Crown - 36	Percy Quinn - 0.786
Corey Hess - 4,240	Percy Quinn - 35	M. Kenney - 0.783
Archie Allen - 4,160	Corey Hess - 29	Norm Carpenter - 0.778
C. Fyon - 4,140	C. Fyon - 28	James McKenna - 0.667
Norm Carpenter - 3,992	Hank Smith - 28	John Brennan Jr. - 0.646
Hank Smith - 3,700	Roy Kinsman - 26	Alex Robertson - 0.643
Clint Benedict - 3,690	Bun Clarke - 26	V. Silsmer - 0.643
Newsy Lalonde - 3,575	Foley - 24	Bun Clarke - 0.634
Percy Quinn - 3,540	Newsy Lalonde - 24	Roy Kinsman - 0.634
Bun Clarke - 3,440	Frank Tierney - 23	Jim Kavanaugh - 0.633
Tommy Crown - 3,420	Jim Muir - 23
	Clint Benedict - 23

* NOTE: Winning Percentage based on a minimum of 10 games played.

Statistics as compiled by Paul Whiteside and largely sourced from Montreal newspapers.

1921 - O. L. A. NUMBER ONE

The East Canada League continued but the balance of power had shifted westward to southern Ontario and British Columbia. Lacrosse in Ontario was on the road to recovery as the O. L. A. Senior League boomed to eight teams and two divisions. Orangeville moved up to senior and tied for Group Two honours. Maitlands' upset win over St. Simon's created the deadlock. Lionel Conacher scored a pair, including the winner, in the 3-2 victory. Both Dufferins and Anglicans finished 9-3-1. Maitlands placed last with only 2 wins. Buck Johnston led them with 11 goals. It was also an sad season for Brampton. Excelsiors finished a 3-8 in a rebuilding year. Their only reliable players were George Sproule on offence and John '100%' Campbell in goal. Sproule scored 9 goals and 15 points to finish sixth in the circuit.

Lacrosse would not be lacrosse without a controversy and Group One had it. Weston posted an 8-4 record, including 4 wins over St. Catharines. Both Toronto Riversides and Beaches were 6-5 with games left against Athletics. Apparently the Group title was Weston's. Not so fast. St. Catharines declined to play their final two contests. Even though the leaders could not be caught O. L. A. rules dictated that all A's results must be thrown out. This was an old C. L. A. law which the O. L. A. had inherited. Remember 1898 and Seaforth being cheated out of a pennant? Both Riversides and Beaches had lost once to the Double Blues. Thus the ruling created a three way tie at 4-4.

The tie breaks opened at Alexandra Park, in Oshawa. Riversides and Weston met in a wild match. Two third quarter goals gave the Toronto crew a comfortable 5-2 lead. An ugly mix up marred the last twenty minutes. Riversides' O'Rourke was knocked out which sparked a brawl, spectators included! Riversides went on to win 6-4.

On September 17th, the black and white Riversides won again. Their defence was invincible as Beaches home players were too light to penetrate. Roy Sutherland held them to two goals. Even flashy Art Pim made little impression. At the other end Max McGregor starred. The easterners were unable to contain him as he scored twice while setting up another. Riversides cruised to a 5-2 victory.

Group Two's sudden death game was held at Island Stadium. Orangeville entered the contest with the league's best offence. Youngsters Clyde Gordon and Conny Golden were having a very good year. Gordon, the Fergus native, was league scoring champ. Everyone's favourite dentist Doc Zinn led the club in goals with 16. The Browns, Bert and Blythe, were also a force for Dufferins. The green shirts jumped in front 3-1 as Zinn scored twice and Earl Stevenson counted the other. Herb Scott replied for St. Simon's. The second quarter was scoreless though Anglicans did have an slight edge in play. At one point Dufferins had a three man advantage yet failed to score. Second half goals by Gene Dopp, from Mouse Lount, and Kirby, from Bill Scott, drew the Saints level. The contest was decided in the eightieth minute. St. Simon's netminder Bill MacArthur, a notorious wanderer, ran the ball up to midfield. From there he made a long pass. Orangeville goaltender Bert Booth raced from his crease to intercept but the ball deflected past him and into the open net. Thus MacArthur became the first and only goalie in O. L. A. Senior A history to score a playoff goal.

The league final commenced on Octorber 1st at Scarborough Beach. It was a match up of contrasts between a fast, aggressive Riversides squad and the slow, deliberate, steamroller style employed by St. Simon's. Goalkeeping mistakes were once again key. Short, stocky Roy Sutherland was caught out, gifting the Saints their second goal. Herb Scott later put Anglicans up 3-2. Riversides retaliated immediately but were robbed by MacArthur. Big Bill was enjoying his best effort of the season. Eventually he was beaten. A third quarter goal by Mouse Lount, from Gordon Thom, tied the contest.

The championship was decided the next Saturday. Riversides dominated with three times as many scoring chances. They counted two early: Max McGregor against close checking and Roy Chandler who completed a "give and go" with Cliss Starling. St. Simon's hopes were dashed late in the third quarter when Starling was left alone in front of the goal. Riversides added two more in the final twenty minutes.

No Mann Cup challenge for the O. L. A. this season, nor in any of the ones to come. The season was long enough already without a cross country trip to conclude it. Thus New Westminster held the title for a record six years (1920-25).

That left the Levack Trophy to play for. A chance for Senior Lacrosse to redeem itself. St. Mary's Alerts were Intermediate champs, having slipped past Oshawa 17-15 in a two game final. Their defence was roughly treated by Riversides. They outscored the green and white Alerts in every quarter enroute to an 11-5 win. St.Mary's goaltender Stephens suffered a foot injury but held fast at his post throughout the onslaught. In St. Mary's, Alerts put their perfect home record on the line. The match was fast and clean, with few penalties. The visitors took a 4-3 lead to the final quarter but surrendered five goals and lost 8-6. They still took the series, however Intermediate had given Senior Lacrosse another black eye.

1922 - WESTON SUBURBANITES

Nine teams started the O. L. A. season but Toronto Shamrocks only lasted five games. Young Toronto's Bill MacArthur made it through only six. A railroad accident ended his season prematurely.

The defending champs added Lionel Conacher to their lineup. He led them in scoring, however Riversides finished second to St. Simon's in Group Two. The Anglicans only loss came on September 3rd, after they had clinched first place. Fat Gallagher scored three as Riversides upended them 5-1. Also in the Group was St. Catharines and Toronto Beaches. Both had losing records. The duo of sniper Vince O'Brien and playmaker Ducky Switzer kept the Athletic offence humming. Art Pim was Beaches hero and he topped the league with 21 goals in 7 games.

The fight for Group One honours was much tighter. An improved Brampton squad, with junior Pete Machell, battled Weston hard. They left Maitlands and Young Torontos well behind. The latter lost every game. The Suburbanites, as the Toronto media called them, had built a team to dominate the decade. The three Coulters, Kingdon brothers, Earl Stevenson(over from Orangeville) Toad Farr, Nels Riley and Fred Rowntree would lead the lacrosse renaissance of the twenties.

The four head to head meetings between the contenders would decide first. Weston won on July 8th 5-2. The next week Brampton topped them 5-1. Thus they headed down the home stretch even. On August 19th, Excelsiors were doubled 4-2. The following Saturday they rebounded to rout Young Torontos 14-6. Meanwhile the Suburbanites defeated Maitlands 5-1. In their final encounter, Machell scored a pair and George Sproule a single goal for Excelsiors. Three was not enough as Weston counted eight. Harry Coulter's hat-trick broke Brampton's spirit.

The final was a tough defensive series. Bill Coulter was given the task of covering Max McGregor and he succeeded admirably. Weston won at home 3-1 but had to fight for dear life to hang on at Scarborough Beach. 5,000 watched a tight contest with the play mostly ragged. Riley scored 5 minutes in to put Weston up three goals. Jack Cudmore replied before quarter time, then Mouse Lount gave St. Simon's a 2-1 lead in the second. Just after the halftime break, Bill Scott made it 3-1, tying the series. Midway through the third quarter cover point Toad Farr potted the series winner. The Suburbanites fell back on their defence for the last 30 minutes to secure the title.

Orangeville were again Intermediate champs and once again after the Clare Levack Trophy. The opening match in Weston drew only 2,000 spectators. It was a rainy Saturday and between the drizzle and fog the fans had difficulty seeing much. The soaking wet field was a big advantage for the husky Suburbanites, thus they controlled play. What they could not control was the Dufferin counter attack. All four Orangeville goals came on such lightening charges. Weston might have lost the contest had they not scored two weak goals on long shots. The final 20 minutes were played in semi darkness as the players groped their way to a 4-4 tie.

All would be decided on Wednesday at Idylwyld Park. Over 5,000 witnessed the match, 500 having come on a special train from Weston. Andy Hawkins put Orangeville ahead in the opening quarter. Kingdon answered midway through the second frame. The third was a nightmare for the Senior titleholders. Conny Golden scored after a pretty pass from Hawkins. Clyde Gordon followed with a shot from 15 yards out. Raspin Scott, then Roy Cruickshank extended the lead to 5-1. Ramshaw brought the visitors one back after Bert Booth was caught out of his crease. Nels Riley made it 5-3. With only 15 minutes remaining the Westonmen would get no closer. Another triumph for Dufferins! Another failure for Senior Lacrosse.

1923 - RISE OF THE EXCELSIORS

With Norm Zimmer, Pete Machell and Jerry Kendall having graduated from their championship junior team Brampton were poised to take Senior honours. Weston, however, had added Bob Stephenson and Toots White. They were better than ever. Stephenson was soon famous for the spectacular goals he scored from behind the net. Air Stephenson had arrived and at a time when the Gaits were mere twinkles in their grandmother's eyes.

The league had only one nine team division, yet there were still playoffs. The top two teams would meet, regardless of their records. An unfortunate break for the Excelsiors. They finished first at 14-2 but had to playoff against 13-3 Weston.

The new format did not help the bottom five clubs. None were a factor and all had losing seasons. The most stunning collapse was by St. Simon's. The Anglicans had goaltending woes, plus Max McGregor jumped to Riversides. In his place Mouse Lount led the offence with 9 goals and Bill Scott supported him with 8. The Saints still fell to 3-12-1. McGregor led Riversides with 14 counters. He simply replaced the offensive output lost with the departure of Lionel Conacher. Riversides also won only three times. St. Catharines was even worse with a pair of victories. Percy Oille had a terrific year with 14 goals but he received no help from his friends. Matters were little better for Young Torontos(5-9) or Mimico(6-9). George Laceby's 9 tallies topped Torontos marksmen. Jack McDonald scored 14 for Mountaineers.

Orangeville and Maitlands remained in contention until the end of August. Dufferins were as high scoring and as exciting as ever to watch. Maitlands offence was just as productive, thanks to the return of Conacher. The Big Train's finest showing was on June 9th against Mimico. He missed the first 20 minutes due to a baseball game. Immediately after driving in the winning run, Conacher hopped into a waiting car and raced across town. By the time he reached Scarborough Beach Mountaineers were up 2-0 and threatening an upset. That all rapidly changed. In the remaining three quarters Conacher scored six goals as Maitlands won 12-3.

Orangeville's title hunt looked strong until the last month. They entered August with only two losses, tied with Brampton and right behind Weston. Maitlands were a close fourth with three defeats. The two pretenders soon started to slide. On the 1st, Dufferins lost at home to the frontrunners 3-2. On the 11th, Maitlands fell, losing a 5-4 thriller to Orangeville. The next week, Art Pim's hat-trick led Brampton past Weston 6-5. That created a tie at the top. The Suburbanites recovered to again defeat Dufferins, 6-3. Four days later, the red shirted Excelsiors provided the knockout blow by beating Orangeville 5-4. With four losses Maitlands were still alive and drew within one game of Weston by doubling them 4-2 on Labour Day. They now had to hope for a St. Simon's upset win and also defeat Brampton themselves. The Suburbanites clinched the last playoff spot by crushing the Anglicans 13-2. Meanwhile Maitlands fell to Brampton 11-2.

Over 6,000 lacrosse enthusiasts made their way to Weston on September 15th. The home side took double the penalties but still controlled the opening game of the final. The red shirts were listless, struggling to make and catch the simplest passes. Pete Machell tried to get them going in the second quarter. His sparkling individual effort deserved a goal but Fred Rowntree saved sensationally. The Suburbanites were up 2-0 on Ramshaw goals before Brampton broke through in the third. George Sproule scored during a two man advantage when Rowntree was caught wandering. Toots White responded instantly, surprising John Campbell with an over the shoulder shot. The last twenty minutes were evenly played. Hutch Keith made the final result 4-1 when he put one into the top of the net.

Up north the red shirts continued to struggle. They did score first but were outclassed the entire opening half. Bob Stephenson set up the Weston attack. The big fellow tied it 1-1, then led the visitors to a 4-1 lead. Brampton saved face in the final forty minutes as substitutes Dr. McLean and Alex Hilgartner sparked their comeback. McLean scored all three, however 4-4 wasn't good enough.

With Orangeville in Senior they could not defend their Intermediate title. The crown passed on to Hamilton Tigers. They defeated St. Mary's for the championship. The Clare Levack competition commenced in Weston. The locals were off their stride but still won 7-4. Stephenson and Harry Coulter both counted a pair. Tigers were at a disadvantage. They dressed Guy Smith and veteran native player Dave Thomas, however referee Eddie Powers ruled both ineligible. Thus the visitors had to play without a substitute.

The rematch in Hamilton was a fiasco. Weston started Toad Farr in goal and he shutout the Tigers. That plus Gordon Coulter's hat-trick were the only positive efforts. The trouble began when the home side's net-minder Bob Rohmer was injured. Brother Ernie attacked the Weston players which sparked a brawl and a field invasion. The fans were barely back in their seats when a rumour circulated that referee Bill Fitzgerald had struck a Hamilton player. They raided the playing area again, in an attempt to lynch Fitzgerald. He needed a police escort to the dressing room. By the way, the final score was 9-0.

1924 - DEPARTURE OF THE DOUBLE BLUES

Senior began the year with 11 clubs but finished with only 7. Allowing Ottawa into the league, given the travel distance, was not a wise decision. They played only three games. Mimico also lasted for only three. Niagara Falls was a bit better as they endured eight losses before giving up. The major casaulty was St. Catharines. The A's quit after having a win against Hamilton taken away. Percy Oille had been ruled ineligible. Curiously Oille was in his fourth full season wearing the double blue. On a technicality St. Catharines was gone and would not return until 1928.

The playoffs were expanded to allow the top two teams in each division to qualify. In Group One, Brampton and Weston went virtually unchallenged. Orangeville was supposed to be their main threat, however Dufferins fell off badly. 5 wins against 9 losses as Foster Wilson and Clyde Gordon were their only bright lights. Irish-Canadians, a Toronto club, also managed five wins on the strength of Max McGregor's leadership. The top two clubs were stronger than ever. Excelsiors added three more juniors: Stew Beatty, Claude Jennings and Jack Worthy. They also picked up defender Ted Reeve. He had taken a sports writing position at the Brampton Conservator. Weston improved their side by adding Conny Golden from Orangeville.

Toronto Maitlands and Hamilton were the best in Group Two. They had an easy run once St. Catharines had dropped out. Athletics defeated Maitlands 3-2 and Hamilton twice, by scores of 6-4 and 5-4. The short lived 5-4 win came in overtime. St. Simon's was the only other challenger in the division. Their 5-6 record was not nearly good enough. Maitlands split their four regular season meetings with Tigers. They lost the initial games by scores of 9-4 and 4-1, before winning twice, 12-3 and 7-4. Maitlands starting goaltender Bill MacArthur missed the opening contest. Home advantage was key in the Group Final. Maitlands won 7-3 at Scarborough Beach and they needed that four goal cushion heading to the Steel City. The second match was played in a heavy rain. The home side played well but MacArthur continually broke their hearts. Hamilton did strike in the second quarter when Dave Thomas beat four defenders to score. Verral Diedrick soon tied it as he fooled Bob Rohmer with a long shot. By the second half, the Bengals were desperate to please their largest crowd of the season. They threw everything at Maitlands' goal but only managed one more score. Hank Gowdy put them up 2-1, however Diedrick's second made the final result 2-2.

That same afternoon a battle was raging in Weston. Brampton entered the war minus veteran defender Percy 'Ski' Warre, out for the year with a badly sprained wrist. Goaltender John Campbell was also absent, replaced by Bert Burry. Their woes mounted when Norm Zimmer went down on the slippery field injuring his shoulder. It wasn't an easy game for the Suburbanites either. Bill Coulter sprained his ankle early. Unlike Zimmer, he eventually returned. It was a contest with plenty of minor penalties and lots of 10 men lacrosse. Excelsiors led 2-0 early but surrendered three unanswerd goals before halftime. They jumped back in front 4-3 in the third quarter. Once again the defending champs replied. They counted a trio in the last twenty minutes to win 6-5. Bob Stephenson and Toots White both scored twice. George Sproule fired a pair for the losers.

The next Saturday, a record crowd turned out in Brampton. The stands were full and spectators surrounded the field, right up to the boundary lines. Every time the ball left play there was a delay in retrieving it. It was another hard checking affair, with no deliberate fouls. Sproule scored the only goal of the first quarter, from Pete Machell, tying the series. The Suburbanites devastated the home side in the second. They scored three times in seven minutes. First, Stephenson from a scrimmage. Second, Gordon Coulter after Brampton had failed to clear the ball. Finally, Stephenson again. He scored from in close but it was disallowed because of a crease violation. Big Bob simply won the ensuing draw and potted one which counted. Though they were shocked, Brampton did not give up. Both Stew Beatty and Sproule tallied in the fourth frame with low, fast shots. Sproule's grass cutter blew through Fred Rowntree's legs. Tied 3-3, Excelsiors only trailed by one in the series. Five minutes of pressure followed. Eventually Toad Farr relieved by sending a long pass to Earl Stevenson. Burry came out to check him but the Weston sniper rolled the ball into the open net. 4-3 was the final score.

That was basically for the championship. Maitlands had a game crew but the titleholders played perfect lacrosse at Scarborough Beach. Conny Golden, Ty Silk and Stephenson knocked the heart out of the Toronto side with early goals. Weston won easily 11-5. Bill MacArthur's inspired play prevented a worse beating. A week later, the dominance continued. It was only 2-0 after 40 minutes, however the Suburbanites scored 4 third quarter goals to put it away. George Laceby brought Maitlands further disgrace when he was ordered off the field for rough play.

1925 - WESTON'S RECORD FOURTH TITLE

Brampton Excelsiors had won three straight O. L. A. crowns before the war and Young Torontos had matched them during the war years. In 1925 Weston went one better. In a six team league their chief threat was once again Brampton. Excelsiors tied them for first place with a 14-6 record. The other four clubs finished well back. Defensive minded St. Simon's placed third with 10 wins and 9 losses. Orangeville were 9-11 in their final year in Senior. The high flying Dufferins had five top ten scorers: Toots White, Clyde Gordon, Andy Hawkins, Roy Cruickshank and Rod Anderson. Irish-Canadians finished 8-11, while Toronto Maitlands ended up last at 3-15. Lionel Conacher joined the Irish and teamed with Art Pim to give them a respectable run. Without the Big Train, Maitlands had the worst offence in the league.

It was the final season for Conacher. An individual superstar, he was a force in every game. Yet Irish-Canadians, like all his clubs, disappointed. In six years none of the Big Train's teams ever made the playoffs. Some of Conacher's 1925 heroics included five goals against Brampton (June 13th) four points versus Orangeville (July 8th) and four goals against Maitlands (August 8th). If only he had played in every game! Conacher spent the rest of the decade occupied with other sports. He did find time to referee some lacrosse games. His gutted stick would remain in retirement until the professional box league of 1931.

With the schedule expanded to twenty games, O. L. A. fans were treated to an exciting scoring race. Toots White and Norm Zimmer dueled the entire summer. White led by one goal in August. Zimmer, however, finished red hot as Brampton's #13 became the league's first 50 goal scorer.

Weston and Brampton met in the Final. The series had a listless start but Pete Machell and Jack Worthy picked things up with second quarter goals. The Suburbanites evened matters as Bill and Harry Coulter both beat John Campbell with long shots. Jerry Kendall put Excelisors up 3-2. Then Zimmer was knocked out of the contest with a knee injury. That proved to be the turning point as the rudderless Brampton offence floundered over the last 40 minutes. Weston scored five unanswered goals for a 7-3 win. The casualties continued: Ted Reeve received a three inch cut over his eye, courtesy of Bob Stephenson, and Ty Silk broke his thumb, yet continued to play.

Over 4,000 attended the rematch in Brampton. A second quarter "free for all" was started by Jim Burton and Coulter. Police had to resort to using their batons to end it. That was the only trouble in the game. There was a fourth quarter fight but it was in the grandstand. The players paused to watch it. Goaltender Walker Wilson and defender Bill Coulter were the visitor's game stars. They stopped the shooters, intercepted passes and fed the home players on offence. Weston needed a good defence because Brampton had ball possession for 60 minutes. They were up 3-1 in the second frame and bombarding the Suburbanites' goal when Weston broke away and Griffith suddenly made it 3-2. Undaunted the home side kept coming. In the final quarter they outshot the titleholders 10-1. George Farr and Norm Zimmer scored to put them up 5-3, however time eventually ran out.

The previous season the Clare Levack Trophy had not been played for because the Senior schedule ran to mid October. In 1925 it lasted almost as long, until October 3rd, yet Hamilton and Weston did meet for provincial bragging rights. The seniors had a catastrophic start, losing 11-8 in Hamilton. They rebounded to shutout the Tigers 9-0.

1926 - A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Ontario hosted the Mann Cup in 1926. Thus the O. L. A. champion challenged for the trophy for the first time since 1919. New Westminster had won the previous six years but every series had been held on the west coast. To make the Mann Cup a national final the C. L. A. started the tradition of alternating the championship from east to west every year.

So the red carpet had been rolled out for the O. L. A., however there was still a problem. The national final was scheduled for the Labour Day weekend, yet the senior league rarely completed its schedule before October. The solution was for the five clubs to play a split schedule. The initial eight games would determine the Mann Cup representative and the combined first and second half records would decide the league title.

St. Simon's returned to contention. They won their first three matches, including a 6-2 victory over Weston. Bill Davis, Angus McKinnon and Art Pim outplayed the Suburbanites' defence. The defending champs had already lost 7-6 to Brampton! In that game Toots White's hat-trick was wasted. Pete Machell scored a pair and, an unlikely source, defender Ted Reeve had also counted a deuce. It was Claude Jennings who scored the winner. With two losses Weston looked finished. Fortunately they would not lose again in the First Half. Excelsiors also handed the Anglicans their initial defeat. Machell scored three in the triumph. With four straight wins Brampton appeared to be Mann Cup bound. They stumbled on Dominion Day. St. Simon's beat them 3-2 as Hal Wallace tallied the winner. Within nine days both clubs would lose to Weston. The titleholders tripled the Saints 3-1. Conny Golden, Bill Coulter and Ty Silk did the damage. Then they got past Brampton 7-5. Bob Stephenson, Ken Kingdon and Earl Stevenson each scored a brace. All the contenders had two losses. The last thing the O. L. A. needed was a three way tie break! Luckily upsets settled the matter. On July 10th, Irish-Canadians toppled St. Simon's 5-4. Two weeks later, Maitlands upended Brampton 7-4.

The Mann Cup competition began August 28th when Weston crushed Montreal Nationals 17-8. Toots White counted five for the victors. Ten years earlier such a result would have been unthinkable - like an Alberta team, in the year 2009, routing Victoria Shamrocks. Unfortunately Montreal would never again be the centre of the lacrosse universe. Winnipeg Tigers earned western honours in a close series. Over two games they outscored Ocean Falls, B.C. representatives, 13-12. Can't confirm this but I suspect New Westminster and Vancouver boycotted the new Mann Cup arrangement.

The final opened at Hampden Park on Labour Day Saturday. A steady downpour limited attendance to 3,000 and turned the field to mud and water. The covered grandstand was full and the unlucky latecomers had to stand in the bleachers. Winnipeg's equipment had been lost in transit so they had borrowed St. Simon's pads. The Weston attack was too strong for the Tiger defence. The O. L. A. champs scored the first five, then cruised to an 11-3 win. Conny Golden led with five goals. Prior to Monday's second game, a minute's silence was observed for Eddie McLean. The Winnipeg player had died at home the previous day. The match was marred by questionable play. First, Bill Coulter and Red Spencer knocked down a Tiger player and began to pummell him. Later, Harry Coulter ran down goalie Thompson as he was fielding a ball. After a fifteen minute delay, the net-minder continued. He was a bit groggy, plus had an injured shoulder and knee. Also bruised pride because the Suburbanites again scored 11 goals on him. Spencer with four and Nels Riley with three were the most effective. It was another 11-3 result. The O. L. A. had a Canadian Champion!

St. Catharines hosted a memorial game on September 18th for the late Bill Fitzgerald. 1,500 attended and the funds raised went to the Fitzgerald family. Athletics and Maitlands opened with an exhibition contest. The main event was between Charles Querrie's Pros and George Kalls' St. Catharines. Lionel Conacher dressed for Kalls and James Murphy refereed. Querrie's Pros won 7-4.

The Second Half of the O. L. A. season saw St. Simon's slip from contention. They stayed close into autumn but struggled against their chief rivals. Their final two meetings with Weston were disasters. Losses of 15-5 and 11-5. The Anglicans finished with a 9-6 record. The Mann Cup champs did stumble three times in the Second Half. In early August Irish-Canadians doubled them 8-4 as Buck Johnston scored five points. The Irish also upset Brampton in August, 5-4. It was a rough month for Excelsiors. St. Simon's defeated them 5-3. After that they made a late season charge. The crucial win came on October 9th. Norm Zimmer and Pete Machell both scored twice as they defeated Weston 4-3. This was accomplished with Bert Burry in goal. Starter Bert Large was out for the year with an injury. Thus the top two both finished 11-5.

On October 16th over 3,000 crowded into Roselea, most of them draped in Brampton red and white. Eddie Powers' Weston crew were without Bill Coulter and Nels Riley, plus Harry Coulter lasted only a few minutes before his bad knee started acting up. With only one healthy substitute, the visitors were in trouble. Luckily the penalty list was light. Rain fell intermittently all afternoon but it could not dampen the spirit of the crowd. Excelsiors enjoyed quarter leads of 2-0, 3-1 and 6-2. Pete Machell scored one on a free throw and featherweight Jerry Kendall added another. The Mann Cup holders had been humbled 8-2!

Harry Coulter also missed the rematch. It was a typical Weston/Brampton affair, very rough. There was an early fight and the fans eagerly joined the fray. Referee Bert Booth had his hands full. When lacrosse was finally played Weston began to reduce the six goal deficit. By the third quarter Earl Stevenson put them up 4-0. Brampton must have wondered if it was possible to defeat the Suburbanites. Indeed it was. Hero of the opener with a hat-trick, Jerry Kendall ended the rally with Excelsiors' first goal. They added another when Art Doddemeade scored. A 4-2 loss but they had finally beaten Weston! Official records list the Suburbanites as Mann Cup champions for the year. The only non-league winner to take the cup. Brampton Excelsiors could make a fair claim that the trophy was theirs.

1927 - O. L. A. ON THE COAST

For the first time since 1914, the Ontario champion would travel to British Columbia to contest the Mann Cup. Weston put themselves in the best position to be that team. They went through league play undefeated, 9-0-1. St. Simon's was the only team to give them trouble. On May 28th, they tied the league leaders 2-2. Sandy Ryding and Nels Riley scored for Weston. Bill Davis and Angus McKinnon replied for the Anglicans. The June 18th meeting was a 6-5 thriller. Toots White broke the tie with a late goal. On the other hand, Brampton were humiliated by the Suburbanites. 10-1 to start the year, followed by a 5-3 game in June. Ed Kingdon, Earl Stevenson, Riley, Ken Kingdon and White all scored in the second game.

It was a difficult year for the other clubs. Maitlands opened with a 6-5 win over Irish-Canadians. They didn't win again. The worst beatings they suffered were: 16-2 and 15-2 to Weston, 13-3 and 16-5 to St. Simon's. Irish-Canadians did not fare much better. In June they won back to back games. Varcoe scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Maitlands. Then they doubled Hamilton 6-3 as Hopkins pair led the offence. All the Irish's other matches ended in grief. Up from Intermediate, the Tigers lost three of their first four and were never contenders. They finished 3-7, all three wins came against the bottom teams.

Which left the top three to claim the three playoff positions. With first place Weston earned a bye to the final. That left St. Simon's (6-2-1) and Brampton (6-3) to meet in the opening round. Both were well rested as their last regular season games were washed out by heavy rain. Led by Max McGregor's goal and assist, the Anglicans won in Brampton 3-2. A week later, they faltered at home. George Sproule's two goals were the difference as Excelsiors won 4-2, taking the series 6-5. Goalie Bert Large's performance was key in the win.

A well rested Weston squad showed no mercy in the final. On August 6th, seven different players scored as the Suburbanites won 10-3. With two goals and an assist Toots White was high man. Bob Stephenson also had a pair. The second contest was just as one-sided. 7-2 was the result as Stephenson led with three markers and five points. Nels Riley added a deuce. Brampton's disappointing season ended with goals from Sproule and Pete Machell.

Officially Weston were Mann Cup holders. They started their defence in Montreal by winning Eastern Canadian honours. They routed Montreal Celtics 18-5. White scored six and Hal Wallace four. In Winnipeg, the Ontario champs opened with an 11-2 win. They lost the second game 7-6 but took the series by a comfortable margin. In Edmonton, they crushed the Native Sons 13-3.

Next came the hard part. No eastern team had ever won on the Pacific Coast, in Mann or Minto play. New Westminster had a powerful squad, featuring: George Feeney, Red Fraser, Johnny Vernon, the Patchells and the Stoddarts. As a double incentive the series winner would also represent Canada at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Alas, Weston would share the same fate as such great teams as Brampton Excelsiors, Toronto Tecumsehs, Montreal A. A. A. and Montreal Nationals - defeat. New Westminster ended their undefeated season with a 6-3 win. They followed it up with a 6-5 victory. The Mann Cup was back in Queen’s Park.

1928 - THE McLAUGHLINS' TEAM

Hard to believe a carriage manufacturer from Enniskillen could change lacrosse history. Yet Robert McLaughlin set things in motion when he moved his businees to the town of Oshawa. When the horseless carriage was invented McLaughlin immediately transformed his operation. The result: the Motor City was born, thanks to General Motors. How's all this tie into lacrosse? In 1928 Sam McLaughlin decided to sponsor the local team. Overnight Oshawa went from the backwoods to centre stage, the O. L. A. Senior League. Thanks to General Motors, Toots White, Bob Stephenson, Red Spencer, Jack Walsh and Ted Reeve were lured to Oshawa by the promise of various incentives, all courtesy of GM. Toss in such local talent as Kelly Degray, Chuck Davidson and Charlie Barron and the Generals were ready to shake up the circuit.

The earthquake had hit before the season began. Perennial power-house Weston was devastated by the loss of five starters. They would fall to a 6-14 record, then drop down to Intermediate for the next season. St. Catharines and Young Torontos returned to Senior. The Athletics would make a good impression on the playoff race, thanks to the work of Vince O'Brien and Bill Pennie. Torontos would win only four games and make next to no impression.

St. Simon's began the season fastest, six straight wins. Two of those were over Brampton. Angus McKinnon scored a hat-trick in a 7-6 game. Trios from Max McGregor and Moose Lount won the second encounter 13-4! The Anglicans run stopped on the Dominion Day weekend. A Saturday loss to Young Torontos. Ivan 'Turk' Davis potted the winner in a 3-2 game. After that, the Saints tumbled to second place due mainly to three losses to Oshawa. 13-7 was their record when the regular season concluded.

Brampton took top spot with 15 wins and 5 losses. They lost three games to St. Simon's but won three out of four over the Generals. Not only did the Excelsiors have to manage without their defensive captain Ted Reeve, they were also missing Norm Zimmer. He took the year off. Quite a loss as Zimmer had never finished lower than third in league scoring during his five year career.

Oshawa and St. Catharines battled for the final playoff spot. The Motor City crew started slowly, winning only four times in ten games. That forced them to chase down the Double Blues. They did not catch them until August. The significant match was on the 18th. Athletics fell to Oshawa 9-3. White's four goals had the first year Seniors playoff bound. St. Catharines would settle for fourth place, with a 9-10 record.

Oshawa's fortunes had actually turned around a month earlier. Tilly Sparks began the year in goal but was replaced after ten games by Pat Shannon. Shannon debuted by beating St. Simon's 5-3. He proceeded to win eight out of ten to get Generals third spot.

In preparation for the Amsterdam Olympics, New Westminster visited Toronto on July 23rd. 5,000 attended the exhibition game at Ulster Stadium. O. L. A. All-Stars prevailed 7-4. Kelly Degray scored the final two goals of the contest to secure the win. Jerry Kendall also had a brace and Bill Davis added a goals and assist. George Feeney topped the losers with a pair. The Salmonbellies went on to have moderate success in Europe. They, the United States and Great Britain would all finish the three team tournament tied.

The semi-final commenced September 15th at Alexandra Park. Both Pat Shannon and Roy Sutherland played superbly and produced first half shutouts. The break of the match came when referee Charles Querrie called the day's only penalty on the St. Simon's net-minder. While Sutherland sat on the fence, Jack Walsh scored on a long shot. Six minutes, later Bill Davis tied it 1-1. That was how the contest ended.

At Ulster Stadium the Anglicans had to play without Angus McKinnon, then lost Moose Lount in the second quarter. The fast paced game had Oshawa jump in front on goals by Toots White and Charlie Barron. Rowan replied for the locals. They were soon down 4-1 as Chuck Davidson and Barron added another brace. Gordon Thom counted the Saints last just before halftime. Bob Stephenson and White made the final 6-2.

Back in Oshawa, a crowd of 2,000 watched the final commence. It was Shannon's day as he shutout the rusty Excelsiors attack. Toots White dominated the opening five minutes and rolled in the first goal, from Mel Whyte. The contest was evenly played after that. Late in the match disaster struck the visitors. Harold 'Mooney' Gibson received a 5 minute penalty for tapping Ernie Shepley on the head. Kelly Degray and Ted Reeve came forward to help the Generals home players score three quick ones. Oshawa would take a 4 goal lead to Roselea.

Over 6,000 fans tightly circled the field for the finale. 1,000 Oshawa rooters made the trip, bringing with them a pipe band and two clowns. After being sidelined for six weeks, Ingram returned to the red and white to shadow Toots White. George Farr also rejoined the club after a short retirement. He scored one of Brampton's four goals. The others went to Stew Beatty, Jim Burton and Claude Jennings. Unfortunately for the home side, the Generals counted three and were never really threatened. Red Spencer and White put them ahead 2-1. Degray made it 3-2 before the late Excelsior rally.

By this time it was well into October and the Mann Cup title had long since been decided. It was the only Final to not feature a team from Southern Ontario or B.C. Salmonbellies Olympic engagement prevented them from competing. Oshawa was out because the C. L. A. insisted that the series be played in early September. Thus Ottawa Emmets filled the void and took their only national championship by defeating Winnipeg Tigers.

That left the O. L. A. to revive the Clare Levack Trophy. It was an international match-up because Buffalo Bisons had won the Intermediate title. The one game final was held at Brampton, one week after Generals Senior success. 800 shivering fans watched the contest. Bisons had auto trouble and arrived one hour late (those darn horseless carriages!). Worse yet, only 11 men turned up to start. They did have a full roster by the twenty minute mark but it made no difference. Oshawa won 13-1. White led the offence with 4 goals and an assist, followed by Jack Walsh (3-1), Chuck Davidson (2-2) and Charlie Barron (0-3).

1929 - THE GREAT TREK

From the beginning it was destined to be a Brampton/Oshawa showdown. Young Torontos picked up Ted Reeve and he did wonders for their defence. On offence they had Max McGregor, Fat Gallagher, George Laceby, Angus McKinnon and Frank 'Piper' Bain. Loads of talent, yet Torontos mustered less than three goals per game. One win over St. Catharines to accompany eight losses. Athletics were worse. They had Max Peart and imported Ty Silk along with Gordon Thom, however the season was a total loss. They threw in the towel after four defeats.

Brampton finished on top with a 9-1 record, compared to Generals' 6-3 mark. George Sproule took scoring honours with 17 goals and 21 points. Norm Zimmer returned to the lineup and placed third. The other gunners were Jack Worthy (6th place), Claude Jennings (7th), Jerry Kendall (8th) and Ed Kingdon (9th). Both Kingdons had come over from Weston. On defence Hank Gowdy joined from Hamilton. Oshawa had five former Weston players, Toots White, Bob Stephenson, Red Spencer, Conny Golden and Bill Coulter. They all knew how to win championships. During the regular season only White made an impression. He finished second in scoring with 11 goals and 19 points. It was the third occasion he had been runner up. Toots never would win a scoring title, making him one of the greatest players never to do so. Chuck Davidson placed fourth in the league, followed immediately by Charlie Barron. Kelly Degray grabbed the tenth position. Goaltending was rock solid for both contenders. Bert Large played every minute for Excelsiors. Pat Shannon was again Oshawa's goalkeeper. Walker Wilson replaced him one game and surrendered six goals in a loss to Brampton.

Generals were at their best for the playoffs. All their experience showed in the clutch. The final opened at Alexandra Park. Pat Shannon duplicated his feat of the previous year by shutting out Brampton 4-0. The second game was a 5-3 Oshawa win. Toots White was involved in four goals and Conny Golden notched a pair.

The road to the Mann Cup was a long one. Oshawa was determined to do what no eastern team had done before, win in the west. They began by heading east and routing Ottawa Madisons 15-1. Winnipeg Argos were more of a challenge but they fell 6-4. In Edmonton the score was 14-1.

On the coast the national championship began in earnest. The best of three series started on Labour Day. Some 7,000 shocked spectators saw the easterners tear through the Salmonbelly defence. Generals held quarter leads of 2-1, 4-3 and 6-4 before pulling away to a 9-5 win. Pat Shannon was strong, especially early, but the home players starred. Conny Golden scored three, Chuck Davidson and Kelly Degray two each.

The Wednesday contest was a tight checking encounter, not very pretty. Jack Wood scored first, on a rebound, however referee Charles Querrie disallowed the goal. Toots White later put Oshawa up, scoring with his back to the goal. Haddie Stoddart tied it in the third quarter, after a fast dash. The winner came from Art Doddemeade on a nasty shot from forty yards out. Oshawa 2, New Westminster 1. Past eastern failures had finally been put to rest.

1930 - JAMES MURPHY

In honour of his recently departed friend, Charles Querrie donated the James Murphy Memorial Trophy to Ontario Lacrosse. The trophy is still with us and awarded annually to the Major Series' Most Valuable Player. That was the intended purpose of the award, yet the meaning of M.V.P. was different in the 1930s. For the first few years of its existence the Murphy Trophy would serve as a lifetime achievement award. In 1930 the player most deserving of that honour was George Sproule. An Excelsior since 1909, Sproule was still going strong. He was twice defending scoring champ and had led the league a record six times (1912, 1913, 1914, 1920, 1928, 1929)! In 1930 he slipped to eighth spot with a modest 10 goals.

Ontario lacrosse was in a crisis by 1930. The number of teams in the O. L. A. had declined from 133 in 1923 to 55 by this season. The largest drop was in Junior, from 26 down to 9 teams. Lacrosse was beginning to look like a dying sport. Consequently, something drastic would have to be done to change things. That something was the introduction of box lacrosse in 1931. A move which was made just in time to counter the negetive influences of the Great Depression.

Not much of a league for Senior Lacrosse, only three teams. Brampton placed first with a 7-3-1 record, followed by Oshawa (7-4-1) then St. Simon's (2-9). A bit misleading because Excelsiors only scored 42 goals while giving up 40. Generals numbers were much better, 72-45. Toots White scored 21 of those goals enroute to the scoring championship. Five of his teammates also made the top ten list: Kelly Degray, Conny Golden, Chuck Davidson, Charlie Barron and Bob Stephenson. Excelsiors filled the rest of the spots, though matters were different for the Brampton crew. Sproule's production had dropped, as had Norm Zimmer's. Number 13 failed to finish in the top three for the first time in his career. Instead he slipped in at the tenth position. Brampton's new snipers were Harold 'Mooney' Gibson and, former Dufferin, Foster Wilson.

The league final was a best of three affair and started on August 9th. A crowd of 4,000 watched the hometown Excelsiors grab a 3-1 first half lead. George Sproule made up for missing the '29 playoffs by dominating. His first goal was disallowed. His second came on a free throw. And his third on a rebound. Oshawa was without injured Bill Coulter but that didn't prevent them from coming back. Degray from Davidson, Barron from White and Ty Silk on a solo effort put them ahead. With two minutes remaining their 4-3 lead still held. Then former Weston junior Pete Ella intercepted a pass and beat Pat Shannon to tie it. In overtime, junior George 'Mush' Thompson and veteran Jerry Kendall gave Brampton a 6-4 win. At Alexandra Park, Toots White scored twice, yet Excelsiors managed three. Teenager Thompson again counted the winner.

Next stop was Montreal where 5,000 cold and wet spectators watched George Sproule singlehandedly beat the local club. In the M. A. A. A, Grounds press box the old reporters marveled at how the grey-thatched Excelsior captain reminded them of the great Harry Hoobin. Nothing could stop Sproule on the day, not even the driving rain. His three second half goals gave Brampton a comeback 4-1 win over M. A. A. A.

Varsity Stadium hosted the best-of-three Mann Cup Final. Finally B.C. had sent a team east! New Westminster Salmonbellies were given a rude welcome. Norm Zimmer helped beat them 8-1 as he scored or set up half the red shirts goals.

The Fishmen overcame the heat and their opponents to win the next contest 5-4. Sunny Douglas put the westerners up 2-0 early. Bert Burry started Brampton's comeback by intercepting a pass and going end to end. Sproule and Mooney Gibson soon followed as the home side took a 3-2 lead to the halftime break. It was 4-2 in the third quarter as Norm Zimmer set up George Sproule. Unfortunately Sproule injured an already weak ankle. That ended the veteran's season. He would retire after the Mann Cup. New Westminster's year was also about to come to an abrupt end. They responded like champions. Haddie Stoddart scored twice to tie it 4-4. In the last twenty minutes Stoddart also counted the winner with an underhand shot.

The series conclusion began ominously for the easterners. Jack Wood scored 3:30 into the match to put Salmonbellies up. Wood later fired a backhand shot past Bert Large, however referee Charles Querrie ruled that he was in the crease. A similiar fate befell Brampton's first marker. Western Referee Graver disallowed theirs. During halftime the western official was approached by a dozen angry fans. No harm was done. Ten minutes into the third quarter, Elgin 'Oddie' Core drew two defenders to him, then sent Norm Zimmer in alone to tie it. A see-saw battle commenced and lasted into the final period. Eventually Jerry Kendall broke the tie. Three minutes later, Hank Gowdy put Excelsiors up 3-1. With that lead the red shirts began ragging the ball, frustrating the New West checkers at every turn. Finally Ted Reeve, Zimmer and Kendall put together a nice combination with the latter potting goal number four. As the gong sounded, straw hats flew through the air and the celebration began. Brampton Excelsiors had won their first Mann Cup!

1931 - BRAMPTON'S UNLIKELY REPEAT

A year of transitions before and during the season. The O. L. A. Senior League jumped to six clubs as Hamilton Tigers, Mimico Mountaineers and Toronto Native Sons joined. Native Sons packed their line up with veterans. Bill MacArthur was in goal, backed by Roy Sutherland. In the field they had Buck Johnston, Ed and Ken Kingdon, George Laceby and Ty Silk. The most important signings all came from Oshawa. As quickly as General Motors sponsorship had made Oshawa a powerhouse, it evaporated and just as quickly brought about their downfall. The only notable player the Generals were able to retain was Pat Shannon. In six games he gave up 65 goals! Oshawa defaulted their other four contests as they quit in mid-season. Defecting to Native Sons were: Chuck Davidson, Conny Golden, Bob Stephenson and Toots White. Even Oshawa back up net-minder Tilly Stokes signed and made two starts. Small wonder the Toronto squad finished first with 8 wins and 2 losses.

It was a troubled beginning for the defending champions. A new O. L. A. residency rule meant that a player must live and work in the town he played for. This disqualified two Excelsiors, Bert Burry and Red Spencer, from playing for Brampton. They played in the team's opening game anyway and were promptly suspended. Plus Excelsiors were ordered to replay the game. The Burry/Spencer controversy was not settled until professional box lacrosse made its impact on the established league.

The big shake up came four weeks into the schedule. Despite their problem with the O. L. A., Brampton raced off with four consecutive wins, outscoring their opposition 35-14. Then the International Lacrosse League was formed and everything changed overnight. Many players turned professional and jumped to the box league. The major losses were: Bert Burry, Jerry Kendall, Bert Large, Red Spencer, Ted Reeve and Norm Zimmer (Brampton), Frank 'Piper' Bain (St. Simon's), Toots White (Native Sons) and Kelly Degray (Oshawa). Lionel Conacher came out of retirement to lead the new circuit with 76 goals and 102 point in 24 games. Six Nations' Scotty Martin placed second with 41 goals and 59 points. White followed with 58 points, then Kendall (54) and Zimmer (45).

The Big Train was not the only player to return to the game. George Sproule's retirement lasted four weeks. The Excelsior coach handed over the reins to Eddie Powers, grabbed his gutted stick, and ran Brampton's midfield. He could not prevent the defending champs fall. They dropped to a 6-4 record, luckily tying for the third and final playoff position with Hamilton. St. Simon's finished second with 7 wins and 3 losses.

Brampton opened the two game tie break on August 5th. The passing was off colour as the offences wilted under the blazing sun. Tigers were without starting goaltender Pat Gow. Excelsiors scored two in each half and should have added more but the final quarter was scoreless. Down in Hamilton the titleholders followed their 4-1 win with a 5-1 victory. Gow was back. Wilfred 'Bucko' MacDonald greeted him with a high hard one. Brampton won all four quarters.

Excelsiors had been fortunate. Despite the devastating losses to the home position they had signed a kid from Guelph. MacDonald, the future hockey star, finished second in league scoring. The scoring champ was Oddie Core. Another good break for Brampton. In Core's first four years with the team he had scored 14 goals. Yet the moment he moved from the shadow of Norm Zimmer he exploded - 19 goals and another 20 assists!

St. Simon's in the semi-final was not so easy. The Anglicans led the opening game 2-1 as Excelsior net-minder Wally Large (Bert's brother) let in two bad ones. Bill Anthony tied it 2-2 with a free throw, early in the last quarter. Ollie Burton then gave Brampton the lead. Ross Gimblett drew the Saints level and Jack Campkin won it with a long shot.

Seven minutes into Game Two Anthony scored the only goal, tying the series. After that both sides played very cautiously. Ivan 'Turk' Davis had a chance to win it for St. Simon's late, however he shot wildly. Oddie Core also missed two opportunities at the other end. With eighty minutes complete the teams left the field. The large Varsity Stadium crowd became angry because they wanted the tie broken in overtime. Commissioner W. J. Blaney went to the Anglicans' dressing room but Saints' manager Fred Whittimore ordered him out.

A four day wait followed before the rubber match. In the final contest St. Simon's led 4-0 midway through the third quarter. Eddie Powers ordered all his players onto attack and Brampton rallied to tie it. Junior Mush Thompson set up the fourth goal by feeding Mooney Gibson from behind the net. The match ended 4-4. This time the extra period was played. As darkness began to cast shadows over the field, Core scored the winner from 35 feet out.

Excelsiors met a well rested Native Sons team in the best of three final. At Ulster Stadium they jumped in front 3-1 only to have the first place finishers roar back. Two goals 90 seconds apart tied it. Bob Stephenson set up both, first to Conny Golden, then George Laceby. Oddie Core replied a minute later. Bucko MacDonald added two more, making the final result 6-3. Playing the second game on one day's rest, Brampton faded late. The Toronto squad trailed 3-2 at half, then scored three unanswered goals to win it. Golden, Laceby and Stephenson did the damage.

The deciding match was played at Weston, again on only one day's rest. Brampton took control early and built a 3-1 lead. Mooney Gibson broke it open in the third quarter with a goal and two assists. Excelsiors romped to a 10-2 victory.

In an era when teams rarely played more than once a week, the champions had repeated by playing eight games in less than a month. Their work was still not done. On August 29th, playing on two days rest, Brampton defeated Montreal A. A. A. 6-2. Core scored two early and Bill Anthony two late. At 9:30pm the squad hopped on a train to Winnipeg. Wins followed over the Wellingtons, 2-0 and 5-3, plus Calgary Rangers 8-4.

The final series with New Westminster commenced September 7th at Queens Park. In Game One the Salmonbellies take too many penalties, 45 minutes to Brampton's 5. John Vernon had 20 of them. Excelsiors disappointed the crowd of 5,000 with an 8-4 triumph. Core's hat-trick and MacDonald's deuce carried them through. The Fishmen rallied with a 7-3 win. George Feeney and Hattie Stoddart both scored a pair. Stew Beatty also counted two for the losers. New Westminster ragged the ball throughout the final period.

The last contest was on September 12th. Salmonbellies controlled the first half but were frustrated by Wally Large. Still, they did build up a 3-1 lead. In the last forty minutes Brampton's size wore down the smaller Fishmen. A penalty by Mercer, his third of the contest, was the turning point. George Thompson scored. Two minutes later Stew Beatty tied it with a long bouncer. The deciding goal came six minutes later. Bucko MacDonald intercepted a pass, then sent Oddie Core in for the winner. 4-3 Brampton with one quarter to go. The final twenty minutes were scoreless. Excelsiors had won field lacrosse's last Mann Cup.

O. L. A. STATISTICAL LEADERS - FIELD ERA

PLAYERS

GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS	SCORING AVERAGE
George Sproule - 212	George Sproule - 76	George Sproule - 288	Duchy Davis - 2.59
Toots White - 191	Rod Anderson - 45	Norm Zimmer - 219	Lionel Conacher - 2.18
Norm Zimmer - 175	Norm Zimmer - 44	Toots White - 215	Norm Zimmer - 1.83
Conny Golden - 124	Jerry Kendall - 38	Bob Stephenson - 156	Toots White - 1.50
Bob Stephenson - 120	Max McGregor - 37	Conny Golden - 148	George Sproule - 1.48
Max McGregor - 108	Bob Stephenson - 36	Max McGregor - 145	Blythe Brown - 1.37
Pete Machell - 106	Clyde Gordon - 34	Pete Machall - 134	Chuck Davidson - 1.24
Art Pim - 86	Jack Worthy - 34	Jerry Kendall - 119	Art Pim - 1.23
Jerry Kendall - 81	Oddie Core - 32	Clyde Gordon - 113	Clyde Gordon - 1.18
Earl Stevenson - 81	Chuck Davidson - 30	Art Pim - 106	Pete Machell - 1.18
Clyde Gordon - 79	Pete Machell - 28	Buck Johnston - 96	Buck Johnston - 1.13
Buck Johnston - 78	Kelly Degray - 25	Lionel Conacher - 96	Rod Anderson - 1.10
Lionel Conacher - 77	Conny Golden - 24	Rod Anderson - 92	Bob Stephenson - 1.05
Ed Kingdon - 68	Toots White - 24	Ed Kingdon - 89	Harry Sproule - 1.02
Bill Davis - 64	Ed Kingdon - 21	Jack Worthy - 86	Max McGregor - 1.01
	Moose Lount - 21
	Harry Sproule - 21

GOALTENDERS

MINUTES PLAYED	WINS	WINNING PERCENTAGE *	AVERAGE **
Roy Sutherland - 10,715	John Campbell - 78	Wally Large - 0.762	Wally Large - 2.87
Bill MacArthur - 9,365	Bert Large - 55	Bert Large - 0.724	Fred Rowntree - 3.59
John Campbell - 8,980	Bill MacArthur - 54	Fred Rowntree - 0.722	Bert Large - 3.91
Al Coutie - 7,820	Roy Sutherland - 53	John Campbell - 0.709	Pat Shannon - 3.92
Walker Wilson - 6,760	Al Coutie - 52	Bill Stevens - 0.700	Roy Chandler - 4.12
Bert Lange - 6,240	Fred Rowntree - 52	Roy Chandler - 0.682	Walker Wilson - 4.19
Fred Rowntree - 6,000	Walker Wilson - 50	McBride - 0.667	John Campbell - 4.24
Pat Shannon - 3,920	Pat Shannon - 30	Pat Shannon - 0.652	Hobson - 4.25
Pat Gow - 2,880	Bert Booth - 16	Bob Rohmer - 0.636	McBride - 4.33
Bert Booth - 2,240	Wally Large - 16	Walker Wilson - 0.602	Al Coutie - 4.62

	* NOTE: based on minimum of 10 games
	** NOTE: based on minimum of 800 minutes

This concludes the field history. As you can tell, the history of lacrosse has

evolved into an O. L. A. history. That is where my expertise lies - Paul Whiteside

1932 - BOX LACROSSE BEGINS

The O. L. A. turned to the box game towards the end of the '31 season. Several Senior and Intermediate teams played an exhibition league in the late summer and autumn. They would meet every Tuesday and Thursday night at Sunnyside Park in Toronto. Charles Querrie donated a trophy for the league championship. Thus the Ontario league was prepared for the official transition to box lacrosse the next spring.

With such a major change the minnows suddenly became giants. Two minor powers took to the box game immediately. Both Mimico and Fergus jumped to Senior and the first impression they made was impressive. Meanwhile matters went from bad to worse for the Mann Cup holders.

Excelsiors once again fell victim to professional raiding. They lost Bucko MacDonald, Bill Anthony, Oddie Core, Mooney Gibson, Stew Beatty and Claude Jennings. Plus George Sproule retired for good. Coupled with the previous year's losses, Brampton went from potential dynasty to a club embarking on nearly a half century Mann Cup drought.

The International Lacrosse League took on an ambitious 30 game schedule in its sophomore year. At the mid-season break it all ground to a halt. Conn Smythe complained that he could not keep Toronto going with such small crowds. Meanwhile Montreal owners Joe Cattarnich and Leo Dandurand, who also owned the hockey Canadiens, took one glance at their accounts, saw that they were losing money, then shutdown the team. Thus ended the first professional box league.

Don't feel too sorry for Joe and Leo. They had plenty of money to lose on the horses. As for the players, talk about being played for suckers. Everyone was now a pro and ineligible to return to the amateur leagues. All would have to apply for reinstatement and many had to wait up to three years before they could return to competitive lacrosse. The list of talent was awesome. One need only look at the top scorers, as of July 1st 1932 - the end of the league. Scotty Martin (Six Nations), Chuck Davidson (Oshawa), Art Pim (Toronto), Norm Zimmer (Brampton), Bucko MacDonald (Guelph), Irv Loundsbury (St.Catharines), Bill Anthony (Brampton), Toots White (Fergus), Jerry Kendall (Brampton), Oddie Core (Brampton) . . . and so on. Plus the goaltenders: Roy Sutherland, Bert Large and Bill MacArthur. The first Pro Box folly had taken its toll.

The transition to Box Lacrosse in Ontario was remarkably swift. Overnight the field game, which had ruled for better than half a century, was replaced. Like talking pictures, the box game created new enthusiasm which was impossible to ignore.

At the club level, Senior Lacrosse was witnessing equally rapid changes. St. Simon's declined to enter the boxla era. Plus Oshawa was out of the league. Meanwhile Mimico, Fergus and Orangeville all returned. The difference between field and box was when games were played.

Prior to 1932, game day was always Saturday or a holiday (Orangeville Wednesday games being the rare exception). Box Lacrosse introduced night games and matches six days a week. Thus the stage was set for increased schedules.

In '32, the Senior schedule wasn't much longer, however it was truly chaotic. In Group One the intention had been for each team to play twenty games. Only one made it. By mid-September there were only seven league games left, six involving Brampton! Excelsiors needed to win all of them to make the playoffs. They nearly succeeded. After four wins they lost to Mimico, then did not bother to play the final one.

Group Two had a more sane 12 game schedule. Fergus topped the division with 11 wins 1 loss, followed by Niagara Falls at 7-5. They met in a best of three Group Final. Thistles won the initial contest 5-4. Opposing snipers Robert Ritchie and Bill Pennie both scored a pair. The difference was Norman Russell's late winner. Game Two also went Fergus' way, a wild 11-10 overtime affair. The clubs were level after 60 minutes, thus a ten minute overtime followed. Ritchie again starred with four goals. Deuces to his teammates Russell, Joe Bergin and Rex Lovell. The scotsmen next waited for Group One matters to sort themselves.

The top four squads entered Group One's playoffs: Mimico (13-6), Orangeville (12-5), National Sea Fleas (11-10), and Hamilton (9-8). Mountaineers met and disposed of the Sea Fleas with two consecutive wins. Dufferins and Tigers dueled over two crazy games. On Octorber 3rd, Orangeville won 13-8 as league scoring champ Percy Bradley notched five goals. Two days later they prevailed 18-17. Thirty-five goals in one game! Had Newsy Lalonde and the Montreal Nationals returned? Bradley again scored five. Alex McPherson led the losers with seven! Jack Worthy, a Brampton defector, counted four markers.

The division final lasted two games. The Mounties won at home 15-9. Five goals for Bill 'Duke' Harrison and four for Lorne Brydson. Up in Orangeville, Mimico won again 11-8. Tom Scott led with a trio, followed by two goals each from Harrison, Norman Gair and Maurice Murphy.

Thus the minnows met for league honours. No surprise really. Mimico was essentially the old Weston Suburbanite squad, except that they played their home games closer to the lake - at Drummond Bowl. Fergus had taken the junior championship in 1931. Senior in 1932? Most experts doubted it because Thistles had come through a very weak division. Yet the scots were ready to prove the experts wrong.

On October 13th, Fergus gave Mimico a terrible scare. A narrow 10-9 home victory for Mountaineers. Harrisons' hat-trick, plus Ken Kingdon's winner saved the Mounties. Up in Fergus, history was made by Jim 'Flick' Graham. He became the first and only goaltender to post a playoff shutout in league box history. Thistles humbled Mimico 8-0. Wattie Henderson led with a trio and Barney Richardson chipped in a pair. Alas it would be the Scots final win of the year. Also Mimico's final defeat. The next evening Mountaineers won the deciding match 4-3. A brace from Joe Murphy carried Mimico to its first championship.

Their first and only Mann Cup title would quickly follow. North Shore Indians were B.C. champs but they lost a one game playoff to Winnipeg Tigers. Rumour has it that the night before the contest, the North Shore players were talked into a drinking bout. They thought they were drinking with the Winnipeg players but they turned out to just be fans. With no B.C., the coast was clear for Mimico. Mountaineers hammered Verdun 15-3 for East Canadian honours. Five goals and eight points for Duke Harrison. Two more wins followed over Winnipeg. They outscored the Manitobans 20-8. Norman Gair and Joe Murphy led with eight points each. Fred 'Frip' Harrison took care of matters at the other end.

One final note. St. Catharines won the junior championship this year. At the time it was hardly an event to concern Senior Lacrosse. Yet those young Athletics would soon reshape lacrosse in Ontario.

1932 ST. CATHARINES JUNIORS

FRONT ROW - F. Stuart (Treas.), M. Soper (Trainer), W. Nutt (Rover), D. Williams (Centre), H. Manning (Goal), W. J. Westwood (Pres.), W. Whittaker (Goal), A. Rowden (Home), G. Cleverley (C. Point), J. Joy (Trainer), F. Brown (Secty.)

BACK ROW - W. Hope (Coach), R. Barnard (Point), R. VanAlstyne (Rover), G. Hope (C. Point), W. Millar (Home), C. Daley (Manager), D. O'Malley (Centre), W. Fitzgerald (Home), J. McMahon (Home), C. Madsen (Point), A. Brown (Coach)

Photo courtesy of NICKERSON APPLIANCES, St. Catharines

1933 - RUSSELL KELLY'S CREW

It was not a happy year for the previous season's James Murphy winner. Hugh Houghton had followed Gordon Thom as the second defensive specialist to win Most Valuable player honours. Houghton had combined the trophy with a Mann Cup win. Quite a year! The Mimico native's '33 campaign was short and catastrophic. The big fellow broke his leg and was forced to retire. The second of two major losses for Mountaineers. Tom Scott had jumped ship during the off season and headed north to Orillia.

A greatly expanded Senior League was split into four groups. As in '32, there was no inter-divisional play. The groups winners would eventually playoff for provincial honours. The premier group had Hamilton take top spot with a 10-4 record, followed by Mimico (7-2) Fergus (4-5) Orangeville (4-10) and Brampton (1-5). Excelsiors did not last the summer, which threw the schedule off terribly. Group Two was headed by an undefeated Orillia squad and included Richmond Hill and Native Sons. Mount Dennis Mounties claimed Group Three. The Niagara-Brant Group featured St. Catharines (9-4), Ohsweken (6-4), Brantford (3-5-2) and Port Dalhousie Lakesides (3-8-2).

No point in mentioning the league's top scorers because not all scoring is available. Thanks to the Hamilton Spectator and Orillia Packet & Times we know the top scorers for those local clubs. Tigers were led by Alex McPherson, Matt Rohmer, Bill Wilson, Hal Wallace, Peck O'Malley and Jack Worthy. Terriers best men were: Ernie Curran, Gord Boettger and Bill Wilkes.

St. Catharines and Ohsweken paired off for their division title. On August 30th, the Double Blues won the opener 11-9. Hat-tricks for Max Peart, Bill Fitzgerald Jr. and Winston Millar. Athletics took the rematch 16-6. Ryan and Rowdon both scored four goals and Fitzgerald added three. St.Catharines run was ended the next week by Mount Dennis. They won at home 13-10. Millar's five goals was a bit better than Ted Hatton's trio. The Mounties rebounded with a resounding 17-5 victory, giving them the series 27-18. Jack Graham fired seven goals, while Len Wilkes chipped in three.

Two rounds of playoffs, beginning August 11th, decided Group One honours. Hamilton opened by doubling Orangeville 10-5. Hugh Kelly and Matt Rohmer both scored a pair. Five days later they finished Dufferins off with an 11-2 rout. Peck O'Malley and Alex McPherson both had hat-tricks. Mimico and Fergus duelled through two tough games. Mountaineers took the opener 9-5. Three goals each from Joe Murphy and Duke Harrison led the defending champs. Wattie Henderson stepped into the spotlight for Game Two by scoring five goals. The trouble was he only got support from Joe Bergin and Jack Simpson. The Mounties got goals from six different players to prevail 11-7. The division final was a best of three affair. Tigers took the initial contest 8-6. Four points from Matt Rohmer, while Bill Coulter was 2 and 2 for the losers. Mimico rebounded with a thrilling 11-10 victory. Jack Campkin counted three and Maurice Murphy, Joe Murphy and Norman Gair each scored a pair. The final match was a tight goaltender's duel between Bob Rohmer and Fred Harrison. Alex McPherson's deuce was the difference as Hamilton won 6-4.

Orillia and Hamilton would meet for the first time in Senior. Both longtime Intermediate teams had surged to the top in a flash. Terriers helped themselves by importing Tom Scott from Mimico, Bill Wilkes from Toronto and Howard Clarke from Brampton. They also had veteran Terrier Gord 'Butch' Boettger, originally from Hanover. Still, the '33 squad was essentially a local team.

Which was more than could be said for their rivals. Tiger town had never been much of a lacrosse centre. Big Four football had always monopolized the city's interest. Hamilton Lacrosse did have one chief asset, its geographic location. The bay area was relatively near three major lacrosse centres: St. Catharines, Six Nations and west end Toronto. Manager Russell Kelly's ability to lure nearby stars to the Steel City would mean three decades of Senior Lacrosse for Hamilton. Brantford Warriors, of the seventies, and the Mann Cup winning Six Nations Chiefs, of the nineties, were basically Hamilton Tiger squads. The difference was that Manager Kelly was no longer around to dress those players in black and gold.

The '33 Tigers were packed with imports: Bill Wilson and Ed Downey (St. Catharines), the four Rohmers (Orangeville), Jack Worthy and Claude Clarke (Brampton), and Hugh Kelly (Brantford). Shipwreck Kelly was not the famous flagpole sitter of the twenties. Hugh Kelly had never been up a flag pole in his life! Nevertheless, he received the nickname 'Shipwreck' because of his notorious namesake.

The league semi-final was a classic tale of two cities. Up north, Orillia won 14-9. Scott, Wilkes, Larry Arisenault and Ernie Curran all recorded hat-tricks. In Hamilton, goaltender Bob Rohmer shut the door on the Terrier offence. Tigers rolled to a 16-5 victory, taking the series 25-19.

Orillia was Hamilton's chief threat, however Mount Dennis did have a game crew. Their problem was that they couldn't score more than five goals on Rohmer. Tigers took the opener 13-5 - five points for Matt Rohmer. The second match was only slightly closer, 11-5. Hal Wallace led with three goals and an assist.

The road west for Kelly's heroes started with one more provincial challenge. They paused at Thunder Bay long enough to defeat Fort William Pontiacs 21-2! Five goals each from Shipwreck Kelly and Dunc Littlefair. Next stop was in Winnipeg. They routed the Argos 16-5. Five more for Littlefair, while Alex McPherson had four goals and four assists. Calgary Shamrocks were the next victim, 15-4. Six for McPherson!

On the west coast, little changed. Tigers opened by routing New Westminster 15-5! McPherson scored three, with two goals each credited to Littlefair, Peck O'Malley, Bill Wilson, Kelly, and Ed Downey. No wonder the BC boys had missed the first boxla Mann Cup. This was all too easy. Yet a change was in the wind. Hamilton also won the second game in the best of five final, narrowly. 13-11 was the score as Hugh Kelly's five goals saved the Bengals. With their backs to the wall, Salmonbellies struck back. They took the next two games by scores of 8-7 and 12-10. Suddenly Hamilton was reeling. They recovered. In the deciding match Tigers defeated the Fishmen 12-7.

This was the Mann Cup Final Canada definitely needed. Box Lacrosse had not yet been entirely accepted by the purists. The exciting Hamilton-New Westminster series settled the debate once and for all. Box Lacrosse was here to stay.

1934 - POWER SHIFT TO THE NORTH

Orillia was not the first, nor the last team to win a Mann Cup before the season had started. Naturally the Terriers had to play and win many games throughout the summer, however it was their pre-season acquisitions which virtually guaranteed a championship. They strengthened themselves by weakening the defending champions. Two of Hamilton's best players, Ed Downey and Bill Wilson shifted allegiance. On top of the two St. Catharines natives, Orillia added a pair of Bramptonites - Bill Mulliss and the diminutive goaltender Pete Anthony. Frank Carroll's boys were all set.

Orillia headed Group Two and ran away with top spot thanks to a 16-1-1 record. They were followed by Mount Dennis (8-10), Oakwood Bulldogs (5-12-1), and Malvern Grads (1-7). Group One competition concluded with a first place tie. Both Hamilton and Mimico finished with 11 wins and 5 losses. Tigers took the tie break game 13-9 as Peck O'Malley and Ross Gimblett both scored three goals. Fergus grabbed the final playoff spot with a 9-7 mark. St.Catharines (5-11) and Brantford Spaldings (4-12) fell short.

The semi-finals commenced on August 28th. Mount Dennis defeated Oakwood 10-6 to advance to the division final. The journey was far more difficult for Fergus. They entered the post season without their regular goaltender Lorne Smart. Youngster Austin Tott was rushed into service. They battled Mimico to a 12-12 tie. Eric 'Rusty' White set up Thistles' final two scores but Jack Campkin saved the Mounties with a late deuce. Two days later, Mountaineers won 6-4. The match ran late and was tied 4-4 when darkness fell. The teams kept playing and Mimico got late goals from Bill Coulter and Donie McCallum to apparently win the series. Much fussing and fighting followed as to whether it should count. Consequently the O. L. A. stepped in and ordered it replayed on September 2nd. Thistles went into the match without their top scored Rusty White. Yet they doubled the Mounties 12-6 as Barney Richardson scored three and Jack 'Teamer' Bergin a deuce. The game was played in ankle deep mud.

Orillia made short work of Mount Dennis up north. First a 9-5 win, including a Bill Wilson hat-trick, then a 14-7 victory. Len Wilkes scored four points in the losers last game and Fred Hatton counted a pair of goals. All the series cost Terriers was the services of Tom Scott. He would miss the rest of the O. L. A. play-downs, plus the East Canada battles. Fergus tackled the titleholders and were knocked out of contention early. Hamilton defeated them 12-6. Matt Rohmer scored four, Peck O'Malley three and Ross Gimblett added three assists. Down six goals Thistles had slim hope of coming back. They didn't. Tigers took the second contest 6-4. Rusty White returned to the squad and scored a brace. Howard Clarke cancelled out that effort with a pair of his own.

Terriers once again opened their playoff with the Bengals at home. Once again they won the first game. A convincing seven goal victory of 16-9. Dunc Littlefair donned his Tiger jersey for the first time all season and scored a deuce. The question was: would Orillia choke down in Hamilton again. Terriers responded with an 11-9 victory, their first O. L. A. Senior championship. Their work was just beginning.

Orillia's perfect playoff record was extended in Cornwall. Cornwall Island Indians were their first inter-league opponent. Terriers twice defeated them by scores of 16-9 and 10-4. The next to last test for the soon to be crowned kings of lacrosse came in Montreal. Verdun nearly pulled the upset, losing only 10-8. Meanwhile, New Westminster had started their trek east. They paused in Winnipeg long enough to eliminate the locals. Alfie Davy scored twelve goals in one of the games, a Mann Cup record. A controversial record because it was not achieved in the final series. In Toronto, the shoe was on the other foot. Three straight embarrassing losses for Salmonbellies. The scores were: 21-8, 19-6 and 13-6. Bill Wilson was top scorer in the final with thirteen goals and ten assists. It was an amazing playoff run for Wilson and Ed Downey. In ten games Wilson scored 34 goals and 15 assists. Downey counted 24 and 18. Bill Wilkes was the other offensive force with 20 and 15. In goal Pete Anthony sparkled. He held the opposition to under 10 goals in every game. Naturally turnabout is fair play. New Westminster may have limped home a beaten club but they took Anthony with them. The other three above mentioned players would eventually follow.

The year concluded with the dominion champions clashing with the C. L. A. Due to the Mann Cup being held in the east, B.C. fans had missed seeing the great Terriers. The solution was to invite them to Vancouver for an exhibition series. Orillia could certainly draw 10,000 spectators a game, making such an idea very profitable. The C. L. A. stepped in to run it. They offered to pay Terriers' expenses. Not good enough. The St. Helen's Hotel Club of Vancouver had already offered Orillia $4,000 to participate. With that offer Terriers stood to make $2,500 profit. Thus they snubbed the C. L. A. and accepted St. Helen's offer. The C. L. A. tried to block the deal, failed, then suspended every player who participated in the games. Trouble was that both the B.C. and Ontario Associations supported the series. They would reinstate every suspended player. Faced with that opposition, the C. L. A. backed down.

1935 - THE DEATH OF GEORGE SPROULE

The lacrosse world lost one of its greatest ambassadors on July 15th. After a serious throat operation George Sproule failed to regain consciousness and passed away. The 44-year-old, born in Napanee, had grown up in Brampton and played with Excelsiors from 1909-31. He also coached the junior squad to their first provincial championship in 1922 and coached the seniors in '32. The Conservator gave the story front page coverage, including a picture of Sproule with the James Murphy Trophy. Write ups on his passing appeared across the province. The list of columnists who paid tribute to George read like a sport's writers' dream team. Jim Fitzgerald, Lou Marsh, Ted Reeve and Mike Rodden all had nothing but praise for the Bramptonite. Eddie Allen wrote of the 1930 Mann Cup and described one of Sproule's goals as the greatest he had seen since the days of Harry Hoobin. Jimmy Burrell, of the Conservator, commented on how personable the star was. "Hello Jim. Thanks for the write up, old boy," was his usual greeting. Burrell further reminisced about an incident when he was a young boy. Trying to get to a game at Scarborough Beach, but without the necessary cash, the youngster had tried to sneak onto a streetcar. When he was caught none other than George Sproule came to his rescue. The athlete solved the difficulty by going deep into his own pocket. He also initiated Jimmy as assistant to the water carrier so he could get into the game for free. Such kind acts were commonplace for the faithful baptist and insurance agent. Thus it came as no surprise when condolences arrived from everywhere. The old Weston Lacrosse Club, St. Catharines, St. Simon's and the O. L. A. all sent their best wishes. The legendary George Sproule was gone but not forgotten.

The senior League was made up of two groups of four, however the bottom team in each division quit in mid season. Hamilton won three times while Toronto Maple Leafs were victorious only once. That meant the remaining six clubs all made the playoffs. Burlington topped Group One with an 18-7 record. St. Catharines was next (13-9-1) followed by Fergus (13-10). Group Two was won by Orillia (21-5). Brampton (14-9) took second place, then Mimico (7-12).

Burlington Beavers rise from Intermediate was a major surprise. They were led by the Isaac brothers. Bill won his first scoring championship with 66 goals, making him the second 50 goal scorer in league history. Lance counted 35 markers, followed by Dick Walsh (33) and Herb Hess (31). Athletics young star Roy 'Pung' Morton finished second in the league with 46 goals. This was the first of three times Morton would finish runner-up. He would never win a scoring title. Fergus was led by premier playmaker Rusty White. Wattie Henderson also had a fine year. The most notable top ten scorer was Bill Anthony. He had been reinstated as an amateur and returned to the Excelsior roster.

Division semi-final winners were Brampton and St. Catharines. Excelsiors tied 10-10 then defeated Mimico 14-8 to advance. Athletics lost in Fergus 14-10 but made up the four goal difference with a convincing 15-3 win at home. Brampton threw their best at Orillia to start the best of three group final. They lost the opener 9-7 in overtime. Terriers took the second contest 11-3. Burlington/St. Catharines went the distance. Beavers broke loose in the deciding match with an 18-7 romp. The league final also went the three game limit. Orillia won 14-8, then Burlington replied with a 16-9 victory. Finally Terriers prevailed by taking the concluding game 11-8.

Next was another battle with Cornwall Island. The Indians had such stars as Angus George and Louis Sunday. George would score seven points in the two matches against the Mann Cup holders. Hardly enough. Orillia won twice, 16-9 and 16-7. Verdun was taken care of in a 19-6 game. The B.C. champs, Richmond Farmers, also went quickly in three straight. The games were competitive as Terriers only outscored the westerners 29-21, however they finished on top each time. Len Wilkes was top scorer with six goals. Shipwreck Kelly, Bill Wilson and Al McLean each contributed four. Bill Morphett led Richmond with six goals. John Cavallin and Vinnie Hartney each added four. It was the final series for Ed Downey, Bill Wilkes and Bill Wilson as each would head to New Westminster the next summer.

1936 - NORTH SHORE INDIANS COME EAST

Burlington and Hamilton merged for this campaign making them a force to truly challenge Orillia. The move put Bill Isaacs in Tiger colours for the first time. He would easily become their greatest scorer ever. The defending champs were coping with several losses, yet they remained strong. Bill MacArthur was an amateur again and Terriers starting goaltender. Even at the age of 45 he still had his incredible wanderlust. Through all his playing days Ol' Bill had never come close to a Canadian championship. This would be his chance. Another Toronto native on the team was defenceman Piper Bain. The 27 year old joined Orillia in April. Another defender was Lorne 'Hank' Munro. He was in his last season with Terriers before jumping to New Westminster. A second Brantford resident on the club was Shipwreck Kelly. He was no stranger to the Mann Cup and looking for another trip. Overall the imports were numerous: 23-year-old defenceman Don Willson from Bradford, 29-year-old centreman Dick Walsh from Inglewood and 22-year-old wing player George Snowden from Huntsville. Most notable of all were the two new additions straight from St. Catharines juniors. Picking up rover Jack 'Wandy' McMahon was a simple matter. Joe Cheevers was not.

Cheevers had agreed to play with Oshawa. The Motor City was back in Senior Lacrosse for one final time. With reinstated amateurs Kelly Degray and Charlie Barron they hoped to make a good impression. Cheevers was a key grab which slipped through their fingers. He had signed on the dotted line but after an exhibition game in Orillia, Cheevers was persuaded to switch teams. Really disreputable stuff, yet Terriers got away with it. The O.L.A. did punish Cheevers by suspending him half the season, however he was playing for Orillia by playoff time, which is what counts. As for Oshawa, they did not win a game nor did they complete the schedule. Record wise they were credited with a 0-28 mark. More of a black eye on the O. L. A. then Oshawa.

Orillia did have local talent. The Curran brothers, Bill and Ernie, were prominent. Ernie Botting was the youngest team member. Substitute Andrew Tudhope the oldest runner. The 44 year old had been playing for Terriers all the way back to 1910. Another sub was Ken Pethick. Originally from Seaforth, he was an Orillia resident and had been with the squad since 1930.

League scoring honours went to Fergus' Rusty White. His 79 point effort was 13 better than Mimico's Joe Murphy and 20 ahead of Brampton's Bill Anthony. The Excelsior only played 12 out of a 28 game schedule. The season ended in disgrace for Brampton as they quit midway through. They were contending for top spot in Group One when the suspension of Mooney Gibson was announced the first week of August. In an earlier game Gibson had attacked referee Hank Gowdy. In protest, Excelsiors quit the league, defaulted their final games and fell to fourth place.

Hamilton-Burlington Combines tied with St. Catharines for Group One honours, both at 16-12. The tie break was held on August 24th and Athletics won 17-11. Pung Morton's six goals made the difference. Fergus took third in the division at 14-14, even with Brampton. Excelsiors were no longer around for a tie break.

There was a first place tie in Group Two as well. Mimico and Orillia both recorded 21-7 marks. Mountaineers took the tie break. Toronto Marlboros were next at 10-18, then came poor Oshawa. Toronto's schedule lasted only two more games. Terriers defeated them 15-7 and 11-8. Joe Cheevers was 3 & 1 in both matches. The titleholders then turned their attention to the Mounties. They began the best of three series with a 15-5 rout. Seventeen year old Orillia junior Arnold 'Onions' Smith was called up and he scored four points. Mimico extended their season by winning 10-8, thanks, in part, to Ross Gimblett's hat-trick. Fred Harrison shone in goal, delighting the Maple Leaf Gardens crowd of 3,500. The finale was all Terriers. A 13-2 slaughter with Wandy McMahon scoring five goals. Over 4,000 fans packed the Orillia Arena. It was still a close 5-2 game at three quarter time. A Cheevers goal opened the floodgates. Harrison stopped him in close but, in attempting to pass the ball, the goalie let it slip out of the crease. Cheevers grabbed it behind the net, dashed in front and scored. Mimico claimed that he was in the crease but the goal was allowed. Seven more followed as the Mounties' season closed.

Combines also took the long way in winning Group One. Fergus was little trouble, wins of 16-8 and 18-4. Fat Young led with seven goals in the series. Combines got a rude shock when they next travelled to St. Catharines. The Double Blues beat them 21-9! Veteran Irv Lounsbury had eight points, while Tom 'Tank' Teather and Bill Fitzgerald Jr. both added three markers. It was different in Burlington, an 18-11 win for the home side. Young scored five goals and Alex McPherson chipped in five points. Morton was top man with six points, in a losing cause. The deciding match also went to Combines. They doubled St. Catharines 14-7.

The final commenced on September 7th. Four scores from Bill Isaacs gave Combines an upset 11-6 win. It was a clean game, with the only penalty going to Ernie Curran for striking a Burlington spectator. Wandy McMahon was contained by the checking of Jerry Johnson. Orillia responded with great defence. They surrendered only four goals in each of the remaining two contests. First came a 14-4 win. It was over early as Orillia won the opening half 9-0. MacArthur's shutout was broken when Bill Isaacs set up brother Lance. A deceiving 9-4 win followed. It was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in front of 4,000 fans. The titleholders only led the orange and black Combines 4-3 after 45 minutes. The final quarter started with Lyman Jackson tying it. Shortly after, Dick Walsh grabbed a high rebound off the backboards and beat Bob Rohmer to put Terriers ahead for good. George Snowden followed, thanks to a beautiful pass from McMahon. Snowden scored again from close range to make it 7-4. That spurt gave Orillia another championship.

Four more wins advanced Terriers to the Mann Cup Final. More than 1,700 turned out in Cornwall to see the Mann Cup holders double the home side 14-7. The second game in Orillia was a disaster. Terriers won 30-8! They next topped Montreal Canadien 10-4 at home. The rematch in Montreal drew 5,000 spectators. The Frenchmen scored the first three goals but gave up the next six. Orillia went on to a 12-4 win. With less than two minutes to play a disagreement between Coco Blanchard and Joe Cheevers sparked a massive brawl. Pete Jotkus joined in as did Wandy McMahon...followed by everyone else! The four protagonists each received 20 minute penalties.

Next came the real challenge: the colourful and highly popular North Shore Indians. They swept New Westminster three straight to win the Inter City Lacrosse League (I. C. L. L.). They were no kinder in Winnipeg, routing the locals by scores of 16-5 and 19-5. The ghosts of 1932 had been exorcised. Thus they arrived in the east prepared to do something no B.C. club had done since the Salmonbellies of 1908, win!

The strength of Andy Paull's team began in goal. Henry Baker was only 168 lbs but he could be a miracle worker when it came to blocking shots. He had several brothers on the team. Most notable was the crafty fox Ray Baker. The 37 year old had been with New Westminster during their Mann Cup loss in '33. Stan Joseph also had national final experience. The hard hitting defenceman had come east in '34 with Salmonbellies. The other Joseph was Chief Moses, a furious checker who played rover. The club also had two Smiths. Heavyweight Russell 'Beef' Smith was well over 200 lbs. Brother Hubie was a 155 lb speedster. The team roster was split between Squamish and Six Nations. Ontario was represented by several stars. Stan Bomberry was in his second year with the team. He was rated one of the best defencemen in the game and had one of the hardest shots. He played along side Cec Van Every, a six foot giant and former professional. Stan's brother Oscar Bomberry was one of the highest scorers in the western league. Another from the Mohawk tribe was Jack Squire. Not only was he the fastest man in the game but he was also a great stick-handler, plus he was considered the cleanest player in the Intercity League. Jack would eventually hook up with Hamilton Tigers.

The Indians had to adapt to the hard floor of Maple Leaf Gardens. They were used to playing on dirt. "No worries," said Paull. He was confident the new surface would enhance his team’s great speed. Nevertheless, Orillia were slightly favoured to defend their title.

Their first day in Toronto the North Shore club took in afternoon theatre. Some members caught the wrestling card that evening. The following day, they rested up for the big game.

The series commenced on October 2nd, in front of 8,000. The high flying Indians did not disappoint. After sharing the first two goals, the Terrier defence wobbled as North Shore concluded the quarter with five straight. Ol' Bill did not look good on three of the scores. In Quarter #2 Orillia checked the westerners to a standstill. Two power play goals sparked a six goal revival. At halftime Piper Bain was presented with the James Murphy Trophy by Charles Querrie and Mike Kelly. The Terrier defenceman was out of the line-up with a broken shoulder. Wandy McMahon scored the only third quarter goal to put Orillia ahead 8-6. They would maintain that lead to win the opener 10-8.

After two days rest, the clubs met in a terribly physical game. The cup-holders decided to pound North Shore into submission with terrific body-checking and lenient officiating let them get away with it. The visitors led 5-4 when Bill Curran scored to tie it. On the play Dominick Baker was crashed to the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. While he was down, Curran took advantage to score. Much of the crowd booed the Terriers. The Indians still hung in. They were blessed with better footing than in Game One. Each player was wearing newly bought, suction-soled running shoes. The goaltenders starred throughout this encounter. MacArthur made 26 saves, while Baker stopped 23. Orillia took six out of the nine penalties in the game. On their three power plays they were frustrated by Squamish ragging. Outstanding stickhandling from Beef and Hubie Smith, Ray Baker and the Bomberry boys. In the end North Shore prevailed by an 8-6 margin.

Game Three was another tight one. Orillia outshot the visitors 44-34, while the Indians took five out of the nine penalties. Yet the westerners led throughout much of the contest. Pint size Hubie Smith was their best player and Ernie Curran starred for the Terriers. The difference in this one was the final period, when the cup-holders swept North Shore off its feet. The visitors led 8-6 with fifteen minutes remaining. Wandy McMahon's shooting had been off but he got his second goal four minutes into the last quarter. It was a key goal as he beat three defenders to score it. Twenty seconds later, Butch Boettger tied the match. Two minutes passed then Curran put on a good fake from twenty feet out then beat Baker. He scored again 29 seconds later, putting Orillia up 10-8. Moses Joseph kept the Indians alive by scoring with under four minutes left. A Dominick Baker slash on Curran earned him a penalty and set up the Terriers' final goal. A dramatic 11-9 win - the turning point in the series.

A crowd of 10,000 gathered for what turned out to be the final game. Butch Boettger scored 26 seconds into the contest. It was all downhill for North Shore after that. The Indians looked tired. They lost the opening period 3-1 and trailed by halftime 9-3. George Snowden scored six goals, along with two assists as Orillia romped to a 20-9 win. At the end there was a touching and heartfelt tribute to Ol' Bill MacArthur from his teammates and the fans.

1937 - THE DEATH OF LANCE ISAACS

In spite of a competitive league, this season will only be remembered for one event. Not the opening of the Rose Bowl. Though on July 1st it was opened at Roselea Park and the Excelsiors performed in front of a near capacity crowd of 2,700. The one event people would talk about for years to come also involved Brampton. That much darker event was the tragic death of Lance Isaacs.

The Isaacs brothers had joined Toronto Marlboros for the '37 campaign. They were the team's two leading lights. The game which was to be Lance's last was played at Maple Leaf Gardens. Isaacs was injured seconds before the halftime break. He received a blow over the heart which caused the rupture of the coronary vessel. Lance struggled to the bench and went straight to the dressing room. His teammates soon joined him as Isaacs was checked out by the trainer. Lance was heard to groan then dropped into the arms of the trainer. Bill rushed to his brother and, seeing that he was dead, fainted. The game was called off and the spectators received their money back. Brampton asked the O. L. A. to award the game to Toronto. Marlboros were leading 7-5 as Lance had scored the last goal, his 20th of the year. Isaacs had played with his brother, first at Haldimand, then Burlington in Intermediate, before making the jump to Senior in 1935. In August a Provincial Inquiry ruled that no one was at fault for Isaacs' death.

This year Bill Anthony did not have his bid for a scoring title derailed by his team. Brampton lasted the entire season and Anthony led the league with 71 goals and 89 points, both league records. Gordon Gair was 13 points back, followed by league leading playmaker Rusty White with 32 assists. Despite missing five games due to his brother's death, Bill Isaacs still made the Top Ten. He placed seventh with 65 points. But 48 goals left him two shy of his third straight 50 goal season. In fact Isaacs would score more than 50 in five out of six years. Even better, he would win his second scoring championship in 1938, the first of five consecutive titles. A record which would survive for over fifty years.

A new playoff format was introduced as the top six out of seven teams made the playoffs, with first place playing sixth, second meeting fifth and third pairing up against fourth. Mimico took top honours with an 18-6 record, equaled by second place Orillia. St. Catharines was next at 13-11, then came Toronto (12-12), Brampton (11-13) and Fergus (9-15). Brantford missed out due to their 3 win season.

The opening round was short and decisive. Mimico, Orillia and St. Catharines each won two straight to advance. The Mountaineers had the option of playing the Athletics or taking a bye. They chose to wait for the final, leaving the defending champs and Double Blues to duel. The best of three series commenced with a stunning 18-8 victory for the youthful A's. Bill Fitzgerald scored five goals and Pung Morton added four to shock the titleholders. The Terriers recovered to win 14-8 as eight different players scored. The third game was much closer. Once again Orillia's depth prevailed. Nine different goal scorers in a 12-9 victory. They went on to defend their title by beating Mimico three games to one. They were all very tight wins. First was an 11-10 victory as Dick Walsh set up three goals. Next came a wild 17-14 shootout. Norman Gair fired in four markers, while Duke Harrison had his second straight hat-trick, not good enough. Joe Cheevers scored four times for the winners. The finale was an even wilder 20-17 match. Defensive specialist Vern Steggall stepped up with a five goal effort.

Mann Cup play began with an 11-10 loss to Cornwall! The cup-holders put that setback behind them and won the next two games by scores of 17-6 and 25-6. Ernie Curran scored seven times in the last game. Montreal Canadians were next beaten two straight. The Eastern Canadian Champions began their trip west in Elmwood. They won 23-8, another seven goal game for Curran. Next to fall were the Calgary Rangers, 23-8.

This brought Orillia to Queen's Park, to face a New Westminster club with five former Terriers: Pete Anthony, Ed Downey, Hank Munro, Bill Wilkes and Bill Wilson. Note that none of those players were Orillia natives.

The Terriers were treated like visiting royalty as they arrived in the Royal City. They were strong favourites to win their fourth straight Mann Cup. A great dynasty at the height of its power! Little did anyone realize that the dynasty was about to end with a tremendous crash.

The series opened on October 8th, in front of 5,000 fans. New Westminster survived some late penalties to hang on for an 11-9 win. It was the ex-Terriers who did the damage. Tiny Bramptonite Pete Anthony shutdown the Orillia shooters, Bill Wilson and Ed Downey both scored a pair and Hank Munro topped all scorers with six points.

Queen's Park Arena was deemed too small, thus the series moved to the larger Vancouver Forum for Game Two. The easterners took advantage of the larger floor to lead throughout much of the contest. At the mid-point of the fourth quarter they were up 10-9. Then the roof fell in. Wilson tied it, the first of six straight goals as the Salmonbellies won going away 15-10. Remarkable finish because the Fishmen only used nine players the entire game!

The third and final game was a 19-12 western rout. A western rout with eastern flavouring. Of New Westminster's 45 goals scored in the series, 37 came from the sticks of Ontario boys! Nevertheless, the Salmonbellies had won their first Mann Cup of the box era. It was like 1908 all over again as the Royal City fans celebrated with a huge downtown bonfire. There was nothing eastern about these fanatics and it was their support which had made this championship possible.

For Orillia it was indeed over. Ol' Bill MacArthur retired. Yorky Jordan, the hired gun of the '37 campaign, departed for small town Fergus. Joe Cheevers and Wandy McMahon returned to St. Catharines. How quickly the worm was to turn.

1938 - FIRST MANN CUP FOR THE GARDEN CITY

In this campaign every team made the playoffs. This was due to Brantford dropping out in mid season. With several additions from Orillia, plus Bill Wilson's return home from New Westminster, St. Catharines finished first with a 23-5 record. The defending champs also won twenty games, good enough for second place. Brampton and Mimico tied for third. Even though they were scheduled to meet in the Quarter Finals the Mountaineers and Excelsiors had to play a two game tie break to determine home advantage. The two games were split but Mimico scored the most goals to win the series. They then turned around and lost two straight playoff games to Brampton. So much for home advantage.

The regular season featured a tremendous scoring race as the 100 point barrier was eclipsed. Bill Isaacs, back with Hamilton-Burlington, edged Pung Morton 111 to 101. Isaacs also scored a record setting 80 goals. Morton counted 73, closely followed by Bucko MacDonald's 70. MacDonald returned to the O. L. A. wearing Terrier colours. Orillia also signed Toronto junior sensation Bill Brunskill. Brunskill was one of the most natural goal scorers the game has ever seen. He scored 50 in 24 games his freshman year. The defending champs also coaxed Gord Boettger out of retirement. It was an annual spring tradition for Butch Boettger to announce his retirement and he usually rejoined the Terriers by June at the latest.

Both St. Catharines and Orillia had easy Quarter Final series. The Double Blues defeated Hamilton-Burlington by scores of 15-12 and 16-7. The Terriers had an even easier time. They faced Fergus, minus league leading playmaker Rusty White. The Thistles were crushed 22-8 as Brunskill scored six and Ernie Curran added five. White returned for the second game and counted a hat-trick. Orillia still romped, 21-15.

In an odd twist, the Athletics declined the bye and chose to play Brampton in the Semi Final. They nearly regretted it as the Excelsiors gave them two very tough matches. 2,600 attended the opener in Brampton. It was a rugged, hard checking battle. Fairly even as St. Catharines only took a 5-3 lead to halftime. Four straight goals to begin the third quarter broke it open. The home side battled back late. Two George Gowland markers cut the lead to 11-8 with 5 minutes remaining. The Excelsiors added one more in the last minute, losing 11-9. Over 3,000 watched the rematch three days later. As Hitler marched through Czechoslavkia, the A's moved on to the Final, thanks to an 8 goal second quarter. They led 11-4 at the half, enroute to a 12-9 win.

A rested Orillia squad promptly surprised the Double Blues by winning the opener of their best of five final 14-8. Over 4,200 saw the purple and white Terriers sail to victory. Carl Madsen scored 12 seconds into the contest. Orillia replied with the next 6 goals. It was 12-3 by the end of the third quarter. Hat-tricks for junior call, redheaded up Onions Smith and Bucko MacDonald.

On September 19th, the defending champs continued to look good. They led St. Catharines 2-0 early then 3-2. Bill Brunskill next went to work. He set up MacDonald for a score, then added another on a solo effort 20 seconds later. By halftime Orillia led 6-2. The biggest blunder of the match was made by Terrier goaltender Ted Hall. Four minutes into the quarter Hall went the length of the floor only to be stopped by Bill Whitaker. Whitaker fired a quick pass to Bill Wilson who beat defender Don Willson to the open net for an easy goal. That sparked a Double Blue rally, cutting the lead to 6-5. Brunskill stopped the bleeding with Orillia's final goal of the quarter and their last of the night. George Hope made it 7-6 at the end of the period. Eleven scoreless minutes followed. Finally George Urquhart tied the game. With 2 1/2 minutes remaining, Roy Barnard set up ex-Terrier Wandy McMahon shorthanded for the winner. Two more Athletic goals were counted in the last minute.

After a days’ rest the series continued. 4,300 braved a continual downpour. Jerry Connell fractured his leg when Carl Madsen fell on top of him. This injury ended the big Orillia defenceman's season. Roy Morton missed the match due to two cracked ribs. The contest was even 3-3, then Whitaker shutout the champs for a 32 minute stretch. St. Catharines scored nine times during that stretch. They went on to an easy 18-7 win. Late in the evening, Tom Teather and Bill Brunskill treated the fans to a penalty box fight.

The A's were without George Coles (stomach disorder) for the next game. They won without him. St. Catharines led 4-2 after fifteen minutes and 8-3 by the half. It was 14-10 late when they punished the desperate Terriers with two open net goals. The purple and white's domination of Ontario lacrosse was at an end.

A week later, the Double Blues began their Mann Cup quest in Cornwall. They were challenged by a game local crew. Angus George beat Bill Whitaker five times and Lawrence Deebank scored four. After thirty minutes the contest was tied 6-6. The Athletics won the third period 6-2 to take control. They went on to a 17-11 victory as George Urquhart scored four times. The second match was in Toronto and a wild one. Twenty second half goals as St. Catharines took it 25-8.

There had been a revolution in Royal City lacrosse. A New Westminster club was coming east, however it wasn't the Salmonbellies. They had been surpassed by the Adanacs (Canada spelt backwards). Which brings us to one of the great western myths of lacrosse. Common knowledge has it that the Adanacs were created because the Salmonbellies were importing easterners and denying local kids a chance to play. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Ontario imports did not hit New Westminster in force until 1936. The Adanacs meanwhile had finished 4th in the I.C.L.L. in 1933 (7-17 record) 4th in '34 (8-16) 4th ahead of the Fishmen in '35 (9-15) 4th in '36 (10-14) as the Bellies soared back to the top with their eastern talent and 2nd in '37(15-13). With the Salmonbellies going after out of province players the Adanacs did become the team for the local boys to play on but that wasn't the reason the A's were created. Regardless of the reasons, '38 was to be the year the Adanacs capped their improvement with a championship. They finished first in league play with a 17-7 record, slightly ahead of the 15-5 Salmonbellies. In the I.C.L.L. final, they defeated their hated rivals 3 games to 1. The western A's were about to duel with the eastern A's.

The first game at Maple Leaf Gardens drew a crowd of 6,000. Chief Thomas of Six Nations made Charles Querrie an honoury chief before the series kicked off. New Westminster took the opening quarter 4-3. It was 6-6 by halftime, thanks to Pung Morton's hat trick. It was 9-9 by three quarter time as Morton potted another pair. There was a 10 minute delay when a fan tossed a bottle onto the floor. A burly cop escorted the troublemaker from the building in no gentle manner. New West grabbed their final lead early in the last period. 35 seconds later George Urquhart tied it. A minute later Morton scored yet again. Then 84 seconds after that Morton's 7th goal made it 12-10. The Double Blues blasted home four more by the eight minute mark. The final was 18-11.

On October 10th the Adanacs again started well. Ali Baba Gus Madsen hit them early, with a goal 98 seconds into the match. Still the westerners kept it tight and only trailed 7-6 by the half. To begin the third quarter, Carl Madsen again and Urquhart scored 30 seconds apart. After that New West was swept away by the Double Blue tide. 15-7 by the end of the period, as St. Catharines eventually doubled them 22-11. Bill Fitzgerald led with five goals. Madsen and Roy Morton each scored four times.

Inspired by the New York Yankees just completed sweep of the Chicago White Soxs, the Athletics looked to finish New Westminster off. Yet Again the Adanacs started out tough to beat. They led 6-4 after thirty minutes and took a 6-5 lead into the fourth quarter. Roly-poly defenceman Roy Barnard tied it after running down the right-hand boards to score. Bob Saunders put the westerners ahead one last time at the 5 minute mark. It was soon level again, then George Hope scored the winner with 5 minutes left. Morton and Barnard added two more, making the final result 10-7. One hundred motor cars followed the Double Blues team bus back to St. Catharines.

On the Junior front, Orillia's Tiny Terriers were poised to repeat as Minto Cup champions. They were just as strong in '38. They had lost a handful of players, including future C.F.L. Commissioner Jake Gaudaur, but their many talented youngsters were a year older and that much better. However there was one player, in his final year of junior, who would spoil Orillia's chances. Mimico's Jack Williams was unstoppable. Much of the Junior Mounts scoring records have been lost, however in two Regular Season meetings Williams twice scored six against Orillia! Imagine what he did against the weaker teams in the league. In the provincial final, the unbeaten Mountaineers easily disposed of the Tiny Terriers. The game scores were 24-4 and 30-8! Big Jack counted seven in the first and eleven in the last. Williams made quite an impression because he ended up with the Senior Terriers for the '39 season.

1939 - THE BEST EVER?

It was a year for rewriting the record book as Bill Isaacs took the game to a new level. He scored 101 goals and 64 assists over a 30 game schedule. His goal mark is the second highest in league history. His assist record lasted until 1950. And his 165 points were not surpassed until 1971. All three records were extraordinary but one should not underestimate the 64 assists. It was an era when statisticians awarded assists begrudgingly. The idea of a team counting two assists for every goal, something Six Nations Chiefs did in two games during the '96 campaign, was unthinkable. Most goals went unassisted and only on rare occasions were two assists given for a goal. To make a point, five years later Bill Brunskill won the scoring title with 67 goals and only 3 assists! Using modern scoring standards, it is not unthinkable to double Isaacs' assist total. Which would make his accomplishment the greatest in O. L. A. history.

It is easy to see why Isaacs racked up the assists, he was on one of the most offensive lines ever put together. Hamilton Tigers Indian Line was awesome. While Isaacs won the scoring title, Bob Jamieson finished second with 84 goals and 37 assists, followed by Scotty Martin with 70 and 40. Martin and Jamieson were the second and third best playmakers in the league, even finishing ahead of passing legend Rusty White! Also on the Indian Line was Jack Squires, who missed the Top Ten by seven points.

The faltering Orillia Terriers began their slide this season. To start the year, four players were lost to suspension. Ted Hall, Vern Steggall, Hugh Kelly and Bill Brunskill all had to sit out ten games because they had played professional lacrosse over the winter in California. Orillia's greatest loss, however, came during the off season. The big guy Jerry Connell passed away that winter. He was honoured at the home opener when a special poem was read in his memory.

With only six teams in the circuit the playoff format was altered. First played third, second met fourth, while fifth took on the Intermediate champion. This bizarre system lasted three years.

There was little to choose between the top four clubs in the league. St. Catharines led (21-8-1) then came Mimico (18-11-1), Orillia (18-12) and Hamilton (18-12). Fergus was a distant fifth and Brampton missed post-season play.

The Indian Line had a short playoff run of only three games. Second place Mimico defeated fourth place Hamilton in the best of three series. Bill Isaacs broke loose with 6 points in the Tigers lone win, however he was held to single goals in both losses.

The high profile first round match-up was between St. Catharines and Orillia. The Terriers went to the Garden City and shocked the Mann Cupholders 15-9. Bill Brunskill scored four times, Ernie Botting three and Don Willson set up four as the Athletics suddenly faced elimination up in Orillia. Their season nearly came to an abrupt end as they narrowly survived an 8-7 nail biter. Deuces from Bill Fitzgerald and Pung Morton, plus three points from Gus Madsen saved the day. Back in St. Catharines, the Double Blues romped to a 15-3 win. Tom 'Tank' Teather fired in a hattrick, Willie Hope and Bill Wilson added four points each, while Madsen chipped in five assists.

Again the A's declined the semi-final bye and took on Fergus in a brief two game series. They crushed the Thistles 22-13. Morton potted seven goals as Rusty White counted seven points in a losing cause. The second game wasn't much closer, 14-9 Double Blues. Hope led all scorers with five points, four goals for Fitzgerald and a hat-trick to Wandy McMahon. Bill England was Fergus' star with three goals.

A Mimico/St. Catharines Final was appropriate. These two squads had placed eleven players among the Top Twenty scorers - eight of them A's. The series commenced on September 15th. Archie Dixon's four goals were not enough in the opener as St.Catharines won 15-9. Mimico came back at the Drummond Bowl to win 10-8. McLean and Gordon Gair both registered hat-tricks. Then the championship defence of Art Brown and his outstanding goaltender Bill Whittaker took over. An 11-2 triumph as Madsen scored four goals, followed by a 9-5 victory with McMahon counting five.

This led St. Catharines west to defend their Mann Cup title. Like the Terriers, two years earlier, they were treated by the B.C. press like invincible titans. "One of the greatest lacrosse teams to come from the east," was the Vancouver Sun's view. New Westminster Adanacs surprised them with a tight 12-10 win. The Double Blues had led most of the way but lost the final quarter 5-2. It was a chippy game with plenty of slashing and a popular penalty box. The Athletics were not happy with the officiating but blamed the long trek west for their fourth quarter fade. They promised that Game Two would be different. It was the toughest, hardest checking game ever seen. The Double Blues had a heavy crew, not afraid of using their weight. The Adanacs had already survived a playoff series against the hated Salmonbellies, plus a seven game final versus Vancouver. They did not wilt under the St. Catharines pressure. Gordy Saunders scored the winning goal with six minutes remaining as New Westminster hung on for a 9-8 win. The Athletics were so dissatisfied with the officiating that they forced the C. L. A. to fly out Ontario referee, and former A, Max Peart. Peart would make the twelve hour flight just for one game. Over 6,000 fans celebrated as the western A's won the third game 15-11. An all B.C. team had actually won the Dominion's Box Lacrosse championship!

Nine teams were set to challenge for the Junior championship, however only six actually competed. In Group One, Brooklin dropped out. Orillia went perfect through 14 games. They did lose playoff games to Brampton and Toronto, still the Tiny Terriers won group honours. In Group Two, neither Hamilton nor Orangeville played a game. Thus the St. Catharines city championship was for the group title. The Shamrocks prevailed.

The provincial final was a homer series. The Shamrocks won twice in the Garden City and Orillia registered one home triumph. The last game was a 10-9 overtime thriller going St. Catharines' way. The next day the championship was awarded to Orillia because several Shamrock players did not have junior cards. It wasn't that they were overage or illegal imports. Simply put, their paperwork hand not been completed to the satisfaction of the O. L. A. The Tiny Terriers went on to represent Ontario and win their second Minto Cup.

1940 - THE END FOR THISTLES AND TERRIERS

This would be the final season of Senior lacrosse in Fergus and Orillia. Both would drop down to Intermediate for some time to come. In the Thistle's case it was understandable. They slipped to the bottom of the league and won only two games during the '40 campaign. The end had been coming for some time. The momentum created by Fergus' Junior championship in 1931 had long passed and the Scotsmen's regulars, like the Bergins and Rusty White, were ageing. In the late thirties Fergus had become a retirement home for old lacrosse players. So many former greats, such as: Toots White, Max McGregor, Hal Wallace and Dunc Littlefair, wrapped up their careers with the Thistles. The death blow fell when an injury sidelined Rusty White for the entire 1940 season. The Scots summer was downhill after that.

The fall of Orillia was more puzzling. In 1940 their record was 16-14 and they made the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. Most importantly, they had the best juniors in the country. Arnold 'Onions' Smith, Marlowe Woods and Merv McKenzie had already joined the club, plus John Hewitt, Tom and Bun White were poised to graduate from the Tiny Terriers after another Minto Cup winning season. Also, Orillia continued to attract out of town talent with the likes of Bill Brunskill and Bucko MacDonald in the line-up. Unfortunately support for the team had fallen off, partly due to the war and partly due to the fans being spoiled by too much success too soon. Even the press coverage, still very good, was not as intense. The idea may have been to take refuge in Intermediate until the war passed. In fact Orillia returned to senior in 1946, with disasterous consequences. By that time all the local talent had bolted to other clubs and none came rushing home. Thus ended Orillia's days at the top of lacrosse. For the next half century the town would be regarded as a 'B' centre.

At the other end was St. Catharines. The Athletics were better than ever. They comfortably finished first, while Hamilton, Orillia, Mimico and Brampton were all bunched together, well back. The Double Blues then ended the Terriers' Senior career with a two game sweep. Orillia had been without Bucko MacDonald, injured for the year. He was the last of many casualties which began with Bill Brunskill being out for six games, Ernie Curran missing five games and Bill Allum three weeks. In mid season, the Terriers had to bring in Huntsville blond bombshell, George Snowden. The oddest moment in the playoff match-up came courtesy of that great showman Bill Whitaker. In Orillia, the hostile Terrier fans so displeased the net-minder that he delayed the game as only Whitaker could. He sat down in his crease, took off his shoe, then began to massage his foot!

The surprise of the year was Brampton. The Excelsiors finished with a 15-15 record, eleven wins better than the previous summer, then went on a playoff run which took them to the Final. They were led by the four Thompsons: longhaired Moe, Mush, Barney and Fish. In the best of three semi-final they upset Mimico, despite blowing the opening game. They led the Mountaineers 9-7 with five minutes remaining but surrendered 4 unanswered goals to lose it. At the Rose Bowl they took a convincing 11-3 decision. That set the stage for a thrilling one goal finale. Toronto Star writer Andy Lytle caught the third game in poetry:

The glue of gloom was falling fast

As through a Mimico village passed, tall youths

Who bore'mid cries and strife

A banner with the odd device

EXCELSIOR!

"Oh stay" the savage maiden twit

And let us clip thee with our mit"

No tears bedimmed the reddened eyes

As they all answered with no sighs

GET BRAMPTONIZED!

In english that all meant a dramatic 6-5 Excelsior win. Brampton led 4-3 at the half, then lost Bill Anthony in the third quarter. Anthony was checked from behind in the goal mouth and forced to retire for the night. Big Fred Hatton extended the visitors' lead to 5-3. Gordon Gair then outwitted goaltender Arthurs to draw Mimico close. That was followed by a Tony Worsencroft power play goal to tie it. In the last quarter Chuck Davidson brought the Mountie fans to their feet with a goal which was disallowed by referee Max Peart. Gair set the stage for Mooney Gibson's winner by taking a penalty. The Brampton veteran broke the tie with a tricky side shot which fooled goaltender Ray Mortimer. The Excelsior defence spent the final 9 minutes checking Mimico's offence to the ground.

The final series started with a huge 18-5 St. Catharines win. Ted 'Ginger' Hall lasted only three quarters before being chased from the Brampton goal. Once again Columnist Lytle waxed poetic:

These are the saddest of possible words:

"McMahon to Morton to Fitz"

Trio of snipers fitter than birds

McMahon and Morton and Fitz

Ruthlessly pricking our tiny bubble

Running our boys into fuddle-duddle

Names they are heavy with nothing but trouble

McMahon to Morton to Fitz

Over 3,000 fans crowded into Maple Leaf Gardens for the second encounter. Ted Hall played with an injured thumb. Joe Cheevers struck 15 seconds in and it looked like the Double Blues would once again go through the Brampton big boys they Germany had marched through Poland. A goal and assist from Don Arthurs settled the Excelsiors down. Yet they still struggled to cope with the A's speed. St. Catharines dominated loose balls and built up leads of 7-4 and 9-6. Brampton rallied with two late goals and Mooney Gibson just missed tying it at the end. $99.88 was raised for the Red Cross.

The third contest was a 25-10 rout. Normally three consecutive wins would have clinched the championship but this year the O. L. A. had decided on a best of seven final. So the Double Blues made the trek to the Rose Bowl for an ugly fourth game.

Brampton won 18-11 in a game described as lacrosse in slow motion - best enjoyed reading a book or snoozing on a girlfriend's shoulder. There were a half dozen significant scuffles to slow proceedings further. At one point a rotten tomato was thrown from the stands. On another occasion George Coles claimed to have been bitten. If all that wasn't bad enough, a section of seating gave way with a loud crash, dropping the spectators seven feet below. Fortunately all were unhurt. Fine work by Ginger Hall won it for the home team. His rival Bill Whitaker was beaten easily.

It was a much faster fifth game. Too fast for the Bramptonites. St. Catharines clinched the title with a resounding 22-3 victory. Pung Morton had six goals as a dozen different players scored for the Double Blues.

The Mann Cup final commenced October 7th. The Vancouver Burrards hit Toronto and the Blue Bombers were ready to challenge for their first Dominion championship. Blue Bombers? "Where are the Blue Bombers?" the crowd of 5,125 wondered throughout the opening game. The A's led 9-8 at three quarter time and looked poised to turn it up and win going away. Then the Blue Bombers arrived! Four goals in 3 1/2 minutes. John Cavallin, Bo Bradford, Bill Dickinson and John Dale started the final frame off in style. It was the Burrards who turned it up and won going away. Six unanswered goals for a 14-8 triumph.

Next came the Battle of the Sweaters. The team colours of Vancouver and St. Catharines were very similar. The A's had been forced to wear Toronto Maple Leaf white jerseys for the opening contest. Their conclusion following the loss was simple: "They jinxed us! We won't wear 'em again!" "You will," replied the C. L. A. triumvirate of McConaghy, Dopp and Kelley, "or else!" The threat of default did not impress the St. Catharines management. Jim McConaghy's bluff called he went to the Burrards and Vancouver pulled their club off the floor to don those dreaded white sweaters. The A's agreed to wear white Friday and toss after that.

The match began fifteen minutes late. For Double Blue supporters it was worth the wait. They humbled the western champs 15-5. Did the uniforms really make that much of a difference? On this night the real difference was Bill Fitzgerald's six goals. Twenty-nine years after his father had led Vancouver in scoring and helped them win their only Minto Cup, Bill Jr. turned the tables in a Mann Cup against Vancouver. As Andy Lytle saw him, "the thin wispy fellow, runs stoop shouldered as his father did and looks as though a light breeze would whiff him away. He sneaks along the side, gets a quick pass then breaks like a startled deer." The Burrards were unable to stop him.

The largest crowd of 6,922 witnessed the Friday night contest. They saw the Blue Bombers defused. Vancouver was listless, without fire, venom or organized attack. Their defence wasn't much better. Twice Jack McMahon, while ragging the ball, beat tree defenders to score. St. Catharines rolled to a 17-10 win. Only great goaltending from Walt Lee avoided a more onesided score. But it was an ugly game. The Montreal referees called 23 penalties. To be more precise, Langevin handed out 21, often for the most minor of infractions. His partner Mullins appeared to be on vacation.

The fourth match was held Monday, October 14th. Another crowd of over 6,000 witnessed another easy A's win. Bill Wilson set up a Fitzgerald break away 44 seconds into the contest and it was 1-0. A minute later, Fitz waltzed in alone again for a second goal. From that point on St. Catharines proceeded to embarrass the Blue Bombers 18-5.

1941 - UGLY A'S WIN OUT WEST

St. Catharines extended its dynasty in Ontario, plus repeated as Mann Cup Champions, however it wasn't pretty. They made a fine start to the season by defeating Hamilton Tigers 9-6 on May 30th. For the next month they would struggle on the floor and behind the scenes. The bickering which went on between them and Hamilton was most important of all. The disagreement was over St. Catharines native Doug Cove. Cove played for the Tigers in 1940. Now he wanted to return home and join the Double Blues. The league eventually ruled in favour of Hamilton, sparking a very embarrassing boycott. On July 2nd St. Catharines quit the league. For two weeks they would hold to their position, thus defaulting six games. Finally a compromise was reached to bring the Athletics back. By a 10 to 2 vote the O. L. A. decided to forgive St. Catharines and even to allow them to reply the six defaulted matches. Yet Doug Cove remained Tiger property (he would play 7 games) thus the protest had accomplished nothing.

With such turmoil, the defending champions failed to finish first. Mimico ran away with the regular season pennant and finished with a 19-5 record. The other teams were all well back: St. Catharines (14-10), Hamilton (13-11), Brampton (9-14) and Etobicoke (4-19). Bill Isaacs won yet another scoring title with 41 goals and 77 points. He narrowly edged Roy Morton, though Morton led the league with 47 goals. Rookie sensation Jack Gair placed third on the last place Etobicoke Indians.

He ended up with Etobicoke and slipped through Mimico's fingers, something the Mountaineers would soon regret. Still Mimico was well supplied with talent. They had picked up former Terriers Merv McKenzie, John Hewitt and Bill Brunskill. That trio accounted for nearly a third of their offensive output. Plus the Mountaineers had plenty of young talent from the '38 Mimico Junior team, namely: Archie Dixon, Scoop Hayes, George Masters and Jack Williams. Hamilton added Arnold Smith and Red Storey. Brampton settled for Fergus star Rusty White. Etobicoke had 3 out of the 4 Gairs, plus famed Toronto Argonaut Anis Stukus.

First met third in the playoffs, to the eternal regret of the Mounties. The team poised to end St. Catharines' dominance were unceremoniously dispatched by the second week of September. Hamilton took the series opener 7-5 as Isaacs and Bob Goldham both scored a pair. Mimico's only playoff win was a convincing 13-4 decision. Jack Williams broke loose with four goals. He did not score in any of the three losses. Two more close wins fell the Tigers' way. The scores were: 11-9 and 9-8. Isaacs and Smith led in Game 3, while Norm Worthy produced five timely goals in the finale.

Meanwhile the Mann Cup holders found their championship form against Brampton. Three straight wins as net-minder Bill Whitaker dominated. The first result was 12-5, Jack McMahon popped in three goals and Bill Wilson added four points. Next was a 9-5 win, with hat-tricks to Morton and Wilson. Finally a 9-6 victory as McMahon, Bill Fitzgerald and Joe Cheevers each scored three points. The Excelsiors lone star was Moe Thompson. He scored twice in each game.

The Double Blues next steamrolled over Hamilton in one week. They defeated them 9-5 in the initial contest. Fitzgerald scored four times. This was followed by a 13-8 blasting. Two way star Carl Madsen led with four points. Isaacs was held to three points. Game Three was a closer 8-6 decision. Another four goal game for Fitzgerald, supported by Morton's five point effort. Bill Isaacs finally came to life the next match. He scored two times and added a pair of assists. Hamilton still lost 11-9. Hat-tricks from the unstoppable Fitzgerald and Tom Teather ended the Tigers season.

Seven consecutive victories, yet the A's were still not O. L. A. champs. Last place Etobicoke had been playing the Intermediate champions from Owen Sound and defeated the Georgians 4 games to 3. This put them into the League Final. Talk about an easy playoff route!

The Indians hit the defending champions hard in the best of three final. Jack Gair and Grant Gillespie both scored a trio as they pushed the Athletics at home. St. Catharines narrowly escaped with a 12-9 win. Bill Fitzgerald was still on a roll with another hat-trick. Curly haired Frank Madsen contributed five points and Roy Morton chipped in three assists. The Double Blues winning streak was snapped in Game Two. 9-7 Etobicoke as Jack Gair scored four times and Lloyd Gair added three. Fitzgerald again led the A's offence but he was held to a pair.

Suddenly the defending champions found themselves in a deciding third game of the series and facing elimination. They produced their best lacrosse and a 14-8 victory. Jack Gair was stumped by Bill Whitaker and managed only one assist. Gillespie registered a hat-trick and Bill Harrison scored a pair, however that wasn't nearly enough. Morton's seven point effort led St. Catharines. He and George Coles each scored five goals. The Ali Baba, Carl Madsen, contributed six points as well. With the beginning of October came Mann Cup play. The Athletics travelled to Lachine, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, to face the St. Regis-Caughnawaga Indians.

In the first game they routed the easterners 18-5. Jack McMahon counted 5 goals and 6 assists, while Bill Wilson added 7 and 3. After a days rest, The Double Blues were victorious again. A sad affair which ended with one minute remaining in the third quarter. St. Catharines led 14-0 at the time and that would be the official result. A Mann Cup shutout for Bill Whitaker! The incident which ended the contest prematurely, involved Indian captain Angus Thomas. He objected to a penalty call against his side and went after referee Leo Murray. He struck Murray on the chin, knocking him out and giving him a 4 inch gash. Thomas was arrested. The Indians left in protest, which ended their pathetic bid for the Dominion championship.

The final began on the west coast a week later. It was a weird series. Richmond Farmers represented British Columbia. They had dominated I.C.L.L. play with the best offence, best defence and 24 wins against only 4 losses. Richmond was situated directly south-east of Vancouver and a short distance west of New Westminster (not walking distance, I know!). It didn't really matter which town was closer because in a series against any Ontario squad the Farmers would have home advantage. Yet there would prove to be a major difference between the Vancouver Forum and New Westminster's Queens Park Arena. St. Catharines would win every game played in Vancouver and lose every one played in New Westminster. Queens Park was the smaller venue, however both arenas were sold out the entire series. It was just one of those things. The A's settled into their home away from home and took the series opener in front of 8,600 fans. It was a clean game with St. Catharines receiving 18 minutes in penalties to Richmond's 15. The Double Blues led 7-5 after three quarters but were stiffly challenged in the last period. The Farmers won it 4-3, however fell short by a 10-9 count. Defenceman Art Noble had a controversial goal disallowed midway through the session for a crease violation.

Over the long weekend the visitors obviously indulged themselves with too much food. They rolled into Queens Park for the Monday night encounter like a stuffed turkey heading to the slaughterhouse. Richmond devoured them as any good farm boy would clean his plate at the family dinner. Coach Eddie Gilmore put out a call for help and added three players fresh from their RCAF duties. The match was a level 4-4 in the second quarter when Richmond went on a 14 goal run, including 10 third quarter goals. Penalties were a big problem for St. Catharines as they ended up being thumped 21-10. John Smith added five goals for the winners as Joe Cheevers answered with four for the losers.

Back in Vancouver Wednesday night the Athletics avoided the rough tactics. Bill Whitaker was unbeatable early as they took the opening period 5-0. Bill Fitzgerald scored a pair. By halftime it was 9-1 as Cheevers potted a couple of second quarter goals. The Double Blues went on to take the game 17-9.

Friday night a New Westminster crowd of 4,000 watched Richmond prolong the series. They struck fast with two goals in the first 30 seconds. The Farmers took the period 3-1, then extended their lead to 10-3 by the half. At 14-6 in the last quarter they were well on their way to winning when the defending champs made a late rally. St. Catharines scored three times in 5 minutes. They also added two more before the final bell. A more respectable looking 14-11 loss, as the series headed to a fifth and deciding game.

Only the second Mann Cup final to go to a fifth contest and the Vancouver audience was in for a treat. After resting on the weekend, the Athletics were at their best defensively. They'd need to be as they would have to deal with a remarkably bad break in the middle of this crucial game.

Bill Whitaker took a shot to the head which temporarily knocked him out of the game. St. Catharines had no back-up goaltender with them! Coach Art Brown desperately looked up and down his bench for a solution. How Joe Cheevers got the job is a matter of debate. One version had him calling for some water and caught with his hand in the air at the wrong time. Another version had the players drawing straws and Cheevers losing. Perhaps he just wanted more floor time? Regardless of the reason, the St. Catharines sniper took his position between the pipes, despite never having played goal in his life!

Well it might as well have been his son Gerry in a Boston Bruins uniform 30 years later. Thanks to great Double Blue defensive work and lots of ragging Cheevers pitched a 12 minute shutout. By then Whitaker had recovered sufficiently to return to the game and the A's had beaten all the odds and survived. What saved them was the fact that they played in front the entire game. A 2-1 first quarter lead was increased to 5-1 by the 30 minute mark and 7-2 heading into the fourth period.

Thanks to St. Catharines penalties, Richmond shooters finally solved Whitaker and reduced the lead to 7-5 and 8-6. That was the closest they would get. Two more Athletic goals iced it. 11-9 was the final score.

The '41 Mann Cup marked the first time a series MVP was chosen. The Mike Kelly Award made its debut with a curious choice, a member of the losing team won it. Clayton Black took the award thanks, in part, to a 6 goal, 7 assist effort in the series. His teammate John Smith scored 13 goals and defenceman Art Noble 14! On the Double Blue side: on top of his goaltending heroics, Joe Cheevers scored 10 goals and 15 points in the series. Not good enough!

The Mann Cup was returning east, however the Mike Kelly Award would remain in the west. This was Bill Wilson's final Mann Cup appearance. He contributed 7 goals and 3 assists. For the veteran it was his 7th Mann Cup win. He had also won while playing for Hamilton, Orillia and New Westminster. Was it a case of the player picking the right team or the team picking the right player? I suspect the latter. Wilson was leading scorer in two finals, '37 and '40, plus Orillia's top point-getter in 1934. He played in 8 Mann Cup Finals, 28 games, and scored 60 goals and 29 assists. In all Mann Cup games he played 40 and scored a still untouched total of 90 goals. His 131 points is second best all time.

1942 - BRAMPTON AND MIMICO GANG UP ON ST.CATHARINES

The Athletics four year run as champions finally came to an end. It took a combined effort by the Excelsiors and Mountaineers to dislodge St. Catharines from top spot. With the war raging and less players available the Mimico-Brampton Combines were formed. They finished the regular season in first place, with an undaunting 13-9-2 record. It was the most competitive Senior League ever. The defending champs placed a close second (13-10-1). Intermediate champs Owen Sound made the jump to Senior and finished third (11-10-1). Hamilton grabbed the last playoff spot at 10-12. Etobicoke Indians were a distant fifth.

A record setting year for Bill Isaacs. The Hamilton sniper won his fifth consecutive scoring title and his sixth career. Two records which would last over fifty years. It was a close call in '42. Jack Gair tied Isaacs with 83 points but trailed in goals 52-37. Newcomer Ken Dixon was only 5 points behind and led the league with 60 goals. This was his first of many appearances in the Top Ten. Rusty White made his final appearance. The former Thistle led Owen Sound with 68 points to grab fourth spot.

Both Semi Final series were over three straight, as the Combines and Double Blues prepared for the big showdown. St. Catharines hosted Games 1, 3 and 5. Mimico Games 2 and 6. Brampton Game 4. The seventh contest was scheduled for Maple Leaf Gardens, a neutral site as stipulated by O. L. A. rules.

Bert Large had come out of retirement for the playoffs and he replaced Pete Anthony as the Combines #1 goalie. Bill Wilson led the titleholders and entered the final with an extra feather in his cap. He had been named Niagara Peninsula Athlete of the year. In Game 1 Large held St. Catharines to 6 goals as his team took the opener 10-6. A tighter contest followed at the lakeshore. It was deadlocked 5-5 at halftime. Then Mush Thompson cut down Vern Whitely. The A's power play went to work as Roy Morton and Bill Mackie scored. The visitors never looked back as they romped to an 11-6 victory. Back in the Garden City on a Friday night, referee Bucko MacDonald was given a hard time by the fans. He had to dodge programs, pieces of sandwiches, even vegetables! They finally got him in the third quarter when a fan's fist gave him a black eye. The Combines played from behind much of the night until a string of five goals brought them into contention. Williams, Dixon, Dixon, Hayes and Masters as the visitors closed to 9-8 after 45 minutes. In the final period the Mann Cup Holders jumped ahead 12-8, then hung on for the 13-11 win. After taking the weekend off the series resumed in the Rose Bowl. Mimico-Brampton roared to a 16-7 romp. Both Dixons, Ken and Archie, plus George Masters blitzed the A's early. It was 8-2 by halftime and never in doubt. There was more controversy back in St. Catharines. The scheduled referee from Orillia couldn't make the match because of the fuel shortage. Max Peart was on hand, however the Combines refused to let the former Athletic call the game. The visitors were already at a disadvantage because Archie Dixon and Jack Williams had to miss the contest due to military service. Most of the night was a constant parade to Large's doorstep. The defending champs led 8-3 after three quarters and 11-3 in the fourth. Ross Gimblett sparked a late Combine rally. They still lost 12-8.

Mimico-Brampton returned to Drummond Bowl on Friday night down 3-2 and facing elimination. They responded by playing like champions. They began with 8 goals in 8 minutes, chasing Bill Whitaker from the net for youngster Doug Favell. The goaltending switch made no difference. The home team recorded a stunning 30-8 victory! The most goals ever scored in the League Final. The Double Blues had only two off days to recover. George Coles returned from a back injury and coach Art Brown was behind the bench for the first time in the series. Over 5,000 fans came to see if the Athletic dynasty would be extended. It looked very possible for most of the evening. A tight game entered the latter stages with St. Catharines holding a 7-6 lead. Then the tide turned. Ken Dixon won a draw and beat Whittaker with a 20-footer. Gimblett next scored on consecutive breakaways to put the Combines in the lead. Three goals in less than one minute. The soon to be former champions had no reply. Two more late goals made the final 11-7.

This was the year Mann Cup rules were changed. In Junior, all star teams were formed around the league champions but Senior Lacrosse had always maintained a true club championship. That changed in 1942 as the league winners were allowed to pick up three outsiders. The Combines added Carl "Ali Baba Gus" Madsen, the great two way player from St. Catharines, Arnold "Onions" Smith and Bill Isaacs from Hamilton. Only Madsen would appear in all four Mann Cup games.

Travelling from the west were the Inter City League champion New Westminster Salmonbellies. After winning their league title the Bellies had defeated Victoria United Services, then a team from Lachine, Quebec. They were led by scoring champion Bill Wilkes and picked up John Douglas.

The series commenced in front of 5,000 spectators on October 7th. It was a deliberately played opener, with spectacular goaltending from Bert Large and Bill Scuby. The contest went to the fourth quarter tied 7-7. An Ed Downey slashing penalty was the turning point. George Masters scored on the power play. The eastern champs next added another man advantage goal, then went on to win 10-7.

Game 2 featured great work from Masters and Al 'Flash' McLean. The pair stole the show, roaring up and down the floor like a pair of baby jeeps. Ken Dixon also got into the act. His Syl Apps like rushes continually brought the crowd to its feet. And the Ali Baba, Gus Madsen, entertained with fancy moves on defence and attack. 19 year old Bill Scuby was once again superb. He held the Combines to a pair of first quarter goals. Still the home side kept coming and dominated the middle two quarters. They didn't let up until the last 15 minutes as they took home a 15-9 victory.

The Salmonbellies now needed to win three straight if they were to become the first western team to win the Mann Cup in Ontario. Mimico-Brampton started a rusty Pete Anthony in this one and soon regretted it. Three shots and three goals as the Belly snipers had the little guys' number. Bill Tyler had arrived over the weekend and he scored in 71 seconds. By the 15 minute mark it was 6-3 New West. They went on to a convincing 14-8 triumph. John Douglas and Art Pruden both counted hat-tricks. The Dixon brothers scored 7 of the Combines' goals. Ken had three, while Archie potted four, his only goals of the entire series!

The last game of the series would be the best. The westerners were looking very dangerous. They were leading 7-6 after three quarter time and bounced in a couple of more to begin the final session. But 35-year-old Bert Large was having his best game of the series and would surrender no more goals. Bill 'Whoopie' Arthurs began the comeback by dashing the length of the floor to score. Carl Madsen next set up Ross Gimblett to close the gap to 9-8. Then a controversial call against New Westminster. Referees Max Peart and Hal Wallace had been fair much of the night. Salmonbellies would take the majority of penalties by a 10-7 count. But it was one call in particular which infuriated them. With 4 1/2 minutes left Ed Downey was sent to the box. Gus Madsen went down groaning and drew the two minutes. Asked after the game, Downey's response was: "You don't mind losing but you hate to see it decided on a cheap penalty. You've got to hand it to Madsen though, he really staged a good act." The Ali Baba followed his Academy Award performance by scoring on the ensuing free throw. 9-9 and the westerners desperately trying to stay alive. Madsen also sparked the winning goal. He hit Bill Isaacs with a long pass and Isaacs slipped the ball to George Masters. Masters' underhand drive beat Scuby. 10-9 Combines.

1943 - COMBINES SECOND AND FINAL YEAR

Mimico-Brampton suffered a couple of off season losses as Ken Dixon and Don McPhail joined the Army. No problem. The defending champs simply added Bill Isaacs. The Six Nations' star had been made homeless when Hamilton folded operations. The Combines played out of Mimico, while the Army Bullets became the Brampton team. The Bullets also added Jack McMahon from St. Catharines along with two youngsters Bob Thorpe and Jim McMahon. Other players the Army team attracted were: Bun White (Huntsville). Tom White (Orillia). Shine Bovin (Oshawa) and Don Campbell (Etobicoke).

It was a four team league with the regular season championship going to the Cup holders. The Combines placed first with a 17-7 mark. They also had the best defence, surrendering 268 goals. St. Catharines followed closely with a 14-10 record. Next came the Army at 13-11. They had the highest scoring unit averaging 15 goals per game. Bringing up the rear was Toronto Lakeshore with only 4 wins.

Ken Dixon was a big reason why the Bullets had such a high powered offence. He ran away with top scoring honours thanks to 67 goals and 108 points. Bun White also chipped in 65 tallies, plus Don Campbell and Jack McMahon made the top ten as well. The Combines had also acquired Bill Brunskill. He tied Dixon with 67 goals but only counted 17 assists.

St. Catharines had hopes of regaining their O. L. A. crown but those hopes were dashed quickly. They had the luxury of drawing fourth-place Toronto, the trouble was that they couldn't beat the Lakeshores! On September 9th, Toronto started the best of three semi final with a 7-5 win. Gordon Gair scored a hat-trick and Yorky Jordan added a pair. Jordan had not played during the regular season. Bucko MacDonald and Ernie Curran also scored, while Frank Bain picked up an assist. All three were appearing in their second games of the season. That's a quartet of ex-Terriers who all knew how to win. They won again two nights later, a 12-1 Toronto victory. Tom Love scored 4 times, Joe Murphy added 5 assists and two more former Orillia players Vern Steggall and Fred Smith added single goals. Red Hartley's shutout was broken by a trio of Madsens - Madsen from Madsen and Madsen. To be exact: Carl from Frank and Tom. The Athletics' final goal of the year.

The defending champs also won their first round series two straight. The second triumph needed double overtime. Combines broke loose in the second extra period to win 20-12. That ended the Army Bullets one and only campaign.

In the final the Lakeshores would equal their regular season win total by taking their third and fourth playoff victories. They started with a disastrous 20-7 loss. A pair of wins by 11-5 and 11-9 scores had them tied 2 games each. In the latter triumph, Toronto was without Bain, Curran and MacDonald. Led by Isaacs and Brunskill, Mimico-Brampton finished strongest. They doubled Toronto 14-7, then concluded the series with an 25-8 rout! Isaacs led all playoff scorers with 15 goals and 30 points. Brunskill's 17 goals were also best.

Maple Leaf Gardens was the site of the Eastern Canadian Championship. A two-game total-goals series. The Combines added Ken Dixon and Norm Worthy from St. Catharines. Due to war service, they went into the series without Bill Arthurs, Sid Prosser and Moe Thompson. The first game was on October 2nd and the defending champs blasted Lachine RCAF 20-6. Dixon led with 6 goals and 8 points. Brunskill scored 4 times, with hat-tricks to Isaacs and Worthy. With a 14 goal advantage the second contest was virtually meaningless. Mimico-Brampton won again, a much more competitive 15-13 result. Bert Large replaced Fred Harrison in goal. Jack Graham and Jim Mulliss sat out for the game. Isaacs led with 6 points as Worthy added 5. Brunskill and Lachine's Pat Egan were top goal-getters with 4 each.

The Mann Cup Final commenced in New Westminster on Saturday, October 9th. The hero of the previous Mann Cup Bert Large got the start in goal. This in spite of the fact that Fred Harrison had been the starter all year long. Large dueled with Ed Johnstone in a defensive first half. He turned aside 13 of 16 shots before being knocked out of the series in the second quarter with a severely twisted knee. Fred Harrison returned to goal and was the star of game one. The Salmonbellies outshot the Combines 50-33 but that wasn't good enough. The Cup holders trailed 3-2 at the half then scored 6 times in the third quarter to turn the match around. They held on for a 10-9 victory.

The holiday weekend ended with a Monday night contest. The Fishmen would even the series by winning a game with suffocating defence. There were a grand total of only 38 shots on the night. Johnstone barely worked up a sweat as he was tested only 14 times. Combines beat him twice early to win the opening quarter. New Westminster exploded with a 5 goal second to take charge. The Combine siege guns of Isaacs, Dixon and Brunskill were checked into the floor. Salmonbellies went on to double the easterners 10-5.

After that the complexion of the final changed. It began in the second quarter of the third game and doomed the defending champs. Mimico-Brampton won the opening fifteen minutes 3-2. Then New Westminster threw caution to the wind. They hit the floor on the fly and turned on their offence. They moved the ball around like a phoney quarter on the attack and the Combines couldn't keep up. The home side were ahead 9-7 by halftime and extended their lead to 13-7. The titleholders managed only one shot on goal in the third quarter! Their drawers were really dragging! New Westminster went on to claim a 17-9 win. Jim Douglas had recovered from the flu and played for the first time in the series, scoring twice. Five others also counted a deuce, while Arnold Ferguson led with a trio. Dixon and Isaacs managed hat-tricks for the losers.

The final match on the second Saturday was the exact opposite of the opener. Both goaltenders were outclassed. Ed Johnstone was pulled early after being beaten four times on five shots. Walt Lee settled matters and surrendered only three more the rest of the way. Again the Salmonbellies were too good. They put 22 shots past Harrison to conclude the series in convincing fashion. Bill Wilkes led with five markers and Douglas added three more. Brunskill scored three times for the Combines. This marked the end of the Mimico-Brampton arrangement.

1944 - A MOST CONTENTIOUS MANN CUP

Both the Mountaineers and Excelsiors returned to the league. Burlington Braves also joined, from Intermediate, giving the circuit five teams. It was not a happy year for the bay area newcomers. They won only twice in sixteen games to finish last. Player/Coach Bill Isaacs resigned by mid July and was replaced by Jerry Johnson. Isaacs missed numerous games and failed to make the top ten scorers.

With the split of the Combines, Bill Brunskill went to Brampton and won the scoring championship. Harry Graham was another Excelsior top ten scorer. Mimico grabbed Scoop Hayes, the league's top playmaker, and George Masters, tenth in scoring. The Mountaineers also picked up Ken Dixon but he did not play enough to defend his scoring title. Toronto's Gordon Gair and St. Catharines' Roy Morton were the only two to challenge Brunskill. Both veterans fell 11 points short.

The Athletics returned to the top of the league with 12 wins, one more than Toronto Lakeshores. Brampton won 8 times and Mimico only 5. The Excelsiors should have faced the Double Blues in the Semi Final but they quit the league before the end of the season. Burlington replaced them. A poor replacement as St. Catharines crushed them by scores of 23-10, 17-9 and 33-10. Roy Morton and Doug Cove scored five goals each in the first game, then Morton missed the next two routs. Bob Thorpe played his first game of the season in the finale and scored four goals and eight points. The A's also got four goal efforts from Norm McDonald and Carl Madsen. The other series was an upset. Mimico bounced Toronto from the post-season in four games. The Mounties took the last contest 13-5 as George Masters scored six times.

That September Lieutenant Cecil Jackson was killed during frontline duty in Italy. The former Thistle and Tiger had enlisted as a private in 1941, then gone overseas the next year.

Before the Final could take place, Brampton popped up again. They decided they wanted back into competition and they were allowed back after they had paid a $100 fine. St. Catharines were given the option of a bye, which they declined. Thus Mimico went straight to the Final as the A's and Excelsiors met in a best of seven series.

St. Catharines had to get by without their captain Carl Madsen. Ali Baba Gus had pulled ligaments in his right knee and was lost for the season. Actually the injury would mark the end of his great career.

The series commenced on September 14th and the Double Blues routed rusty Brampton 22-13. Frank Madsen scored five times, while Bob Thorpe and Doug Cove added four each. Bill Brunskill wasn't rusty. He scored five times in a losing cause. The next match was a 19-12 win for the A's. Five more goals for Cove and Norm McDonald chipped in with four. Bill Arthurs counted four markers for Brampton. The Excelsiors did get back into the series with an upset 15-11 victory. Four goals each from Brunskill and Tubby Scherzel. By the fourth game both offences looked tired. That plus rain from the second quarter on made for a sloppy contest. The Athletics doubled the Excelsiors 6-3. Bill Mackie and Arthurs were the only multiple goal scorers with a pair each. The last match was the fifth in nine days. Brampton faded away early as St. Catharines bombed them 26-10. Bill 'Ham' Nelson led with three goals and eight points. Five goal scorers included: McDonald, Thorpe and Morton. Bill Brunskill produced one last hat-trick, as did Tom White.

Mimico hit the floor after a fortnight's layoff and managed to beat Bill Whitaker only three times. St. Catharines won 11-3. Both Norm McDonald and Frank Madsen continued to play the best lacrosse of their careers. They had three goals each. In Mimico, the Mounties got on track with a 13-9 triumph. A seven goal, nine point effort from George Masters! The Double Blues passing must have been off that night because they scored nine unassisted goals. The underdogs took the third match 7-6 as Masters poured in four more. Scoop Hayes was also strong with a goal and three assists. Both Madsen and McDonald had three points in the following 10-6 win. Ham Nelson also contributed a hat-trick. Matters had reached a crisis for the Mountaineers. Coach Jack McDonald had not played competitively since the mid thirties, yet he donned his pads for the fifth contest and set up a goal. Mimico scored 10 times in the game as Ken Dixon finally broke loose with a trio. Dixon had missed the opening three matches and only scored a single tally his first game back. Al Doyle also produced a five point effort. It wasn't enough. St. Catharines scored 16 times to take a 3-2 series lead. Scoring was very balanced, however Bill Mackie's four markers and Roy Morton's triple loomed large. The sixth and final game was the tightest of them all. Coach McDonald has a pair to lead Mimico as they kept it close until the end. Bill Nelson's third marker with 14 minutes left gave the A's a two goal cushion. Ken Dixon got it back with 3 minutes remaining but that was as close as the Mounties got. St. Catharines held on for a 9-8 victory and the O. L. A. championship.

The Salmonbellies were Toronto bound. They confirmed their supremacy of western Canada by crushing Winnipeg 20-4. The team stayed at the Queen City's most luxurious hotel, the Royal York. They bunked four or five to a room. Heady days for the C. L. A. to give their BC champs the best. Andy Paull remembered the North Shore Indians Toronto stay in 1936. He had to duck hotel officials while sending collect wires west. This after the Indians had travelled across Canada living off of dried salmon and nothing else! Dan McKenzie came to the rescue by providing $1000 out of his own pocket. Since then CLA fortunes had improved greatly. McKenzie was even paid back the money owed.

Both teams were allowed to pick up six players. New Westminster took advantage by adding such talent as Richmond's 50-goal scorer Roy Pinder and from Vancouver John Cavallin, John Dale, Harry Buchanan and goaltender Walt Lee. St. Catharines declined to begin the series with any imports. Their list of six included: Al Doyle, Scoop Hayes, George Masters and Al McLean from Mimico, plus Joe Murphy from Lakeshores and Bill Arthurs from Brampton. The A's announced that none would see action unless the Salmonbellies were too strong.

Game One took place on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving long weekend. The Double Blues dominated the loose balls and waltzed to an easy 17-10 victory. The Monday night game started out the same way. After the opening quarter the tide turned. New Westminster took control as they owned 90% of the loose balls. Led by pint size firebrand Ike Hildebrand, playmaker Pete Meehan and goalie Walt Lee they won the contest 13-4. With no rest (a Mann Cup first) the squads did battle Tuesday evening in the best game of the series. It wasn't decided until Doug Cove scored with 20 seconds left. 11-10 St. Catharines.

Then the off floor antics commenced. Game Four of the series was scheduled for St. Catharines. The C. L. A. were glad of it as the Maple Leaf Gardens crowds had been as small as rental cost of the arena had been large. They were losing money and happy to get out of town. Unluckily they had made a pre-series oversight. They had neglected to inform the Salmonbellies that St. Catharines had an outdoor bowl with a dirt floor. Fishman coach Jack Wood refused to make the trip. He pointed to the constitution which clearly stated that the Final must be played indoors. A committee of five arranged to meet with the Salmonbelly executives Wednesday - for an arm twisting session. New Westminster stood firm to their position. The Athletics likewise got their backs up and insisted the game be played as scheduled on Thursday night. By Thursday all of Ontario had turned against the Salmonbellies, who were seen to be trying to twist the C. L. A. around their finger, as they had always done. Mimico Mountaineers offered blankets for the New West players to wrap their jewels in if it was a cold night. The blankets were not needed as the game was cancelled. Friday morning St. Catharines notified C. L. A. President E. E. Barnes that they would play Game Four Saturday night in Toronto. The Double Blues were only upset by Wood's comment that St. Catharines fans threw pebbles or rocks at opposition goaltenders. Game Five was scheduled for Monday in Hamilton.

The fourth match went to overtime. Tied at 8-8, the Fishmen took charge in the ten minute fifth period to win 11-8. Goals by Bill Dickinson, John Cavallin and Pete Meehan starved off elimination. Lacrosse septuagenarian Fred Waghorne described it as the best lacrosse he'd seen in years. Bill Wilkes was the game's lone casualty. He took a ball in the eye, forcing him to see a specialist the next day. He was not cleared to play in the deciding contest.

After two great games, the stage was set for a terrific finale. Sure enough, controversy again marred proceedings. St. Catharines was given permission to bring in some of their extra players for the last game. To go one step further, George Masters was away on naval duty, thus the A's were allowed to replace him with Bill Isaacs. This decision was made despite the rule book stating clearly that a list of players had to be submitted before the start of the series and no other players were eligible to be picked up. Money was the motivator behind this incorrect ruling. The four games to date had attracted a disastrously low 14,000 fans. The final match was to be played in Hamilton and what better way to secure a big crowd then to allow the Athletics to use the Tigers' greatest player. Salmonbelly manager Grumpy Spring was not happy with the decision to allow new blood. He was quoted as saying, "Six fresh men, eh? That's just swell. I guess Wood and I will have to strip for our side."

The Monday game was a well played, hard fought contest. It was even late in the third quarter when Bill Whitaker fired a ball skyward and smashed a light. A 22 minute delay followed. For the last stretch of the match St. Catharines went with two lines of six. That plus the play of Isaacs, Arthurs and Hayes was the difference. They won the game and the cup by an 11-9 score. Bill Isaacs led them with 2 goals and 1 assist. Bill Arthurs added a pair of goals. Scoop Hayes contributed two assists. While the fourth addition Al Doyle chipped in with a two minute penalty. Hey! Fair is fair. Roy Pinder scored 6 goals and 11 points in the series, while John Dale had 6 points and Walt Lee played every minute of the final four games.

A Mann Cup game at the Hamilton Arena was a novel affair. One adjustment spectators needed to make was that there was no fence above the boards. Consequently the ball was always flying out of play. On one occasion a woman was hit in the eye. The other fans were better at ducking. The game in Hamilton also drew interest outside lacrosse circles. Foster Hewitt made himself at home in the press box to do the radio broadcast. Neither Rex Stimers or Norm Marshall, who had been covering the series, liked that. Stimers was the voice of the A's and notorious for his phantom broadcasts of games. He often called road games from a St. Catharines studio, making up the play by play as he went along. During the third quarter delay to fix the light, much time was wasted trying to find a ladder. The one they eventually found Hewitt had used to climb up to the press box. Which makes one wonder if they put it back after. Possibly a Marshall/Stimers conspiracy to get back at the interloper? It would have been a curious thing to see Foster Hewitt marooned in the press box long after the fifth game had concluded.

1945 - COMBINED TEAMS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

The final war year had every team combining with each other to knock off the champion A's. Brampton joined up with Toronto Lakeshore, while Hamilton and Burlington teamed up. Only St. Catharines and Mimico would go solo in the four team league. The Athletics were good, as usual, but the Mounties struggled terribly.

Brampton-Lakeshore were the most successful combined team. They finished first with a 19-5 record, two points ahead of St. Catharines. They also had three scorers in the top four. Bill Brunskill repeated as champion with 83 goals and 9 assists. Teammate Harry Graham was well back with only 55 goals and 70 points. Gordon Gair placed fourth with a 40 goal 62 point effort. Other notables on the Combines were Jack Bryans, Joe Murphy, Bill Arthurs and Norman Gair. George Thompson played in only 2 regular season games, while Jack Gair missed all 24 contests. Both would be available for the playoffs. The Anthonys were away in Europe. Bill was wounded in the arm, left hand and shoulder while fighting in Germany in May. Pete was wounded in April. That brought them both home in time for the post season. Another lacrosse star, Inglewood's Dick Walsh, returned home after being wounded twice.

Hamilton-Burlington were no more successful than the Burlington team of the previous season. Three wins and a tie was the best they could manage. A secure last place finish, 8 points behind Mimico. They did have a couple of top ten scorers. Bill Isaacs was back to true form with a 54 point season and Doug Davidson also cracked the elite scoring list. Hamilton-Burlington actually did as well as St. Catharines. The Double Blues also only had two scorers make the lower half of the top ten. Doug Cove produced 55 points and defensive specialist Vern Whitely tied for ninth place. Where were the rest of the A's scorers? The likes of Roy Morton and Bobby Thorpe hardly played any games. Morton would see limited action in the playoffs too. George Urquhart had returned from out west but he also did not play in every game. On top of that, the A's were in the midst of a youth movement. Youngsters such as Jim McMahon, Jerry Fitzgerald and Stu Scott had good years but they were not yet top class scorers. Mimico fared better. Scoop Hayes, Blain McDonald and Al Doyle all made the top ten. Hayes finished tied for second and was top playmaker again. The Mountaineers, however, lacked depth. That explained their 7-16-1 record.

It also explained the Mounties early exit from the playoffs. They did give the first place club one tough week to start September. The first game was a 19-13 Combine romp. Bryans and Brunskill scored four times each, plus Graham tossed in a trio. Mimico came back at home and doubled their opponents 12-6. Future Boston Bruin Eddie Sandford led with four goals. The final two games were tight defensive wins for Brampton-Lakeshore by scores of 6-5 and 9-7.

All four teams made the playoffs, which gave St. Catharines three games to beat up on the Bay Area Combines. They started with an 11-5 win. George Urquhart led with five points. The second match turned out to be a close call. Urquhart led again with four points and each point was needed. Scotty Jamieson fired a hat-trick for the Combines but they narrowly lost 9-8. The last game was an easy 13-4 win. Pat Smith counted a triple and Bob Thorpe picked up four points.

St. Catharines started the final with a 14-13 victory. Their balanced attack barely overcame Bill Brunskill's eight goal effort. Stu Scott was best for the winners with a hat-trick. The Athletics took the second game 18-7 as Doug Cove potted four. Pat Smith added five points, while Jack Gair scored three times for the losers. The Combines bounced back to win the next two contests. Brunskill had five in a 15-10 triumph. Next Bill Arthurs six point effort secured an 11-8 win. No sooner had Brampton-Lakeshore evened the series then they once again lost at home! The A's finished strongest, first by doubling the Combines 14-7. George Urquhart scored six points, Frank Madsen fired in four goals and Vern Whitely chipped in a trio. Next came a convincing 13-5 finale. Nine different Double Blues scored, led by Smith, Urquhart, Thorpe and Bill Mackie. Bill Brunskill was shutout in the last game but finished the season with 106 regular season and playoff goals - one shy of Bill Isaacs' 1939 record of 107. Note that scoring for three of the Combine playoff games against Mimico were lost.

The '45 Mann Cup was a flop. Vancouver Burrards won the ICLL with a commanding 20-4 record, then survived a seven game scare from the New Westminster Adanacs in the league final. Against St. Catharines there was barely a fright. Led by scoring champ Bill Harris, Harry Buchanan and Don Matheson (having returned from Navy) the Blue Bombers blasted the Athletics three straight. Bill Whitaker was at his best in the opener and made 38 saves but his side still lost 12-6. Pat Theale was top scorer with three goals and two assists. After taking the weekend off, Vancouver won the second game 18-7. Prior to the final contest, Vancouver and St. Catharines petitioned the C. L. A. for half profits from the gate. They were turned down. Thus the money from the crowd of 6,000 went to the governing body in total. Frank Lee had four goals and six points in the finale, a 14-5 romp. For the series the A's were outscored 44-18 and outshot 136-86. Only in penalty minutes did St. Catharines lead - 57 to 48. Quite a performance from the new Dominion champions.

1946 - RECORD SETTING YEAR FOR OFFENCE

With the war ended and the boys back home, this was the year the offences went crazy. Previous to this campaign, the league's highest scoring season had been 1943. In that year teams averaged 12.86 goals per game. In 1946 the average was 15.04! Only 1971 has topped that mark (15.10). In comparison, by 1948 the average had dropped to 10.07. The league also had a record six 100 point-getters (broken in 1971) and sixteen 50 goal scorers! St. Catharines established a new high by averaging 19.4 goals per game. Only the Brantford Warriors of 1971 and 1973 have ever topped that mark. Even last place Orillia managed 11 goals per game. The Terriers also used eight different goaltenders who surrendered a shocking 665 goals!

Needless to say, it was a record breaking year. Hamilton Tigers got the scoring derby started on July 8th with a 42-8 rout of Orillia. George Masters' 11 goals and 2 assists set a goals and points record. A week later Brampton Excelsiors scored 22 goals in a game and lost. Owen Sound Georgians tallied 23 as Lloyd Wotton made one save more than Pete Anthony - perhaps the only save of the contest? Masters record did last to August. On the 5th St. Catharines' Stu Scott made his mark. In a 39-19 rout of Brampton (poor Pete Anthony again) Scott collected 17 points. Two days too late, Don Campbell had a 9 goal 5 assist game against Orillia. Not to be outdone, Gordon Gair soon got into the act. In Orillia's last home game of the year, their final game in Senior A lacrosse period, Gair led his Barrie team to a 35-15 victory. Terrier goaltenders Eric Fagen and Mel Murray had no chance as Gair scored 14 goals and 18 points. The goal record has never been touched, while the points record would last over half a century. That gave Gair 100 goals on the season. He won the scoring race, however he did not lead the league in goals. Rookie Vince Reddy's 102 broke Bill Isaacs record of 101. Those three are the only players to reach triple figures in the regular season. Note that in 1946, as in 1939, a 30 game scheduled was played. Even more noteworthy, both Gair and Reddy played on Barrie Lakeshores! Thus two unbroken records were set that August 24th evening in Orillia.

Not all players were able to get used to peacetime. In June, Bill Brunskill was suspended for hitting referee Sid Prosser. The pair had been teammates only a couple of years earlier!

The circuit expanded to seven teams. Brampton-Lakeshore broke up. The Excelsiors stayed in Brampton, while the Lakeshores moved to Barrie. It was Barrie's one and only season in Senior lacrosse. They finished fifth with a respectable 13-17 record. Owen Sound rejoined from Intermediate and Orillia Terriers returned for one season. The Georgians tied for third place with Hamilton, 17 wins apiece. Orillia managed a mere three triumphs. They actually won their season opener by knocking off the Tigers 13-12 as Mike Cunningham scored five times. Before May was completed they topped Owen Sound 14-10. Veteran Ernie Curran had five in that one. What followed was a 25 game losing streak. Once goaltender George Savage was lost for the year, the Terriers collapsed as a competitive force. One final win came at the expense of Owen Sound. Orillia blasted them with 28 goals! Curran counted five goals and four each to Tom White, Bob Burrell and J. J. Hill. Yet the season was a humbling experience for Mann Cup champions like Ernie Botting, Ernie and Bill Curran.

The Athletics took the regular season pennant with a 24-5-1 record, two points better than Mimico. Hamilton's 17 wins earned them third spot, while Brampton struggled through a 7-23 season. The playoff format was a peculiar one. First place drew third and second-fourth. That was nothing new, however the fifth and sixth place teams also squared off. The highest seeded Quarter Final winner would get the choice of a bye to the Final.

The best-of-three first round series all ended quickly. The Double Blues dumped Hamilton two straight, concluding with an 11-5 win. Mimico edged past Owen Sound in a tight 11-10 opener. They followed that with a 21-13 victory. Blain McDonald had hat-tricks in both matches. Jack "Curly' Mason scored five times for the Georgians. Barrie also dismissed Brampton in two games. A narrow 11-10 triumph preceded a 17-13 win. In the latter contest, Gordon Gair and Carl Madgett matched each other with five goals for their respective teams. Vince Reddy's four markers were the difference.

St. Catharines chose to play Barrie in the Semi Final and took care of them with two 16 goal efforts. The Lakeshores were without Reddy for Game #1. Gordon Gair had five goals and an assist in the 16-7 loss. The next contest ended 16-10. Gair scored four more, while Reddy played and chipped in two goals and two assists. Jim McMahon topped them both with a five goal effort for the winners.

That set up another St. Catharines-Mimico classic. The first game on September 6th featured the dueling hat-tricks. Jim McMahon and Roy Morton scored three each for the A's, while red helmeted Elmer Lee and Ed Sandford did the same for the Mounties. St. Catharines prevailed 16-12. Mimico evened the series at home by tripling the Double Blues 24-8! A six goal night for Ken Dixon, with four goal support from brother Archie and Sandford. Blain McDonald also contributed five points. The Athletics took their revenge at home with a 15-8 win. Bill Nelson and Stu Scott led with four goals each. Another hat-trick for Sandford in the loss. Jack Williams joined the series for the next encounter. He was held to one goal by Doug Favell as St. Catharines took another 16-12 decision. Triples for Jack McMahon, Scott, Don 'Scotty' McPhail and Archie Dixon. Ed Sandford was also cooled off and limited to a single marker. After two night's rest, the Mountaineers came back with a convincing 18-8 victory. Six points for McDonald, five more for Ken Dixon and four goals from Williams, who shook the cobwebs out of his stick. Both McMahons scored three times for the losers. Mimico next forced the series to the limit with a 20-9 triumph. Four goals from the sticks of Archie Dixon and McPhail. Three more from Sandford and Ken Dixon. For the series finale the Haig Bowl was sold out and 500 people had to be turned away. Thanks, in part, to Blain McDonald's hat-trick, Mimico entered the final quarter in a tight 9-9 tie. Then the Double Blues erupted for eight consecutive goals from seven different players. That clinched them a 17-10 victory and another championship.

Five days later, the champs were in Montreal to battle Quebec Mounts. Several former Athletics were in the easterners line up, including captain Sid Wright. The Mounts also had Punch Imlach, who would score three points in the short series. St. Catharines took the first game 19-12, despite being without Roy Morton. A remarkable four goal five assist effort from Jim McMahon led the way. Pat Smith and Stu Scott both supported with six points each. Armand Bourdon was best for Quebec with five points. The second contest was a 16-7 victory for the A's. Jack McMahon scored seven points and Scott bulged the twine four times. Sid Wright led the losers with a hat-trick.

The Mann Cup Final commenced on Monday September 30th. New Westminster Salmonbellies earned the right to represent the west after going through I.C.L.L. play with a 20-8-1 record. They could boast three of the league's top four scorers in champion Ike Hildebrand, Ralph Burton and Bert Bryant. Both Pete Meehan and Bill Dickinson also had 30 goals and 50 point seasons. All that paled in comparison to the offensive power of St. Catharines. Hildebrand's 55 goals and 82 points in 24 games was impressive, however the A's had two 100 point scorers in Bill Nelson and Jim McMahon, plus Stu Scott (91 pts), Roy Morton (88), Pat Smith (87), Joe Cheevers (80), Tom Madsen (77) and George Urquhart(71). The westerners would be sorely tested.

The opening game was played in front of 6,640 fans. New Westminster carried the lead throughout much of the contest. They led 5-3 after 30 minutes and 8-6 by the three quarter mark. With 5 minutes remaining the westerners were still up 10-9. The Fishmen were controlling the ball and working the clock when a wild pass led to disaster. 200-pounder Ham Nelson pounced on the loose ball and sent Pat Smith into the clear to tie it. St. Catharines won the ensuing draw and Jack McMahon took control. He methodically worked his way in close, backing in on the defence, before flipping a shot into the top corner. 11-10 A's and they won the next draw and held the ball until the final minute. Stu Scott led the Double Blues with three goals. The speedy sniper slipped past the defence to take passes at the side of the crease. Twice he was knocked flat as he shot. Burly defenceman Bill Dickinson scored a hat-trick for New Westminster. The work of referees Carl Madsen and Joe Murphy was approved of by both teams. The Salmonbellies only complained about the close checking on Ike Hildebrand.

The crowd increased to 7,698 for the Wednesday night encounter. New West won the initial quarter 5-4. Referee Max Peart was calling a very tight game and displeased the Fishmen by giving Ed Downey a major penalty for a hit on McMahon. The A's were held to one goal, thus the Salmonbellies escaped the first half on even terms. The Double Blue second half explosion floored them. St. Catharines broke things open enroute to an 18-9 victory. Goaltender Bill Scuby was claimed to have gotten a lame back from bending over to pick so many balls out of his net! The local press went on to boast that the westerners had better rush out and get their last minute shopping done before the trip home.

For once the media got it right. New Westminster would be heading home after Friday's third game, however they wouldn't go without a fight. Coach Jack Wood changed Salmonbelly tactics, having his chargers apply lots of forechecking. The result was they controlled two-thirds of the play, nailed most of the loose balls and even won some draws! However impatient shooting, coupled with the net-minding of Doug Favell would be their downfall. The contest went into the last fifteen minutes with the A's up 8-7. Pete Meehan had an excellent chance to tie it but bounced a shot off Favell's ear. Favell later robbed Ed Downey. Meanwhile St. Catharines began to run the clock down. Jack McMahon deliberately worked the ball up floor. Eventually three Fishmen ganged up on him. So he tossed a pass to Doug Cove who went in to score the ninth St. Catharines goal. Two more late markers followed, giving the Athletics an 11-7 win and their fifth Mann Cup.

It appeared to only be the beginning for a franchise destined to challenge the Salmonbellies as Canada's greatest team. With yet another championship and so many good young players on the team, the sky looked to be the limit. Better still, the Junior A's had won the Minto Cup that year. Another would soon follow, plus four straight O. L. A. titles. The timing was perfect for the veterans to retire. Wandy McMahon (aged 33), Pung Morton (31), George Urquhart (31) and Joe Cheevers (31) all announced that they'd be retiring AGAIN! "This time we mean it" they chorused. Cheevers would jump to Hamilton while the other three would be back in Double Blue again the next spring. Yet Cheevers would be the only one to ever win another Mann Cup. The Athletics were about to begin a drought which still hasn't ended. The famed youth movement would win more Mann Cups...for teams in Peterborough, Victoria and Nanaimo.

The year ended on a sad note. Diminutive Brampton goaltender Pete Anthony survived fighting in Europe to return to the Excelsiors. Unfortunately we was unable to survive an off season auto accident. Anthony had starred in Orillia's early Mann Cup triumphs, then helped the Salmonbellies end eastern dominance of the Dominion Championship in the mid thirties.

1947 - PARITY IN ONTARIO

For the rest of the decade there would be a curse on first place teams. Hamilton, Owen Sound and Brampton would all win regular season pennants but all would disappoint in the playoffs. The Tigers and Georgians would both be eliminated in the opening round.

Hamilton and St. Catharines tied at the top of the standings with 21-9 records. Hamilton were led by Bill Isaacs, George Masters, Arnold Smith and Merv McKenzie. They had picked up two Gairs, Gordon and Jack, plus added a pair from St.Catharines - Joe Cheevers and Tom Teather. The Athletics still had enormous talent with Stu Scott, Jack McMahon, Bill Nelson and company. Plus they had Doug Favell between the pipes (father of the NHL goaltender Doug Jr.). They made one nice addition as local youngster Blain McDonald donned Double Blue.

In the two-game tie-break, Hamilton won at home 8-5 as Isaacs led with four points. St. Catharines took the rematch 7-5, giving the Tigers first place by one goal.

There was also a tie for third place. Both Mimico and Owen Sound won 16 games. The Mountaineers pulled off the biggest pre-season coup by luring Ike Hildebrand away from New Westminster. Owen Sound boosted the new league scoring champion in Doug Gillespie. Their tie-break series commenced on August 25th. Ray Mortimer held the Georgians to 9 goals and Eddie Sandford potted a hat-trick as the Mounties won 13-9. The next evening, they took the second contest 17-14. Jack Williams beat Lloyd 'Moon' Wotton six times to steal the show.

All six clubs made the playoffs and the bottom pair also tied with 8 wins a piece. It was another struggle for Brampton, though the Madgett brothers, Carl and Harvey, emerged as new stars. Weston Yorks were the other bottom club. Bill Brunskill was their chief asset. He fired in 61 goals to finish second for league honours, just three behind Blain McDonald.

The Excelsiors and Yorks did not need to play a tie break because they would meet each other in the Quarter Finals. In the initial match a crowd of 3,500 was treated to quadruple overtime! The 97 minute 28 second contest was the longest in O. L. A. box history. Each extra period was 10 minutes long. Bob Lagerquist and Red Hartley both went the distance in goal and were brilliant in extending the game. Brampton won it 12-11 as Elmer Taylor finally beat Hartley to decide it. The Excelsiors went on to win the series in four games, with victories of 18-6 and 13-10, plus a third game loss of 11-3. Bill Brunskill played only once in the series. The slack was picked up by Jack Dorney. He scored seven goals and ten points in three games.

After their series with St. Catharines, Hamilton was promptly knocked out of the playoffs in three straight games. The Athletics fared better, only just! Home advantage would save them against Owen Sound. The opener was a frustrating 8-5 win for the Double Blues. The Georgians liked to play ball possession and slowed the contest to a crawl at times. That kept things close, however the northerners could only beat Doug Favell five times. It was Lloyd Wotton's turn in the next game. He held the defending champs to 6 goals. The home team scored 14 times on Bill Whitaker. Russ Slater's three goals were best. With no rest the two teams played their third game in four nights. The A's had Favell back in goal and tripled the Georgians 12-4. The series took a couple of days off for the long weekend. Next came the crucial fourth game up north. Wotton finally got the best of Favell in a thriller. Owen Sound was down much of the night but a third quarter rally saved them. Doug Gillespie scored back to back, then Jack 'Curly' Mason fired in a pair 17 seconds apart. The clubs went to the last quarter even 7-7. Wotton pitched a shutout and Don Campbell scored the winner with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Georgians added two more late for the 10-7 decision. The one day rest before the finale became two days because of a rain out. The game did take place on September 6th. It was the lowest scoring contest of the series. There were no goals in the first quarter. By halftime it was only 2-2. Campbell scored Owen Sound's last goal of the year midway through the third period. St. Catharines made the turn for home up 4-3 and extended that margin for a 6-3 final. Roy Morton's hat-trick was key. Morton would go on to score 16 playoff points, putting him over 1,000 career. He was only the second player, after Bill Isaacs, to reach that milestone.

A note on Lloyd Wotton, who becomes a central figure in our story very soon. There is some question regarding the spelling of his name. Officially the C. L. A. has it as Wooton. Newspapers have commonly spelt it Wootton, even Wotton. During one of my trips to Peterborough a few years ago I was picked up by a fellow who used to play poker with Moon(he told me a story about Moon taking his false teeth out and setting them on the table, but we won't get into that!). He also informed me that Lloyd's widow lived in Port Hope. Glancing through the phone book I found her, and the spelling of the name was Wotton. Please don't ask how it's pronounced!

After that Quarter Final scare, the A's were happy to accept a bye to the Final. That left Mimico to extend their playoff winning streak to seven games. They blasted Brampton 18-7 in the first contest. The Mounties had seven multiple goal scorers - Ike Hildebrand, Jack Williams, Don McPhail, Mickey McDonald, Ken Dixon, Eddie Sandford and Tom Love. The next game was an 18-8 rout. Ken Dixon led with four markers. Carl Madgett, in Game One, and Bill Arthurs, in Game Two, were best for the Excelsiors.

The St. Catharines-Mimico rivalry resumed yet again. This would be the last series for a while and the second last ever! It would also be the most disappointing. The Mountaineers hit the rested Athletics hard and fast. The initial match was a 13-5 blitz. Ray Mortimer shutdown the Double Blue snipers, while Doug Favell couldn't cope with the shooting of John Hewitt, Ken Dixon, Tom Love and Sandy Milne. Hildbrand starred with a four assist game. The next contest might have turned things around for the Mann Cup holders but it ended in a narrow 8-7 defeat. Archie Dixon stepped to the forefront with two big goals to down St. Catharines. Seven would be their magic number for the rest of the series because Mortimer would hold them to seven goals in the remaining two games. That wouldn't be nearly enough. Mimico claimed victories of 10-7 and 15-7 to sweep the series. Ken Dixon and Hildebrand were the top scorers for the new champs. They both counted ten points over the four games. Irrepressible Pung Morton was best for the losers with a seven point effort.

The Mounties next opponent was the Cornwall Flyers. They won the two meetings to earn Eastern Canadian honours. The first victory was an uninspiring 14-3 decision. On September 25th they shot the lights out by beating the Flyers 34-11! Hewitt and McDonald had five goals each, plus both Dixons scored four times. Beehey Fillon was best for Cornwall with a hat-trick.

Thus Mimico headed west, riding a thirteen game winning streak. Little did they realize it but they had won their last game of the year. The powerful New Westminster Adanacs awaited them. Yet the western A's should have been prime for picking. Their regular goaltender Gordie Pogue missed the Mann Cup Final with a throat injury. His replacement was a runner who was dragged out of retirement and tossed into goal. Garnie Carter had tended goal only once before in his life. The Adanac defence would have to be at its best.

Likewise the A's offence. It ran 17 goals past Mortimer as New Westminster narrowly won the opener 17-14. As if the big western defence wasn't tough enough for Mimico, Carter suddenly started to get the hang at playing goal and began to stone them. What followed for the Mounties was a miserable 13-9 loss. Only nine goals! Worse was to come. The third and final game was over after it had barely began. John Douglas scored 17 seconds into the match. It was 5-0 before the Mountaineers solved Carter. The Adanacs rolled on to an 18-9 triumph. Bob Lee led the westerners with eight goals and ten points. He also took home the Mike Kelly Trophy as series MVP. Archie Browning was right behind him with seven goals and Jake Proctor fired home six. Ken Dixon's six goal effort was best for the losers. Tom Love chipped in seven points.

The Mann Cup had settled into a disturbing trend. In their last three trips west, the O. L. A. champs had won only one game while losing nine! The I. C. L. L.'s record was worse. They still had not won the Mann Cup in Ontario!

1948 - ST. CATHARINES TALENT DRAIN BEGINS

Tom Teather was actually the first to leave town. After the war he joined the Hamilton Tigers. Next came Joe Cheevers in '47. He also switched to Black and Gold. Neither of those departures compared in any way to what the Athletics lost prior to the 1948 season. Their starting goaltender Doug Favell moved to Tigertown. Also joining the Bengals was Blain McDonald. In his initial season with the Tigers McDonald won the league scoring championship with 64 goals and 97 points. In one of the tightest races ever he edged out Ken Dixon (66 & 94), Don Campbell (63 & 94) and Doug Gillespie (57 & 94). There was a huge gap between the top four and the rest of the league. Noteworthy in the Number Five spot was Orillia native John Hewitt. His 54 assists were third highest in O. L. A. history.

Owen Sound changed their nickname to Crescents and surged to the top of the standings. Their 23-5-1 record was slightly better than 23-7 St. Catharines. Mimico followed (16-11-1), then Hamilton (15-13-2), Brampton (10-19-1) and Weston (8-19-1). Fergus missed the playoffs with only 4 wins.

One nightmarish week in early September ended Owen Sound's fine run. Mimico ambushed them to begin their series by winning 21-12. Don McPhail scored six points, as Jim McKay and John Hewitt both had five. Next came a 13-10 win for the Mountaineers. The Crescents led 9-6 late in the third quarter. Sandy Milne scored then set up Ken Dixon 8 seconds later and Hewitt 31 seconds after that. McKay put the Mounties ahead for good 14 seconds into the fourth period. After a couple of days off, the Pennant Winners got back into the series with a 12-8 victory. Norm Shortridge led their balanced attack with four points. The next evening Owen Sound won the first half 6-4, only to be felled by ten consecutive Mimico goals starting in the third quarter. The final score was 14-7. Jack Williams beat Lloyd Wotton six times. The third game in three nights once again saw the league's leading offence fade late. Owen Sound were ahead 7-6 in the third but Mimico ended the period with three goals in the last 75 seconds. They began the last quarter with two more. Ray Mortimer contained the Crescents' offence after that as the Mountaineers took the contest 12-9 and the series in five games.

Meanwhile Hamilton put their mediocre regular season behind them to upset St. Catharines. The A's had the league's best defence as Bill Whitaker was back full time. That didn't matter in the opener as the Tigers won 11-10. Balanced scoring all around but Bill Isaacs had a notable goal and assist. Isaacs had started his season the week before and scored nine goals in two games. No one did much scoring in the second match, a 5-2 Bengal win. George Masters did count a pair. The Double Blues came back with a solid 15-7 victory. Jerry Fitzgerald led the renaissance with six points. Yet another one goal game went Hamilton's way putting them up 3 games to 1. Merv McKenzie potted a hat-trick in the 11-10 win. St. Catharines responded with a second home blow out. 17-4 was the final and Jack McMahon was tops with 4 goals. At the Cannon Bowl the Double Blues forced a seventh game. The Tigers led 3-1 early and 5-4 by halftime. St. Catharines tied it with the only goal of the third quarter. They were soon in front, however Doug Davidson knotted it 8-8 with 2 1/2 minutes left. The winner was scored by Vern Whitely as he took advantage of a two man break. A turn-away crowd of 4,000 witnessed the deciding match. Hamilton again led at the half, 5-3. The A's tied it in the third only to have the Black and Gold jump ahead 7-5. A three goal spurt by St. Catharines gave them the advantage. Still the contest went to the wire once again deadlocked 8-8. Off a three man fast break Jack Gair beat Whitaker with just 31 seconds remaining.

The senior Excelsiors had not done much to excite their fans that summer. They had lost nearly twice as many as they had won despite scoring 321 goals and giving up only 288. The Juniors had made more news by routing Dundas 50-3! Seven different players had scored four goals or more that night. Interestingly, none of the seven would ever play Senior Lacrosse. That would explain why Brampton had to drop out of the league in the mid fifties.

Brampton goaltending had been a lottery much of the season as Bob Lagerquist, Fred Cuthbert and Sam Arthurs split the duty. They eventually settled upon Arthurs. Fortunately Weston had the league's worst offence. Bill Brunskill had retired and Gordon Gair only played intermittently, which left Jack Dorney to carry the load. Brampton swept them aside four straight. The only easy win was the 15-7 opener. After that came a 7-6 victory, followed by scores of 17-14 and 12-9. Nick Ferri was the Excelsior star scoring at least two goals in every game. Carl Madgett missed the middle two matches but scored four goals in Games One and Four. For Weston, Gair appeared for the latter two contests and chipped in three goals Dorney was contained most of the series. He only broke loose for a third game hat-trick.

Mimico chose to play Brampton in the best of three Semi Final, leaving Hamilton the direct route to the Final. The defending champs took the opening game 14-10. John Hewitt's four goals were the difference. Ken Dixon had four points, as did Cam Sheppard for the losers. The second contest was played on September 19th. The first half featured stellar netminding from Sam Arthurs. He held the Mountaineers to two goals while the Excelsiors scored four. The third quarter was played in a light drizzle. Brampton's Mann Cup aspirations also fell as the Mounties outscored them 6-1 and took control. Later four big lights blew out, showering fans with fine glass. Excelsior lights were soon turned out as Mimico held on for an 11-10 win.

The O. L. A. Final commenced at Drummond Street Bowl. Brilliant goaltending from both Favell and Mortimer in the opener. Hamilton never trailed in the contest and held a 6-5 lead throughout the last fifteen minutes. The next match was a convincing 10-4 win for the Tigers. Doug Davidson, Al Doyle and Blain McDonald each counted duces. With the way Favell was playing, the last thing the Mountaineers could afford to do was to fall behind. In Game Three they were down 2-0 in the first minute of the contest. Jack Gair and McDonald (his first of four) got the Black and Gold going. It was 5-1 by quarter time and 9-2 at the half. The defending champs did finally solve Doug Favell but not until they were down 13-2! They scored three times in the final minute to make it a respectable 16-10 loss. Facing elimination, the Mounties did get their act together. They played with the lead in the fourth match and at one point during the second quarter were ahead 6-2. By the end of the third quarter Hamilton had battled back to within a goal, at 7-6. They eventually tied it, then Archie Dixon put Mimico up 9-8, with 4 minutes remaining. 90 seconds later, Tom Love made it 9-9, sending the contest into overtime. 28 seconds into the extra period the Bengals grabbed their first lead of the night. The defence created a turnover and Joe Cheevers broke away to score his fourth of the game. The Mounties kept battling until longtime Tiger Bill Isaacs appropriately scored the insurance marker. 12-10 Hamilton. The first time a fourth place team had won the O. L. A. championship in the Box Era.

The best of three Eastern Canadian Final began October 3rd in Montreal, before moving to Cornwall for the concluding games. This would be the last time the east would challenge for the Mann Cup. Cornwall represented them and they were thoroughly beaten in the opener. Hamilton led 8-1 after 30 minutes, enroute to a 13-4 decision. Doug Favell suffered an arm injury and was replaced by Fred Harrison for the second half. The Tigers travelled to Cornwall without Bill Isaacs, Merv McKenzie or George Masters, plus an injured Favell. They got a rude welcome from the hometown boys. Cornwall led 11-2 in the third quarter before the Bengals mounted a comeback. They cut the lead to 11-6, then 13-8 and finally 14-12 before running out of time. Thus, for only the second time, the O. L. A. champs faced elimination against an eastern opponent. Hamilton handled it by dominating Cornwall. Blain McDonald and Tom Love each scored four times in the 20-10 romp. The Tigers were up 9-2 at halftime and 15-6 with 15 minutes left.

New Westminster Adanacs travelled to Toronto to defend their Mann Cup title. They were greeted by a crowd of 4,776 in the opener. The goaltending of Doug Favell and Gordie Pogue topped the shooters early on. The A's got two late first quarter goals to break the ice. Hamilton replied in the second with five unanswered markers. Against the heavier Tigers, New Westminster battled back. They scored the only three goals of the third period to knot the contest at 5-5. They continued in the next frame with another four counters. The period featured a horrific collision between Hamilton's #16 Elmer Lee and New West's John Douglas. They both became tangled and crashed into the end boards. Douglas was lost with a sprained ankle. Lee returned later with a blood soaked bandage around his head but was not allowed on the floor. The Mann Cup holders took Game One 11-6.

Doug Favell shutout New Westminster through the first quarter of the next contest. That allowed the Tigers to grab a 3-0. The following 15 minutes Favell couldn't stop Archie Browning. Browning scored two men short to begin the period and concluded it with a blistering drive, while looking at the clock, which eluded the net-minder. The defending champions had evened the match 5-5. They went on to win the third quarter and take an 11-9 lead home. Jack Gair brought the Bengals back with a pair of goals in the first two minutes of the fourth. By the six minute mark Arnie Ferguson put the Adanacs up 12-11. Ralph Douglas notched an insurance marker with 90 seconds remaining. The Mann Cup holders outshot the Ontario side 41-27. After the game, Manager Alex McPherson expressed a curious memory. A member of the '33 Mann Cup winning Tigers, McPherson assured the press that all was well. "Hamilton was been down 2-0 in 1933 and came back to win." The trouble was that the Tigers had been UP 2-0 in '33 and very nearly blew it!

The third game was preceded by the O. L. A. Midget Final. St. Catharines defeated New Toronto 7-4. Hamilton was without Tom Love for the contest, while New Westminster missed John Douglas for the second consecutive night. The westerners grabbed leads of 3-1 and 5-3. However a tiger is never more dangerous than when trapped. Two Joe Cheevers goals turned things around as the Black and Gold took a 7-6 lead into the final quarter. The last period began with five scoreless minutes. Then the Ontario champs ran in four straight goals. They took the match 12-7. Coach Ken McDonald claimed his Adanacs had a night off. "Some of the boys were a little leg sore after too much sightseeing."

The fourth game was the Doug Favell Show. The A's outshot the Tigers 40-23 but that wasn't good enough. Tom Love was back in the lineup and scored two goals. John Douglas also returned but he had no luck around the net. The opening 15 minutes ended tied 2-2. Hamilton took control by winning the second quarter 4-1. They extended that lead to 9-4 before the defending champs started to find net. They drew back to 9-7 with 5 minutes remaining. That was as close as Favell allowed them to get.

A five game final for the first time since the controversial '44 series. Luckily teams were not allowed to pad their line ups with all-stars after that disputed series. The Adanacs and Tigers would meet at Maple Leaf Gardens to decide which was the best lacrosse team in the world. Their would be no excuses for the losers this time.

The westerners took advantage of early Hamilton penalties to take a 4-0 lead. Gradually the heavy bodychecking of the Bengals slowed down the speedy A's. Hamilton closed the gap to 5-4 by halftime. Joe Cheevers gave them their first lead, at 6-5, in the third quarter. Blain McDonald put them up for good 7-6. The Black and Gold won going away. The final result was 12-8. Doug Favell was named MVP, making him the first two time Mike Kelly winner. Elmer Lee fractured his leg while chasing down a loose ball in the fourth period. Immediately after the game he celebrated lying on a stretcher, before being wheeled away to a waiting ambulance.

1949 - BRAMPTON'S FRUSTRATION CONTINUES

Since the arrival of box lacrosse the Excelsiors had failed to win any championships. As the fourties drew to a close, Brampton appeared ready to end that drought. With former Adanac star Archie Browning, plus young talent like the Madgett brothers, the Excelsiors finished in first place with a 26-10 mark. Then tragedy struck. At the tail end of the regular season Carl Madgett was crippled by polio. Madgett was the team’s fifth highest scorer and second best playmaker with 40 assists. Unfortunately his career was over.

The Senior League welcomed Peterborough Lumberjacks as a new team and played a record 36 game schedule. The playoff format was unchanged, however this would be the last year fifth place would meet sixth place in the quarter finals. The defending champions finished fifth and Hamilton took advantage to sweep their first round series, then grab a week's rest before meeting an Owen Sound club coming off a seven game series. Hardly a fair arrangement.

There were only four points separating second to fifth place. From Owen Sound (22-13-1) through St. Catharines, Mimico and Hamilton (20-15-1) they were all evenly matched. After that the level fell badly. Peterborough won only eight times, while Weston claimed six victories.

It was a good year for the shooters. Mimican Jim 'Doc' Mckay set a record during a 19-11 win over Peterborough. He beat goaltender Ralph Speck three times in 22 seconds. The other standouts on offence were Ken Dixon and Jack Gair. They dueled all summer long for the scoring title with Dixon eventually prevailing 135 to 132. Dixon's 86 goals were also league best. Meanwhile teammate Don MacPhail led all playmakers with 63 assists - one shy of Bill Isaacs record.

Brampton entered the playoffs in shock and immediately lost a 12-7 game to St. Catharines. Along with Madgett, they were also missing Elmer Taylor and Nick Ferri. Still the Excelsiors battled back by winning 11-7 then a 9-8 overtime contest. The Athletics responded with an 8-7 victory followed by an embarrassing 16-1 decision. Veteran Bill Whitaker narrowly missed a shutout. It was the goaltending at the opposite end which would decide the series. Blake Eatough was at his career best and led Brampton to wins in the final two games. They were both by narrow margins, 6-4 and 6-5.

Hamilton once again saved its best for the post season, They started their title defence by beating Peterborough four straight. First came a convincing 16-6 victory. Tony Capula lead with three goals and Blain McDonald had four points. The next three contests were all tight. A 12-9 game was even until late. McDonald scored four times. That was followed by wins of 18-13 and 9-8.

The best quarter-final series involved Owen Sound and Mimico. The Crescents had home advantage but chose to begin at the Drummond Bowl. Close to 2,000 fans saw stocky Don McPhail drive straight up the middle and score at the 5 second mark. After that penalties killed the Sounders. The Mounties tallied seven of their goals with the man-advantage, plus added two shorthanded counters. Four first quarter power play markers set them off enroute to a 16-6 win. Up north, the Crescents power play got their turn and scored ten goals! Yet Owen Sound's special teams unit was far from perfect. They led 7-2 just before the half and had a major penalty to work with thanks to McPhail high sticking Doug Gillespie in the face and drawing blood. Mimico answered with a pair of shorthanded goals from Ken Dixon and Jack Williams. Williams was on centre stage for the contest's turning point. The home side led 8-7 in the third quarter when Mountie netminder Ray Mortimer tripped Don Campbell in front of the goal. The netminder had to serve his own penalty. Even worse, all penalties had to be served in their entirety regardless of how many goals were scored. Thus Williams replaced Mortimer, for the longest two minutes of his life! Owen Sound beat him four times. Mimico managed a bit of a rally later on after Dixon sparked them by scoring with his club two men short. Still the Crescents won 14-9. The homer series continued as the Mountaineers next won 13-6. A six goal second quarter was key. Jack Williams had a six point night and diminutive Scoop Hayes wriggled through the Crescent defence for four goals. Mimico did lose Williams with a shoulder injury. He missed Owen Sound's 8-6 triumph to even the series 2-2. It was a clean game with only four penalties called. Ray Mortimer was the star and robbed Crescent shooters six times in the first half. Two quick goals won it for the Sounders. Jack Mason picked the corner with a backhand shot and Bun White took a pass from Arnold Smith to score 15 seconds later. Mimico won at home yet again. a comfortable 10-2 result. Ray Mortimer shutout the Crescents for over 47 minutes. The game was fairly close until an injury sidelined Lloyd Wotton in the fourth quarter. The match was delayed 15 minutes as Wotton was tended to. He left with ligament damage to his ankle. That should have sealed Owen Sound's fate. On top of the Wotton injury, Don Campbell was hurting, plus Don Ashbee had left the team to join the Buffalo Bisons training camp. At least the remaining two games would be in the north. That plus Wotton's miraculous return saved them. Wotton moved with a limp but he was still fast enough to turn aside 24 Mountie shots. He also shutout the Mimicans over the last 28 minutes of the game. Bun White tallied four goals and player/coach Doug Gillespie had five points. Owen Sound won it 16-5. The finale saw more magnificent play from Wotton. he held his team in it through three defensive quarters. The clubs entered the last fifteen minutes deadlocked 3-3. An Archie Dixon elbowing penalty gave the Crescents their chance. Don McWhirter scored on the power play. A couple of Jack Mason goals extended the lead to 7-4. Mimico stayed close, down 8-6 with five minutes left. But a Jack Williams penalty, followed by a misconduct ended the Mountaineers hopes. Owen Sound took the game 10-6, despite being outshot 33-26.

The northerners had the weekend off to rest up for their Monday night encounter against Hamilton. In comparison, the defending champs were enjoying the end of a nine day lay-off. The Semi Final being a best of three series would help Owen Sound, however the three games were scheduled over four nights (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday). To make matters worse, the Crescents travelled all the way to Hamilton Tuesday only to have the game rained out. Thus they made the long trek back home, then returned south the next night. The physical demands were too much for a club trying to knock off the Mann Cup champions.

Still all started well for the Sounders. On September 12th, they defeated the Bengals by a 10-4 score. Bun White accounted for half their goals. 1,500 fans turned out to see another defensive battle at the Cannon Street Bowl. Owen Sound mustered only 15 shots on Doug Favell! Small wonder they managed only four goals as the Tigers doubled that total. Hamilton had only 27 shots on the night. Such was a combination of the Crescents ball possession style of play and the Tigers physical game. The home side scored the first four goals and were never challenged. Blain McDonald returned from a shoulder injury to tally a pair. Lloyd Wotton aggravated his ankle injury when making a fourth quarter save on Merv McKenzie. He completed the contest. The deciding match at the Owen Sound Arena was played before slightly more than 2,000 spectators. The visitors won it with a well balanced attack - nine different players scoring. The only two goal man was Tom Love. He counted the first two of the contest as Hamilton jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Bill Isaacs made it 4-1 early in the third quarter after Jack Gair won a scramble for the loose ball then fed the wide open sniper. On an evening when the Crescents fired 37 shots at Doug Favell, they put up a much better challenge. Grant Gillespie took a pass from Jack Mason and beat Favell from an impossible angle. Bill Allum came back 27 seconds later with a long shot to close the gap to 4-3. However George Masters answered with a shorthanded marker as he raced through the Owen Sound team and dropped a shot past Wotton. Before the end of the quarter Mason scored a power play goal. That was the last hurrah for the home side. McKenzie bumped the Hamilton lead to 6-4. A minute later McDonald drove home a low bouncer after Doug Davidson had beaten three Crescents for a loose ball. Gair eventually made it 8-4, dashing Owen Sound's hopes. The Tigers took the contest 10-5. The busiest Hamilton man was trainer Lefty Jordan. He had to dash on to the floor practically every time a Bengal player was touched. Isaacs pulled the most absurd fake when he slumped to the floor without even being contacted!

Due to the length of the schedule, the Final was a best of five affair. The series was completed in four days. The Excelsiors may have been the better club through the regular season (they scored 97 goals more than Hamilton) but they were no match for the Mann Cup holders in late September. With players like Bill Isaacs, Tom Teather, Merv McKenzie, Jack Gair, Tom Love, George Masters and Eddie Powers Jr. Hamilton simply had too much experience for Brampton. Six players had been in the league since the thirties. Isaacs and Teather, the longest serving, had debuted in 1935. Even Coach Joe Cheevers had played on six Mann Cup winners!

The Black and Gold started the series on one day's rest but didn't miss a beat. Their best player was Doug Favell. He quickly silenced the Excelsior gunners. The Tigers took the first two games by identical 9-5 scores. Bob Hilson was the only shooter to solve Favell, with a second game hat-trick. That would be the only trio in the series as the Bengals scoring was well balanced. Six different players scored a pair as they won the last game 14-4. Six games in nine nights and five of them victories! Best of all, Favell holding the opposition to five goals or less in each win. Hamilton had proven they were still Ontario's best team.

But their Dominion crown was soon to tumble. Unfortunately I can't say much about the '49 Mann Cup Final. My two western sources are both silent on the series - you'd almost think Vancouver lost! They did win, defeating Hamilton 3 games to 1. Doug Favell's goal average took a beating as he surrendered 50. Hamilton scored 46 times on Jack Green, thus they were competitive on the Coast. George Masters was series scoring leader with 10 goals. Blain McDonald chipped in 9. The Burrards' Don Matheson was top point man with 12. He also took home the Mike Kelly Award.

1950 - SEVEN GAME MANN CUP

At exactly the mid-century mark the Dominion championship switched to a best of seven final. The timing was perfect as the New Westminster Adanacs and Owen Sound Crescents would duel in a classic series. On top of that, Ontario fans would also be treated to a seven game O. L. A. Final.

The regular season pennant was claimed by Owen Sound with a 22-6 record. With Lloyd Wotton tending goal they surrendered a league low 219 goals. St. Catharines followed with 20 victories. Jim McMahon, Bill Nelson and Stu Scott all rejoined the A's after having been suspended the entire 1949 season for playing professionally during the off season. Roy Morton was the other player suspended and he promptly retired. The Double Blues also got into a pre-season fight with the Tigers over Barney Welch. The St. Catharines native had played the previous two seasons with the defending champions. Barney eventually chose to stay in Hamilton. Even with some additions the Athletics had the smallest crew in the league. The Burly Bengals placed third (18-10). George Masters bolted for the west coast and Richmond but discovered he was too late to play in the I.C.L.L. Thus he returned to Hamilton and, after a short hold out, resigned. Brampton Excelsiors were next at 16-12. Three BC boys (Archie Browning, Whitey Severson and Lew Landess) powered their offence. Browning finished runner up in the league scoring race with 100 points and Severson's 47 assists were also second best. Mimico also came home at 16-12. Peterborough had a winning record of 15-13. The Timbermen desperately worked to improve their club. They tried to lure Don McPhail from the Mounties, then went after Weston's redheaded goaltender Bill Hartley. Both efforts failed. They actually lost talent as Leo Teatro and Jim McNulty returned home to St. Catharines. Still Peterborough held on to former Athletic Bob Thorpe and added Jerry Fitzgerald. Both would be top ten scorers. Not only did Weston nearly lose Hartley, Gus Chard was actually practicing with Brampton before the league forced him to return to his old team. Weston only won twice. One less than Toronto West Yorks three victories. Both clubs missed the playoffs.

It was a rough year for lacrosse support in St. Catharines. While Hamilton, Mimico and Peterborough consistently drew over 2,000 fans a game, the Athletics struggled to attract a thousand. There was some unhappiness to ticket prices being raised 10 cents to cover a hospital tax. Adults were charged 60 cents and kids 25. For the A's home opener half the sales went to Winnipeg flood relief. Over $200 was raised.

In spite of their terrible Senior club, the game was booming in Weston. Their minor system could boast of over 300 players. Weston drew 2,000 for their season opener (a 17-8 loss to Brampton) but such support was impossible to sustain throughout a 26 loss season.

The '50 campaign had its casualties. St. Catharines' curly thatched defensive ace Frank Madsen was forced to retire after a knee injury. Brampton's Bob Hilson was suspended for a year after punching referee Bill Fitzgerald. Boston Bruin star Eddie Sandford played sparingly for Mimico. The most serious losses were off the floor. In June, Hamilton's Tom Oliver suddenly died at home, at the age of 44. A native of Selkirk, Manitoba, Oliver had played in the Allan Cup in 1930 and won a Mann Cup with the Tigers in '33. The other loss was western icon Dan McKenzie. On July 12th, he passed away after a heart attack at the age of 65. McKenzie was formerly C. L. A. President. He had also managed the Canadian Olympic lacrosse teams in 1928 and 1932. During his final years his doctor forbade him from attending games due to his weak heart. He would often sneak into arenas and be spotted hiding behind a post. "I can't stay away," he once explained. "I tell the doc I work too hard in the garden."

On the bright side, St. Catharines junior Norm Corcoran was signed by the Bruins. Brampton's Memorial Arena opened and over a thousand spectators watched the hometown boys defeat Hamilton 19-8. An even brighter note was the season Arn Dugan had. The Peterborough sniper was runaway scoring champ and top playmaker with 69 assists and 124 points. Owen Sound's Russ Slater was high goal scorer with 65. In one game Dugan challenged Gordon Gair's records with a 12 goal 17 point night in Oshawa. Toronto Ravinas moved to the Oshawa Arena in mid season and changed their name to Riverdales.

For the post-season the old format of 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5 and 3 vs 4 was revived (no more easy ride for the fifth place team). First order of business was breaking the Brampton/Mimico tie. Excelsiors took the two game series, outscoring the Mountaineers 37-27. More costly than the loss was a back injury to Mimico's Don McPhail. He would miss their opening quarter final game.

The pennant winners opened against Peterborough. They split the first two games. Owen Sound won at home 15-6. Peterborough responded when Ralph Speck out-duelled Lloyd Wotton in a 7-3 contest. Moon Wotton ruled in the end as the Crescents won the next three by scores of: 19-3, 9-5 and 13-4.

Hamilton also advanced after a five game series. They edged past Brampton 11-9 thanks, in part, to Tom Love's hat-trick. The Excelsiors evened the series with a convincing 13-6 victory. The famous Adanac Gold Dust Twins dominated. Browning scored three and Severson added five points. The Tigers narrowly won the crucial third game 8-7. Tony Capula fired in three timely goals to offset Harry Graham's four points. The defending champs then dominated the remaining contests. A 15-9 win, with George Masters bulging the twine four times, was followed by a 17-10 victory. The racing redhead, Blain McDonald scored six goals.

The best quarter final series involved the second and fifth place clubs. St. Catharines opened at the Haig Bowl on September 6th, facing a Mimico squad without McPhail, Sandford and Archie Dixon. The A's biggest concern was the officiating duo of Lewis Vipond and Joe Murphy. They were notorious for letting the teams play and calling virtually nothing, a disadvantage for the featherweight Double Blues. The first game was one of their more active nights as the referees handed out 17 minutes in penalties. The Athletics won it 13-10, though their shot edge was only 42-41. Mimico rebounded at home in front of a disappointing crowd of 1,200. McPhail had three assists and Jack Williams counted a pair of goals as the Mounties won 14-10. St. Catharines dominated an ugly third contest, winning 14-3. It took Mimico over forty minutes to beat Bill Whitaker. On this evening Murphy and Vipond lost control. With two minutes left Bill Nelson - back from a bout of the flu - fired the ball at Jack Kapasky's head. At the end of the game Don McPhail took his revenge. He popped out of the penalty box and hit the 200 pound Nelson on the head. A donneybrook ensued. When completed, and the players shooed off, a score of fans combed the floor on their hands and knees looking for Leo Teatro's teeth. Both his plates had been smashed and shattered. The teams only had a day to cool off before going at it again. The Mountaineers were victorious at home 13-9. Denny Peterson score 26 seconds into the match as the home side roared out to a 6-1 lead. The Double Blues battled back to 8-5 by three quarter time and 10-9 late in the fourth. Mimico scored the final three goals in the last three minutes, off the sticks of Bill Harwood, Bernie Pritchard and Williams. An odd 1,000 spectators turned up in St. Catharines for the next meeting. Tom Teather made a surprise appearance in Double Blue and veteran Carson Myers joined him. Leo Teatro was in fine form as he scored seven points. The A's romped to a 20-6 win. The sixth game was delayed a day due to a rainout. St. Catharines led much of the way but Chuck Simpson tied it twice in the third period. He then put Mimico ahead 10-8. Ken Croft scored in the last minute of the quarter and that shifted momentum again. Whitaker shutdown the Mountaineer shooters the remaining fifteen minutes and captain Pat Smith did the rest. He set up Tony D'Amico to tie it then scored a pair himself. He even set up the last goal as the A's took the game 13-10 and the series in six.

St. Catharines was granted one night off before having to deal with the defending champions in a best of three series. Thus it was no surprise they lost the opener 10-9. A Bill Nelson major penalty set the stage early. Hamilton scored three times on the power play, a pair from Norm Shortridge. They were up 7-0 before the A's solved Doug Favell. They solved the Favell riddle in a big way. Late in the third quarter, Harry Wipper scored his second, on a solo effort, to tie the game 8-8. Blain McDonald got it back with an underhand shot then set up Jack Dorney with 11 minutes remaining. The Double Blues closed to 10-9. In the dying seconds Wipper beat four defenders but Favell stopped him at the bell.

A Whitaker/Favell duel featured in the next match. George Masters put Hamilton ahead 4-3 in the second quarter. Later Alex Edmonds gave the Tigers a 5-4 edge on a shot which appeared to hit the post. St. Catharines overcame that controversy as Teatro scored on a twisting solo run in the third period. D'Amico then completed a neat three way play with Frank Bird and Jim McMahon to put the A's in the lead. Tony Capula tied it 29 seconds later when he backed McMahon into Whitaker then bulged the twine. It remained knotted 6-6 until the final four minutes. Smith collected a rebound off a Wipper shot and beat Favell for the winner. The game's only casualty for Stu Scott getting injured when he took a Steve Oneschuk shot on the jaw.

The deciding contest lacked all the drama of the first two games. Four thousand turned out to see the Athletics jump ahead 6-0 early enroute to a 19-7 win. The great Doug Favell faced 31 shots but could only save a dozen. Jim McMahon and Tony D'Amico beat him four times each.

The O. L. A. Final commenced up north and the opening match was dominated by Owen Sound's cautious play. They did break free midway through to run in five straight goals. That broke open a tight 2-2 stalemate. St. Catharines managed a trio late but fell 9-7. Harry Wipper flew in from Montreal for the second game. His A's tripled the Crescents 9-3, despite being outshot 37-30. The Double Blues put it away with a three goal third quarter. Game Three was a rough affair but had few penalties as Vipond and Murphy were officiating. Owen Sound blasted the visitors early with six consecutive goals. They went on to win 12-7. The homer series continued the next night, a 16-3 St. Catharines rout. They led 5-0 at the half then poured it on. It was a very different game as Max Peart and Milt Burrows refereed, handing out 85 minutes in penalties. Wipper's four goals were best. On October 2nd it was the northerners turn to win. Wipper was absent, back at McGill University, and the A's offence floundered. It was a tight battle, only 4-3 midway through the third quarter. Then lacrosse's best Armenian, Harry Kazarian, sparked a four goal rally with a counter and a helper. The Crescents took it 11-5. Only 2,000 chilled to the bone fans turned out for Game Six. Wipper was back and contributed an assist. Owen Sound played very defensively, ragging the ball as much as possible. Eventually St. Catharines got enough possession to produce a five goal second quarter. The result was an easy 13-4 win.

A long series but one desperately in need of a close result. The defensive style was also monotonous. With a seventh game came the argument over a neutral site. Commissioner Jim McLeod (from Owen Sound) chose the Fergus Arena. Hardly middle ground as far as the Athletics were concerned. To make matters worse, 500 St. Catharines tickets were guaranteed, yet when the Double Blue fans arrived they found their section taken. Many were turned away at the door. None of them would have enjoyed the final result. It was close for better than 30 minutes. Owen Sound only led 3-2 by halftime. Kazarian got the fourth on a solo rush. Next Doug Gillespie bulled his way in to score. The Crescents fired in four more in the last quarter to win 9-3. The first major lacrosse title for Owen Sound since their juniors had won the Ontario Championship back in 1910 and 1911!

New Westminster Adanacs made their farewell appearance in the Mann Cup against an Owen Sound club debuting in the Dominion Final. The series kicked off October 8th with an 8-7 win for the northern boys. 28 year old Don Campbell scored four clutch goals. A crowd of 2,671 took in the second contest, a more convincing 13-6 victory for Owen Sound. Grant Gillespie scored four goals and Campbell potted three more. It took lightweight sub Stan Tyson to get the western A's into the series. New Westminster was down 7-4 during the Friday night game when Tyson scored and later set up the tying goal, leveling the game 8-8. The Adanacs won the fourth quarter 5-1, for their first win of the series. Bob Bremner led them with a hat-trick. A Sunday afternoon contest drew an audience of 4,775. Coach Bob Lee's chargers evened the series with a 7-5 win. It was a rugged game, yet the duo of Joe Murphy and Max Peart handed out only five penalties - four to Owen Sound. New West won the first period 3-1 and led the rest of the way. Big Gordon Pogue had his best game of the series between the pipes. Rearguard Jack Proctor scored three times and 150 pounder Russ Slater counted four of the Crescents five markers. Two much need days off for the northern crew as they tried to regroup. Bremner greeted them in Game Five with a goal in 16 seconds! Fortunately Arnold Smith answered it at the 40 second mark. The teams battled to a 5-5 tie by half. Lloyd Wotton shutout the A's in the second half. Doug Gillespie scored the winner with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. Then Owen Sound had to kill off penalties on three separate occasions. Campbell and Jack Mason slipped in a pair of goals in the last minute. An 8-5 Crescent triumph. New Westminster forced a seventh game with a 6-5 Friday night victory. Jack Northup's slump continued as he was shutout. The I.C.L.L.'s scoring champ had managed only six tallies in the series. Midway through the opening period a Bob Bremner shot caused Wotton to fall awkwardly on his ankle, tearing ligaments. Owen Sound had picked up Doug Favell and he stepped into goal for the remainder of the series. The Adanacs led after the first 30 minutes 4-0. They advanced that lead to 6-2 thanks to a couple of Harry Smith goals. The Crescents rallied in the fourth quarter with three goals in less than 2 minutes. Harry Kazarian sparked it, then set up Don McWhirter for the fifth counter. Gord Pogue protected the one goal margin over the last 8 1/2 minutes.

Bob Lee predicted an A's win by three goals on Sunday. But they would have to face their arch nemesis. Doug Favell had practically beaten them single-handedly in '48. He would deny the Adanacs again! A crowd of 6,588 watched the squads battle to a 6-6 halftime tie. Favell came up with 14 big second quarter saves to keep his side in it. Over the final 30 minutes he would surrender just one goal. 29-year-old Orangeville native Doug Gillespie broke the tie in the third quarter. He would finish the evening with a hat-trick. Harry Kazarian, Grant Gillespie and Arnold Smith would each scored a pair. Owen Sound dominated the final half and took the match 15-7. Injured Lloyd Wotton was named the Mike Kelly winner. In ten years no Ontario runner had yet been named MVP (twice the award had been given to losing B.C. players).

1951 - PETERBOROUGH LACROSSE MAKES ITS MOVE

The lacrosse town of the half century had not accomplished much in the sport prior to 1951. That was all about to change. Peterborough Timbermen made the key off season signings and built a powerhouse overnight. Two St. Catharines Junior grads (Harry Wipper and Don 'Nip' O'Hearn) joined Bob Thorpe and Jerry Fitzgerald in the Lift Lock City. The big coup was attracting three of Owen Sound's best players. Lloyd Wotton, Russ Slater and Jack Mason all made the jump to Peterborough. The Timbermen were ready to win a Mann Cup.

Peterborough won the regular season pennant with a 23-7 record. They were followed by Mimico (19-10-1), Hamilton (18-12), St.Catharines (16-14), Brampton (10-19-1), Fergus (9-21) and Toronto (9-21). Owen Sound had dropped out of the league. Besides the trio who went to Peterborough, their other stars either retired or headed down the road to Fergus. Don Campbell, Jack Foote, Harry Kazarian, John Lumley and Arnold Smith all suited up for the Thistles.

Mimican Don McPhail led the league in scoring and penalty minutes. His 108 points were 18 better than top goal scorer Harry Wipper. The Timbermen placed five in the top ten: Wipper, Ike Hildebrand, defending scoring champ Arn Dugan, Mason and Slater. Hildebrand had come from B.C. to play for Peterborough. Blain McDonald slipped into the number ten position with 66 points. For McDonald it was a record setting seventh consecutive year in the top ten.

The playoffs opened with Fergus and Toronto dueling for sixth place. Frank Facto scored four times for the West Yorks as they won at home 12-7. Jack Howes added a hat-trick. The Thistles overcame that five goal deficit with a 14-5 victory, taking the series 21-17. Frank Chambers scored four goals in the second game. John Lumley and Elmer Harris had three each. That earned the Scotsmen the right to face Peterborough. On August 22nd, the Thistles pulled the upset by beating the Timbermen 7-5. Stellar goalkeeping from former Pete Ralph Speck gave Fergus their only win of the series. They had already lost in Peterborough 10-2 and would lose the remaining two contests by scores of 14-5 and 16-9. Harry Wipper had seven points in one game and Jerry Fitzgerald led with six in another.

The quarter-finals did have one oddity: a tie game. The Hamilton/St. Catharines best-of-five series went six games. The first game at Cannon Bowl had to be called at an 11-11 tie. The A's then doubled the Tigers 12-6 as Ken Croft scored four times. The goaltender took over after that, with Doug Favell and Whitey Frick battling. The Bengals won 9-3 only to lose again 6-3. With their backs to the wall the Black and Gold responded with two big victories. They won at home 7-6, George Masters trio saving the day. Then they traveled to the Haig Bowl for the deciding match. Hamilton won it 10-6.

Mimico won the other series in three games. Archie Dixon scored three goals in the closest game, an 11-8 Mountie victory. After that it was all downhill for Brampton. Red Hartley held them to four goals in a 15-4 win. That was followed by a 20-9 rout.

The Mountaineers continued their winning ways in the semi-final. Hamilton was coming off a sixth game triumph in St. Catharines the previous night and were ill prepared for Mimico. Pop Chard, Ken Dixon, Hal Downer and Denny Peterson scored two goals each as the Tigers were tamed 13-6. Tom Love was high man with a triple for the losers. A few days rest over the long weekend made no difference in the rematch. Pop Chard scored four times in the Mounties' 10-3 win.

The League Final commenced at the Miller Bowl in Peterborough. Lloyd Wotton silenced the Mimico gunners throughout a 15-3 game. Russ Slater potted four goals, while Ike Hildebrand and Jerry Fitzgerald counted four points each. The Lakeshore crew had as much trouble at home, where they couldn't stop tiny Ike Hildebrand. He was involved in half of Peterborough's goals as they won 14-8. The series lead was soon three games, thanks to a 19-5 romp. Six goals and two assists for Bob Thorpe, four tallies by Harry Wipper and five helpers from Hildebrand made life miserable for the Mimicans. They did stay alive with a 13-9 victory in Game Four. Peterson scored seven times for the Mountaineers. Over 4,000 fans came out to the Miller Bowl for the last game in the series. Fitzgerald beat Red Hartley three times and Wotton surrendered only five goals. An 11-5 Peterborough win, their first provincial championship ever!

A Canadian championship was soon added to the Timbermen resume. It had been ten years since an Ontario team had won out west. None had even been able to win two games in a series. Peterborough won four, though it took them seven games to achieve. They prevailed over a Vancouver club which had placed third in I.C.L.L. play but upset Victoria in six games in the league final. Lloyd Wotton went the distance in the Petes goal and became the first repeat winner of the Mike Kelly Award. The eastern champs picked up Denny Peterson and Don McPhail (Mimico) plus Merv McKenzie and Ross Powless (Hamilton). Peterson scored 10 goals and McPhail added 5 in 4 games. McKenzie tallied 10 points while Powless counted 4 assists. Jack Mason led the series with 11 goals. Russ Slater picked up 16 points.

1952 - PETERBOROUGH'S SWEET REPEAT

As if they needed it, the Timbermen had a secret weapon for the '52 season. Throughout the year they consumed 48 cans of honey. A spoonful before the game and at halftime to give the players extra energy. The idea was Eric Mason's (Curly's father). I suspect he was a beekeeper. Nevertheless honey may have been the difference because Peterborough barely defended its league title. Of a more tangible nature, the Petes picked up Six Nations' great Ross Powless and Lou Nickle, a graduate of the Minto Cup winning Mimico Mountaineers. Brampton's Al Garbutt also joined late in the summer as the Excelsiors had dropped out of the league. On the downside, the Timbermen lost Arn Dugan to the West, plus Jerry Fitzgerald missed the playoffs to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Another club just as active at importing talent was Toronto West Yorks. They signed Don McPhail and John Hewitt away from Mimico. They also had St. Catharines veterans Stu Scott and Ken Croft on their roster. Nick Ferri moved over from Brampton. Plus the Yorks added three graduates from the St. Catharines Junior dynasty: Leo Teatro, Jim and Joe McNulty. To round out their squad was a terrific young net-minder named Gordie Johnston (I have him as Gordie but official western records list him as Geordie).

Peterborough successfully defended their regular season title with a 23-7 record. Russ Slater, Jack Mason and Don Ashbee all made the top ten in scoring but the Timbermen did not have a single fifty goal scorer. Mimico followed with 20 victories. Fred Sandford led the league with 64 goals and Ken Dixon placed fourth in his final season. Toronto also had a winning record with a 17-13 mark. Teatro and Jim McNulty were their top gunners. Hamilton boasted league scoring champ Jack Dorney, however the Tigers lost as many as they won. Owen Sound returned to grab fifth place with 12 wins. They had eight players back from the Mann Cup crew, however their goaltending was up in the air most of the season. They eventually settled on Bill Taylor but he was no Moon Wotton. The Athletics fell to a disastrous 11-19 record. It wasn't a bad year for St. Catharines lacrosse, just the A's. Four Garden City boys would win the Mann Cup and nine would compete in the O. L. A. Final. Fergus placed last, though they had a pair of top ten scorers in Bob Dobbie and Don Gear.

The 1-6, 2-5, 3-4 format was used in the playoffs for the final time. Peterborough humbled the Double Blues in four games. Yet their one loss was quite embarrassing. After winning the series opener 16-8, the Timbermen traveled to the Haig Bowl and were blasted 16-5! Al Frick led with a hat-trick and seven points. Jim McMahon also scored a trio and five points. The Mann Cup holders only won Game Three 12-9. Max Woolley bedeviled them with a seven point effort. The series ended with a 15-9 triumph for the Petes.

The West Yorks advanced to the semi-final after a convincing performance against Hamilton. They started on August 29th with an 18-10 victory. Frank Facto next scored five goals in a 12-6 win. The Tigers took their only game 9-6, thanks to the heroics of Doug Favell and a pair of goals each from Merv McKenzie and George Masters. The series concluded with a 15-7 Toronto triumph. Nick Ferri scored four times as Don McPhail and Leo Teatro each potted hat-tricks.

Owen Sound and Mimico squared off one last time - another tremendous series. The Mounties went ahead early. A tight 11-9 win up north gave them a 2-0 advantage. Denny Peterson scored four goals and Ralph Gowland three more. The Crescents came back. A 14-13 thriller at the Drummond Bowl kept them alive. Back home the Sounders got a four goal effort from John Lumley and a trio from Don McWhirter enroute to an 18-11 victory. The finale in Mimico was anti-climatic. Red Hartley held Owen Sound to five goals as the home side ran in sixteen! Fred Sandford was high man with four markers.

Lacrosse's version of a Subway Series - though there was no subway running from Mimico to Weston - featured in the OLA Semi Final. Funny enough, a month later the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers would meet in baseball's first Subway Series. Ontario's version was a disappointment. Toronto bounced Mimico out of the playoffs in three straight. The margin of victory grew each contest. After a 14-11 win, the West Yorks won by scores of 17-10 and 21-11.

That placed the underdog Toronto crew up against the powerful defending champions. They looked out of place initially. The opener was all Lloyd Wotton. He shutdown the Yorks' offence as Peterborough breezed to a 13-5 win. Al Garbutt bulged the twine three times and Ike Hildebrand counted four points. In Weston, the Timbermen turned on the offence. 21-13 was the result. Five goal games from Hildebrand and Harry Wipper. Russ Slater added a quartet. At least Toronto's offence came to life. Bill Timpson scored four times and Ken Croft had a seven point night. Back at the Miller Bowl, the Yorks sent a warning shot across the bow. A stunning 10-8 victory sent the Pete supporters home shell-shocked, Deuces from Croft, Jim McNulty and Jack Kapasky out shone Slater's hat-trick. The Mann Cup holders quickly regrouped. They won a tight 9-7 battle in Weston to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Another hat-trick for Slater. Everyone expected the series to be wrapped up in Peterborough, yet Toronto again won on the road! They doubled the hometown boys 10-5. McNulty's hat-trick marked a turning point in the series. yet he got extra support from his mates. Two goal efforts by Kapasky and Croft, a three assist game for Leo Teatro, plus stellar goalkeeping by Gordie Johnston humbled the Timbermen. The Yorks went one better by finally winning at home. A narrow 8-7 win as a number of players chipped in with a two or three point evening (Stu Scott, John Hewitt, McNulty, Timpson, Don McPhail and Nick Ferri). Suddenly the Final was knotted 3-3 and Peterborough would have to fall back on home advantage to save them. That plus extra spoonfuls of honey!

The deciding game turned into a marathon. On the strength of Teatro's three goals Toronto took a 9-7 lead to halftime. Player/Coach Bob Thorpe must have gazed skyward for divine intervention. The Lacrosse Gods smiled on him and his Timbermen. The clouds rolled in the rain began to fall. It continued long enough to have the contest postponed and rescheduled to be played in its entirety the following night. Thus the Yorks two goal advantage evaporated. As well, the visitors would have to make the long trek back to Peterborough the next night. Advantage had shifted back to the Mann Cup holders and they made it count. Great playmaking work from Nip O'Hearn and Curly Mason would sink Toronto's cause in the rematch. O'Hearn set up five goals and Mason four as the Petes took the finale 12-8. This year Peterborough hosted Vancouver in the Mann Cup. Once again the I.C.L.L. champs had come from a mediocre third place standing to win the West.

This time they did not drive the Timbermen through seven hard games. It was the first best of seven final to end in less than seven contests. In fact, it was as short as possible, four straight. The first match was an absolute catastrophe for the travel weary westerners. They beat Lloyd Wotton only once. 9-1 was the score. Vancouver found themselves the next couple of nights, only to lose nail-biting 8-7 and 9-8 games. Game Four was a 15-6 romp for the Timbermen. Defensive specialist Lou Nickle became the first O. L. A. runner to claim the Mike Kelly Award. He contributed 4 goals and 3 assists in the series. Another great two way player, Don Ashbee, was tops with 11 points. Dootch Vitarelli and Russ Slater both led with 6 goals.

1953 - SIX MAN LACROSSE

It was the I.C.L.L. which took the lead in bringing the game into the modern era. Before their season commenced, they abolished the Rover position, limiting the number of runners on the floor from six to five. To balance the removal of one defender, the nets were reduced from 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 to 4 feet by 4 feet. The O. L. A. soon followed suit. In midseason the Senior League switched to the new system. On July 6th, six man lacrosse started in Ontario. It was merely a trial, to be reviewed at season end, however it was a successful trial which would remain until the end of the century. The change paved the way for Jim Bishop and his fast break game which hit the Jr. A League the next season. Thus the first steps towards the high speed modern game were set in motion. All that was left was the introduction of the 30 second clock in the 1960s.

It wasn't just a summer of change, it was also a summer of turmoil. After twelve games and only three victories, Brampton decided to merge with Mimico. The idea fell through and the Excelsiors dropped out of the league. None of their players headed down to the lakeshore and the Mounties went on to finish last with a 2-28 record. There was also trouble in Weston. The West Yorks packed their bags and moved to Orillia in the middle of the season.

Perhaps the most curious incident of the year happened in Peterborough when Mimico's Pop Chard allegedly attacked referee Lewis Vipond, giving him a bloody nose. So said the Peterborough Examiner. However Vipond once told me the incident never happened, that he never had any trouble with Pop Chard. Creative journalism or selective memory?

Peterborough even changed things up a bit. They inked a new sponsorship deal with McGuinness Trailers, thus the Timbermen became the Trailermen (though the people responsible for official C.L.A. records never bothered to change the nickname). First the Lumberjacks, then the Timbermen and now the Trailermen, Peterborough lacrosse and its' multiple nicknames were off and running. The Juniors were the worst culprits. They'd already been known as the Filter Queens and Pats. Still to come were the Petes, U.E.W.'s, P.C.O.'s, Gray-Munros, Centurions, James Gang, Maulers, Lakers and Javelins!

Even though Peterborough had won consecutive titles the league had been competitive. That began to change. As the Trailermen grew stronger, many of the other clubs fell apart. Owen Sound dropped down to Intermediate, Brampton would leave the league for most of the decade, Mimico was on its last legs, the game had abandoned Toronto, Hamilton Tigers were a mere shadow of their former greatness as they struggled to balance the books and St. Catharines continued to fight against a severe talent drain. The Dark Age had come to the O. L. A. - as it was hitting the I.C.L.L. hard too. Dwindling attendance combined with minimal media coverage would cripple the game beyond repair. It was similar to what the C.F.L. went through in the late 1980s and 1990s...people ceased to care. Television had a major impact on the situation. Hockey and Football had their profiles heightened, while lacrosse was ignored. More importantly, people began to stay home at nights, rather than go down to the local bowl to support the home team. It was all a bad situation, made worse in the O. L. A. by a dominant Peterborough team which smothered all competition, thus killing interest outside the Peterborough area.

The Petes were challenged one last time during the regular season. The Athletics had a vastly improved squad and they took a run at first place. Roger Smith led them with a league record 81 assists. He won the scoring title with 129 points. Al Frick and Derry Davies both scored over fifty goals. The A's fell two points shy of the Mann Cup holders, finishing with a 24-6 record. It could have been a much different situation had the Double Blues all their local boys playing for Peterborough(Jerry Fitzgerald, Don O'Hearn, Bob Thorpe and Harry Wipper) or the West Yorks three top ten scorers, all from St. Catharines (Ken Croft, Tony D'Amico and Leo Teatro). Alas they didn't.

Only two clubs finished with winning records. The rest struggled terribly. Orillia managed a 15-15 mark for third place. Fergus grabbed fourth spot with 14 wins, as Bob Dobbie led the league with 70 goals. Hamilton narrowly missed the playoffs two points back. The Tigers no longer had the funds to lure St. Catharines talent to the Steel City. The very best A's were either heading to Peterborough or out west. Hamilton did pick up Brampton Junior graduate Jack Bionda. The game's next superstar scored 10 goals and 7 assists in six games.

The senior Lacrosse revival in Orillia was short-lived. They met the defending champions to start the playoffs and were dispatched four straight. The scores were: 19-3, 14-8, 14-8 and 27-7. The twenty goal blowout was the last Sr. A game ever played in Orillia.

St. Catharines also won their opening series in four games. On August 11th they doubled the Thistles 12-6. Ted Howe led the A's with three goals. They won in Fergus 16-11. A big five goal night for Don Moore. Derry Davies chipped in with four. Don Gear scored four times for the Scotsmen and J. J. Hill added three. The Double Blues next won 17-9. Norm Corcoran was high man with four markers. The final contest was a much closer 11-7 result. Gear scored a hat-trick in vain. Al Frick had three for the winners.

In the O. L. A. Final, St. Catharines four game winning streak was transformed into a three game losing streak. Defence and goaltending was the difference as Peterborough grabbed a 3-0 series lead. Lloyd Wotton was slightly better than Doug Favell. The scores were: 12-8, 10-8 and 9-4. The Athletics avoided elimination with an inspirational 14-6 victory at home. That was the only game they would take from the Mann Cup holders. At the Miller Bowl, the Trailermen ended the series with another 9-4 win. Ross Powless was high man in the post season with 26 points. He was just one better than teammates Don O'Hearn and Ike Hildebrand. Jerry Fitzgerald was two back with 24. Russ Slater and Derry Davies were top playoff goal scorers with 19 each. Al Frick was right behind them with 18 counters.

A new power had emerged in the I.C.L.L. Victoria Shamrocks finished in first place for the third straight year but this time they got it right in the playoffs. They nearly didn't as fourth place Nanaimo pushed them the distance in the best-of-five semi-final. In the league final the Shamrocks avenged past defeats by finally beating Vancouver 4 games to 1. Thus Victoria reached the Dominion championship with an all western squad - the last such team for some time to come. There was an eastern flavour to the club with three ex-Excelsiors in the line up (Archie Browning, Lew Landess and Whitey Severson). They were a strong side, however no match for the Trailermen. Peterborough won out west for the second consecutive time, something no team had ever done before. They put the Shamrocks away in five games, the most one-sided eastern win on the coast in history! Plus the third straight Mann Cup win tied Orillia's box record. Ross Powless was named MVP. Jack Mason led the series in points with 13, while he and Russ Slater each scored 9 goals. Lloyd Wotton held Victoria to under eight goals per game. Browning and Jack Northup led the Irish with 6 goals and 2 assists each. I.C.L.L. scoring champ Whitey Severson was shutout!

1954 - A RECORD FOURTH

Official records credit New Westminster Salmonbellies with six consecutive Mann Cup triumphs from 1920-25, however their accomplishment paled in comparison to Peterborough's four straight wins from 1951-54. For one thing the Salmonbellies never had to leave B.C., whereas the Petes twice had to venture west. The Fishmen were also spared having to face any O. L. A. competition. Weston had its own dynasty going in Ontario but never travelled west to challenge for the Canadian championship. New Westminster can hardly be faulted for that. Yet there is no denying that the road to the Dominion championship was much easier for the Salmonbellies. The Timbermen/Trailermen had to face all the demands that modern fans are accustomed to. They can claim the Box record, however theirs was the superior achievement.

Still one can make the argument that New Westminster best represented the true spirit of lacrosse and the Mann Cup competition. Their six winners were claimed by local boys, compared to Peterborough's four championship all-star teams. The '54 Trailermen had imports from St. Catharines (3), Owen Sound (3), Toronto (2), Mimico (1) and Fergus (1). Of the 275 regular season goals they scored, only 93 were from the sticks of local boys! Of 121 playoff goals, Peterborough natives scored 30. Thus the Trailermen's ability to pay players, something the amateur Fishmen were not allowed to do, was a huge advantage. In light of that, the greatest Mann Cup dynasty of them all might be the Athletics of 1938-41, three championships in four years with an all St. Catharines team. Or the Brooklin Redmen from 1985-88. Once again three titles in four years, two of them won in B.C.!

The O.L.A. Senior League had dwindled to four clubs. Given that one of the teams was woeful Mimico, the league really was in a sad state. The Mounties won only five times in twenty-seven tries. Losing Denny Peterson to Peterborough sealed their fate before the season began. The Trailermen also picked up ageing Don Campbell and from the Peterborough Juniors added Bob Allan and Bob Curtis. They ran away with first place thanks to a 23-6-1 record - 13 points ahead of St. Catharines. Hamilton placed third with a losing record.

The Tigers one bright spot was scoring champion Jim McNulty. He would defect to the west for the '55 campaign. St. Catharines local Tony D'Amico also made the top ten wearing Black and Gold, along with Fergus' Bob Dobbie. Peterborough dominated with six top scorers: Harry Wipper (2nd), Denny Peterson (3rd), Russ Slater (4th), Bob Allan (6th), Bob Curtis (8th) and Jerry Fitzgerald (10th). Norm Corcoran was the solo Athletic to make the list.

Last place Mimico was dropped from the playoffs. The remaining three squads attempted to play a rain disrupted triple round robin. Eventually Peterborough and St. Catharines squared off in the Final. The Trailermen won every game. The scores were: 8-3, 17-7, 14-8 and 11-4.

Victoria Shamrocks came east to try and end the Petes' dominance. They led the series opener 4-3 when rain washed out the contest. They came back to defeat the Mann Cup holders 8-4 the next evening. Former West York, Gordie Johnston out-dueled Lloyd Wotton. Peterborough responded with consecutive wins of 11-4, 9-4 and 10-8. The fourth game was evenly played as Victoria out-shot the home side 39-38. Still they were not a happy crew. Game Four had been delayed a day because of rain. Thus the Shamrocks were so unhappy about the Miller Bowl that they threatened to quit the series if it wasn't moved indoors. This was awkward. The Civic Arena was the only local site available. It could squeeze in 2,500 spectators if no one told the fire marshall. Miller Bowl comfortably held 4,000. Given the financial situation of most of the Senior organizations at that time, 1,500 less tickets sold would be a big blow. For instance, Hamilton would have to seek a major sponsor during the off season to keep their team going. Thus the Tigers became the Lincoln Burners! Yet Victoria were serious about quitting the series (perhaps because they knew they were second best) thus their demands were met and the series finale was played at the Civic Arena. Indoor or outdoors it didn't matter, the Trailermen had the best lacrosse team in Canada. They won the fifth game 10-3. Lloyd Wotton was named MVP for a record third time!

At year end, C. L. A. Treasurer Gene Dopp retired. Dopp had been involved in the game forty years. First he had played Senior and won O. L. A. titles with Young Torontos. He had moved on to coach St. Simon's Anglicans from 1922-25. He was best remembered as the long-time O. L. A. Secretary.

1955 - LONG, HOT SUMMER IN UNCOMPETITIVE O.L.A.

With Hamilton, St. Catharines and Fergus all playing indoors, Senior Lacrosse fans were forced to sit through many uncomfortable evenings during a very humid summer. On top of that, Tiger, Athletic and Thistle fans had to watch their boys being consistently thumped by dominating Peterborough. The Trailermen dominance was so great that even their own fans lost interest. While the Peterborough and District Softball League was averaging 4,000 fans a game, the Trailermen were only able to draw 600 to the first game of the O. L. A. Final! At least the Junior League was booming. Jim Bishop's fast-breaking Newmarket Green Gaels tore up the league with the kind of talent and speed the game had never before seen. Yet the Gaels would also succumb to the weather in the end. Despite a runaway first place finish, Newmarket would run out of gas in the OLA Final and be upset by Long Branch Monarchs. In the last game Long Branch would win 5-4 in overtime. In another game the Monarchs prevailed 3-2! So much for the Bishop offence which had been scoring 20 to 30 goals a game most nights.

These really were rough times for lacrosse. When legendary Joe Cheevers was asked about it he responded with a note of optimism: "Lacrosse is presently in the low ebb of a cycle. Other sports have felt the same fall in interest and they've come back stronger than ever. I feel sure that lacrosse can also make a comeback. It sure is too good a game to fold up completely."

Three weeks before the season began Mimico Mountaineers dropped out of the league. A rule change dropped the four 15 minute quarter format to be replaced by three 20 minute periods. Another change, like the move indoors, to copy hockey. A second reform was a Residential Rule which forced players to play for the Senior Club they lived closest too. It was suppose to help the weaker teams (not Peterborough) but really changed little. St.Catharines still could not use Harry Wipper or Bob Thorpe as they lived in Peterborough, nor Jerry Fitzgerald who had moved to Fergus. Plus the rule did nothing to prevent Jim Bradshaw, Derry Davies or Jim McNulty from moving west. The three period idea did nothing to revive interest either. The Athletics home opener didn't even draw 500 spectators.

The game did make television thanks to Channel 11 showing Hamilton games. Norm Marshall called every game in a suit and tie regardless of how warm it was inside the Hamilton Forum. Such a move to the big time did not do much to boost the Lincoln Burners cause. Sponsor/Manager Lefty Jordan had spent as much as he could to bring in players but that left no money on the payroll for a coach! Late in the season Jack Gair agreed to be player/coach. Hamilton still defaulted a July 5th game in St. Catharines due to lack of players. They were fined $86 and the game was rescheduled for the end of the season if it effected the standings.

Peterborough waltzed to first place with a 19-5 season. They scored 100 goals more than any other club and surrendered 100 less. Ike Hildebrand, Bob Allan and Bob Curtis swept the top three spots in league scoring. Yet one writer described the Trailermen as an average team with a phenomenal goaltender. This comment came after Lloyd Wotton had a 51 save night in an 11-7 win over St. Catharines. Wotton missed only one game all year. On July 22nd he was replaced by a 16 year old Juvenile named Pat Baker. Baker started his illustrious Senior career with a 20-12 victory over the Double Blues.

St. Catharines battled with Fergus for second spot. Yet it was a troubled year for the A's. Goaltender Justin Howe was briefly lost with two broken ribs. Doug Favell was called out of retirement by coach Roy Morton. Morton also brought in Lewiston Intermediate Ross Powless for a number of games. One of the reasons attendance at St. Catharines games was dropping was due to so many late starts over the years. If there was anything worse than an 8:30 pm start it was an 8:30 start which didn't actually begin until well after 9 pm! Couple that with Athletic home games being on a Tuesday night and it was a disagreeable arrangement. Case in point was the August 3rd game against the Trailermen. The Double Blues defeated the Mann Cup holders 12-6. Yet the win was marred because the Petes showed up 37 minutes late. Why were they late? Because St. Catharines had been late their last visit to Peterborough. With attitudes like that, lacrosse was dying a justifiable death.

The defaulted Hamilton/St. Catharines game needed to be played as the fight for second place went right down to the end of summer. A very important battle because the third place club would draw Peterborough in the Semi Finals. The Athletics won the replay, setting up a Tie break game against Fergus. The two teams met at the Hamilton Forum. The Thistles led 4-3 with three minutes remaining in the opening period when Ken Watkins went to work. He scored then set up Don Gear. By the intermission it was 7-3. The Scotsmen poured it on in the middle frame. Gear had a goal and three assists as they outscored the Double Blues 7-1. 35 seconds into the third period Tony D'Amico made it 15-4. Fergus went on to double the A's 18-9.

St. Catharines had no more success against the Trailermen. Up in Peterborough they were beaten 19-9. Ike Hildebrand and Bob Allan both scored 5 goals. Barney Welch had four in a losing cause. The Athletics best game of the year came at home. Naturally the encounter began 20 minutes late. The patient fans were rewarded with a strong 12 minutes from the Double Blues. They battled the Petes evenly but couldn't beat Lloyd Wotton. The best they could manage was six posts in the period. Peterborough eventually broke the deadlock and ran in seven straight goals. They went on to a 14-4 victory. Double Blue leading scorer Doug Smith made his first playoff appearance but reinjured his sprained ankle. Wotton was star of the game. The agile 210 pounder could still cover all the corners despite being 30 years old. Ken Croft expressed Athletic frustration best: "how are you going to put the ball in the net when you can't even see it behind Wotton?" The rest of the series was a cakewalk for the defending champions. They outshot St. Catharines 40-28 in Game Three, a 15-5 win. Allan had four goals and three assists while Hildebrand set up five goals. In desperation Coach Morton tossed Doug Favell between the pipes for the finale. It was only his fourth game of the year, and the last of the hall of famer's career. He wasn't able to shutdown the Mann Cup holders. Favell turned aside 28 shots, however Harry Wipper beat him four times and Bob Thorpe three times. Croft had a hat-trick for the Double Blues but they still lost 16-9.

Meanwhile Fergus was on its way to the O. L. A. Final for the first time in 23 years. Though a late entry to the league, Jerry Fitzgerald had transformed the Thistles into contenders. Fitzgerald also finished eighth in league scoring. J. J. Hill was the only player outside of Peterborough to score 50 goals. Plus Tony D'Amico and Don Gear both cracked the Top Ten List.

The Scotsmen defeated Hamilton 4 games to 1 but they were no match for the Trailermen. Peterborough blasted them 26-6 in the series opener. At the Fergus Arena the Mann Cup holders won 15-6. Gear managed a hat-trick in the third contest, however it was another loss, 18-6. Lloyd Smith scored four times in the last game - the Thistles best offensive effort as they beat Wotton nine times. Peterborough firepower netted twenty-four goals!

Thus ended a disappointing O. L. A. season. The gloom was apparent as many feared for the future of the Hamilton club. On the bright side, Fergus had established itself in the Senior ranks and along with Peterborough and St. Catharines the league could count on three returnees. A big deal considering the league had lost five teams in five years. There was hope that Brampton would return. There was also optimism that Long Branch's many graduating Juniors might result in a Senior club on the lakeshore again. Even if it wasn't pretty, the Senior Circuit would trundle along.

All eyes shifted towards Victoria and Peterborough's Mann Cup defence. The Trailermen picked up Tony D'Amico for the series. The Thistle star would score five times in five games. Victoria also added a St. Catharines native, Derry Davies. Their first choice had been scoring champ Jim McNulty but he was out with a charley-horse. That gave the Shamrocks a grand total of one I.C.L.L. top ten scorer on their side. Despite finishing second and upsetting Nanaimo in the league final, the Irish did not have a single player among the top eleven scorers. Not even star import Jack Bionda, who would miss the Mann Cup Final due to his hockey commitment.

A crowd of 4,200 witnessed the series opener. Victoria started fast but Wotton came up with a dozen saves. The first quarter ended 2-2. The Shamrocks played with the lead after that - 6-4 by halftime and 10-9 heading into the final fifteen minutes. Ike Hildebrand, Harry Wipper and Lou Nickle all scored early in the fourth period to turn the tables. The Petes went on to a 15-12 triumph. Hildebrand was top man with seven goals. Jim 'Pee Wee' Bradshaw scored four times for the home side.

That was the last game Peterborough won all year. They lost the next four while being outscored 51-29. Former West York Gordie Johnston stumped the Trailermen shooters at one end of the floor. At the other end the Victoria power play was devastating. In the series the Petes took the majority of penalties, 114 minutes compared to the Shamrocks 51, and they were punished while shorthanded. Bill Bamford set up twelve goals, most of them with the man-advantage. Jim Bradshaw scored eleven times and Larry Booth counted ten goals, including six in the fifth game. Ike Hildebrand was best for Peterborough with nine goals and a series high sixteen points. The chief culprits who ended the Trailermen dynasty were Jack Mason (25 penalty minutes), Lou Nickle (20) and Harry Wipper (19). No one on the Shamrocks had more than eight minutes. Doubtless there was much grumbling about the officiating by the dethroned champs. But the Peterborough boys had been treated like Kings in '55, compared to how they would be treated in two years time!

1956 - RAIN, SUSPENSIONS AND ANOTHER TRAILERMEN TITLE

St. Catharines Athletics organizers move to the Garden City Arena paid off one year later. In 1955 they had moved indoors in time for a sweltering, humid summer. Didn't look like a good move at the time but when the rains came in '56 their fans were glad to be dry. The worst of the wet weather hit at the end of August, just in time for the playoffs. Unluckily the A's were matched against Peterborough and the Miller Bowl witnessed four rainouts in the series. The end of outdoor lacrosse was nearing.

Peterborough lost player/coach Bob Thorpe for the bulk of the season due to suspension. Thorpe didn't start his year until the fourth game of the playoffs. St. Catharines also entered the post season shorthanded. Frank Farley gave Al Frick a blow which needed five stitches. Referee Chuck Simpson gave no penalty on the play thus Frick went after Simpson. That earned him a suspension for the final three regular season games plus the entire playoffs. Even in Junior Lacrosse the officials were not safe. Long-time referee Joe Murphy had turned in his whistle to coach the Long Branch juniors. In one game he became so upset with Mickey McDonald that he threw a few punches at the official.

Long Branch's three successive O.L.A. junior championships translated in a move to the senior ranks. They joined the four returning clubs. Hamilton had survived the off season and were back. The Lincoln Burners signed Ross Powless as player/coach, then added Max Woolley, Leo Teatro, Jack Sibbald, Al Doyle, Denny Peterson and Roger Smith. All those imports would help them to a winning record and second place. Fergus was back with plenty of promise. It didn't work out. After a 2-10 start the Thistles dropped out of the league.

Peterborough was still the team to beat. They were once again frontrunners thanks to 19 wins and only 6 losses, ten points clear of their nearest rival. This club's greatest asset was depth. Bob Allan had headed to Nanaimo, joining ex-Trailermen Don Ashbee and Arn Dugan. All three would be top ten scorers and Allan would win the scoring championship with a record setting 89 goals! The '56 Petes could not boast of a single fifty goal scorer. Bob Curtis came closest with 47, while Jim Heffernan's 60 points were third best in the league. Ike Hildebrand also made the top scoring list. Junior call up Paul Parnell saw his first taste of senior action. He scored a goal and an assist in four games.

St. Catharines and Hamilton both finished with 14-11 records. The Burners were awarded second place. This marked the first time in OLA history a Tie break was not played. Long Branch finished a distant fourth with seven victories.

Ross Powless won the scoring race with 59 assists and 89 points. The A's Doug Smith gave him chase but fell 18 points shy. He might have finished closer had he not spent 60 minutes in the penalty box. There was little to choose between the top three offences. Peterborough scored 275 goals while both Hamilton and St. Catharines registered 269. The Burners had only one other top ten marksman, ex-Excelsior Jack Sibbald. Double Blue littered the scoring list. Al Frick placed fourth and Ted Howe was close behind him. Defending I.C.L.L. champ Jim McNulty found the going tough back in the OLA. He finished eighth with only 31 goals (compared to the 77 he'd scored out west the year before). Long Branch Monarchs struggled to score 219 goals. Ralph McCormick was their solo top ten performer.

Hamilton disposed of Long Branch in four quick games to begin the playoffs. The Peterborough/St. Catharines series was a longer one practically before it could start! Game One was twice rained out before the defending champs dumped St. Catharines 14-8. Bob 'Rock' Batley, Dan Quinlan and Ike Hildebrand each had hat-tricks. The Athletics surprised Peterborough by winning the next contest 11-10. Doug Smith scored four times and Jim McNulty added a trio. The Trailermen responded with a confident 16-9 win. Bob Curtis bulged the twine six times and Jack Mason aided the cause with six points. In his first playoff game Paul Parnell scored two goals and three points. Back at the Garden City Arena the Double Blues evened the series at 2-2. The scoring was well balanced as they won 11-7. Bill Allen had a pair of goals in his first game of the series. It was also Bob Thorpe's first appearance. He counted two goals and two assists. Net-minder Pete Morningstar was the A's star of the game. The victory was marred by an ugly penalty box brawl which drew both benches in. In the midst of it all was Rock Batley who hit timer Bill Frick over the right eye. Plenty of fist and stick swinging followed. After ten minutes the lights in the arena were turned out. The squads definitely needed to cool off before the next encounter and Mother Nature cooperated. The fifth game at the Miller Bowl was twice postponed because of rain. Finally the OLA shifted the match to St. Catharines. Indoors the Trailermen ended the homer series with a 10-8 triumph. St. Catharines was without Jim McNulty and none of his teammates could manage to beat Lloyd Wotton more than twice. Bob Curtis' hat-trick led the Petes and Junior scoring champ Ron Jay tallied a couple. Eventually the weather cleared and the series returned to the Miller Bowl. The defending champs finished the A's off in style with a 20-5 romp. Six goals each for Hildebrand and Batley.

The well rested Lincoln Burners waited. Peterborough easily bounced them 13-5 on September 6th. Curtis and Batley both registered hat-tricks. Hamilton came back with a 15-10 home win. Max Woolley scored four times and Ivan Thomas chipped in three. Next the defending champs were give a scare at the Miller Bowl but escaped with a 12-10 victory. Ross Powless scored six points in the loss. Curtis' four goals saved the home side. Ray Hill stumped the Petes' shooters in Game Four, a 10-8 Burner victory. Thomas was high man with three goals. Peterborough continued to be perfect at home thanks to a 9-4 win. A crowd of only 1,000 cheered the Trailermen on. Hamilton coach Powless protested the game due to what he considered inefficient refereeing from Lewis Vipond and Chuck Simpson. The protest failed. Peterborough claimed their sixth straight league title the next evening in Hamilton. They won 14-12 as Thorpe and Lou Nickle both scored four times. Powless also had a four goal night.

Nanaimo Timbermen were on their way east. They easily won the I.C.L.L. championship with 28 wins and only 6 losses. They also averaged over fifteen goals per game. Their high powered offence featured five top ten scorers, four of them Ontario boys. For the Mann Cup they picked up Jim Bradshaw and Bill Bamford from Victoria. Bradshaw would play in all five games, while Bamford would see action in three. Two Timbermen, Bob Allan and player/coach Harry Wipper, had been on the '55 Trailermen squad.

Peterborough would count heavily on pick ups and junior call ups for the series. Ike Hildebrand would play in only one game due to his hockey commitments. Pick up Ross Powless would be the Trailermen's second best scorer. Max Woolley and Doug Smith would appear in four and three games respectively. Junior Ron Jay would score five goals in five games. Dan Quinlan and Paul Parnell would also play in every game.

Only once had a western team won in the east. Back in 1908 the New Westminster Salmonbellies had won the Minto Cup in Montreal and taken the trophy back to the west coast. Almost fifty years later B.C. Lacrosse would have another breakthrough. Loaded with six eastern boys, who scored 30 of the Timbermen's 50 goals in the final, Nanaimo upset Peterborough in five games. The Trailermen outscored the westerners 51-50 but lost all the close games. The worm had turned on the eastern champs. Due to their success, lacrosse was booming in Peterborough, meaning that the Trailermen could field their most local team ever. Local, accept for the loss of Peterborough boy Bob Allan. Allan crushed his former team with nine goals and fifteen points to lead the series in scoring. Derry Davies and Bob Curtis both scored ten goals, as Davies was named MVP. Allan would return to his hometown the next year. The Trailermen continued to move away from relying on imports. However Vancouver Island was teeming with eastern stars. On top of that New Westminster was about to get into the act. The '56 win for Nanaimo was a sign of things to come. Home advantage would no longer help the O. L. A. champs.

1957 - THE ALLAN FIASCO

The darkest incident in C. L. A. history descended upon lacrosse on the eve of the '57 Mann Cup. In the past, and the future, the C. L. A. had had serious disagreements with the Ontario or B.C. leagues or individual clubs. Every time the C. L. A. had backed down because the organization's role was purely symbolic, it had no real power because, unlike the O. L. A. and I.C.L.L., it had no teams. The Orillia tour of the west in 1934 was the perfect example. The C. L. A. threatened suspensions for every player involved, yet backed down hastily when Ontario and B.C. presented a united front against them. Likewise for Alberta's entry in the 2000 Minto Cup. The C. L. A. huffed and puffed about making the O. L. A. and B.C.J.L.L. champs play for the Dixie Cup but, in the end, the national governing body had to give way. So long as that united front was maintained the C. L. A. could do nothing. At the end of the '57 season there was no united front, thus the C. L. A. refused to back down - to the eternal regret of the Peterborough Trailermen.

It all involved Peterborough native Bob Allan. Allan had left the Petes to join Nanaimo for the 1956 season. He came east with the Timbermen and defeated his former mates in the Mann Cup Final. Even though Peterborough had lost Harry Wipper and Allan both to Nanaimo - and the rules stated you could not lose two players to the same team - there was no protest made. Yet the next spring Allan decided to return to the Trailermen. The problem was that Allan had already signed to play for Nanaimo again. He rejoined the Peterborough Seniors without getting his release. No problem. In an incredibly revisionist act O. L. A. Commissioner Ed Blair did the Trailermen a favour by ruling that Allan's initial transfer to Nanaimo had been illegal. So Allan had the okay to resume his Peterborough career. Permission granted by the O. L. A. , however the I.C.L.L. and C. L. A. still considered Bob Allan Nanaimo property. There would be trouble if Peterborough went west for the Mann Cup.

Naturally the defending O. L. A. champs were expected to win a record seventh straight title. They had only three competitors, Long Branch Pontiacs, St. Catharines Athletics and Hamilton Lincoln Burners. The schedule was shortened and Peterborough waltzed to first place with a 13-5 record. Long Branch surprisingly kept pace, finishing only two points back. Both Hamilton and St. Catharines had losing records.

Bob Allan won a scoring title for the third successive year. He was the league's only 50 goal scorer and his 96 points placed him comfortably ahead of Hamilton's Jim McNulty (another former I.C.L.L. scoring champ). Bob Curtis, Ike Hildebrand and Bob Batley were Peterborough's other leading scorers. Defending scoring champ Ross Powless had another strong year with Hamilton. The Burners also picked up veteran Jerry Fitzgerald.

In the semi-finals, Long Branch swept St. Catharines. Hamilton, on the other hand, gave the Trailermen all they could handle. Peterborough narrowly won the opener 10-9, despite a six point effort from McNulty. The next couple of games Allan went to work. His seven points helped the Petes to a 15-13 win. That was followed by a five goal effort in a 13-9 decision. Hamilton was down 3-0 but did not give up. The Trailermen were without Bob Allan for the next pair of contests and the Burners took advantage. Ray Main scored four goals and Jerry Fitzgerald had eight points in a 17-16 thriller. Next Jim McNulty had a five point night as Hamilton won 13-6. Peterborough scrambled to get Allan and Lou Nickle back in the line up for Game Six. They doubled the Burners 14-7, thanks to a nine point effort from Bob Curtis. Bob Allan chipped in with a hat-trick and Nickle scored three points.

Rested Long Branch awaited the winners, however the young Pontiacs would run into a red-hot Lloyd Wotton. They managed only four goals in Game One as the defending champions set the tone for the series with a seven goal victory. Allan scored four times and helped on four others. The match in Long Branch was a tight 9-8 Peterborough win. Bob Batley was high man with four counters. The Trailermen then won 13-9. The game had to be called early due to a brawl with 30 seconds remaining. As things got out of hand the lights were turned off. The result of the donneybrook was that both clubs had to post a $100 bond guaranteeing their good behaviour in the next contest. They did keep it clean as Peterborough claimed another 9-8 road win. As the Trailermen headed west it appeared that Long Branch's season was over. Concluded for everyone except Florie Tomchishen, the one Pontiac picked up by the eastern champs. But looks can be deceiving. Especially when Peterborough were heading to Victoria for a showdown with the C. L. A., plus their own O. L. A. commissioner!

The battle lines were drawn early: the C. L. A. would not allow the Trailermen to use Bob Allan. Technically they were correct that Allan had signed to play for Nanaimo, therefore he could not play for Peterborough. Yet the hypocrisy was tough to stomach. Besides Nanaimo breaking the rules the previous year, St. Catharines players were all over B.C., including Jim Bradshaw - Victoria's top scorer. Had the Athletics ever been compensated for this loss of talent? Of course they hadn't! Still the west stood by their belief that Peterborough native Bob Allan was Nanaimo property.

The news was all over Victoria, heightening interest in the Final. Over 3,000 fans turned out for the opening match. Unfortunately for them there was much going on behind the scenes as game time drew near. Peterborough planned to play the game with Allan and fight about it after. If they lost the opening contest there wouldn't even be a protest, thus everyone might be able to settle down and play lacrosse. So long as the Trailermen held their ground, past and future history suggested that the C.L.A. would back down. They couldn't have a Dominion championship with four forfeited games!

What followed did not have to happen. Unluckily it did. Ed Blair intervened. He met with Peterborough team manager Bob Curtin and President Max Kaye. He was not representing anyone but himself but he led the Trailermen officials to believe he was presenting a threat on behalf of the C.L.A. That was exactly what he did, threatened to have the Peterborough players banned from ALL sports if they played with Bob Allan. What Blair's motives were are unfathomable. As O.L.A. Commissioner he was suppose to be acting on behalf of the eastern champs. Had he done his job the C.L.A. would have backed down and the Peterborough/Victoria series would have taken place as it should have. Instead he sent the Peterborough officials into a panic - over a threat he could not back up. Kaye and Curtin losing their heads was the next key to this disaster. Common sense dictated that the C.L.A. couldn't ban lacrosse players from other sports. As for being banned from lacrosse, that possibility had not worried anyone prior to the Blair threat. In fairness to the Peterborough officials, Ed Blair was suppose to be their ally, representing their interests throughout the entire controversy. His threat indicated that the O.L.A. had decided to abandon Peterborough. Consequently the panic.

The next decision sealed Peterborough's fate. The Trailermen were a proud team which truly believed they had a right to use Bob Allan. They had the moral high ground, therefore they were not going to back down. However the threat of an all sports ban if they played with Allan spooked them. The only way to get around that was to not play at all. Thus Curtin and Kaye instructed the players not to play. It was the worst decision they could have made! After a 45 minute delay the game was forfeited to Victoria.

It was hard to believe the two sides couldn't have sat down and sorted through the misunderstanding caused by the Blair threat. Unfortunately Peterborough had gone too far by not taking the floor for Game One. The C.L.A. could not back down now. Their response was truly vindictive.

The Peterborough team was kicked out of its hotel and had to get home at its own expense because their return plane tickets had been confiscated. On top of that, each player - except for Florie Tomchishen - was suspended from the game for five years. Tomchishen would still get to play for the Mann Cup because the C.L.A. flew out Long Branch to replace the Trailermen. They were destroyed by Victoria in four straight - outscored 51-23!

There was one great lacrosse series in 1957 and it involved Peterborough. The Junior U.E.W.'s had finished first and met defending O.L.A. champion Brampton in the league final. The result was a memorable series. Peterborough won at home 14-9, thanks to hat-tricks from Larry Ferguson, Paul Parnell and Pete Heffernan. They were defeated in Brampton 13-5 as Bob Pulford scored three times. Dan Quinlan missed the second game with a broken nose but he returned to score twice in the next contest. The UEW's won 16-12. The Excelsiors evened the series with a 9-6 win. Bert Naylor and Gord Thompson each potted a pair of goals. The home teams continued to win. Ron Jay scored four times in a 14-9 victory. Brampton responded with a 14-8 triumph as four different players scored twice. The stage was set for a seventh game in Peterborough. A crowd of 1,200 filled the Civic Arena. It was a tight nail-biter to the end. Bob Pulford bulged the twine three times, Larry Ferguson and Ron Jay counted deuces, plus Wayne and Gord Thompson fired in a pair each. Gord Thompson's two goals were the most important. With the home side leading 8-7, Thompson tied the contest with 8:46 remaining on a shorthanded effort. Five minutes later he scored the winner.

That would be the final junior game for all the Peterborough kids. With the Senior club suspended, the entire team moved up for the next season. With Peterborough out of Junior the coast was clear for Brampton to run off three consecutive Canadian championship seasons. Ed Blair's threat was having an effect on all levels of lacrosse. The bitterness of the entire Allan episode would continue to haunt the game, even having an effect on the 1961 Minto Cup!

* I would like to thank Don Barrie for his research into this incident. It was his Peterborough Examiner column which enlightened us all.

1958 - A NEW CHAMPION

One wonders if Commissioner Ed Blair had seen enough Peterborough championships and wanted to end the dynasty at all costs. If that was his goal his actions in Victoria the previous September succeeded perfectly. Peterborough fielded a team for the '58 season, however with all their Senior players suspended from lacrosse for five years the team was made up of Junior players. Hardly the recipe for a successful title defence. Peterborough's provincial dominance was about to end.

The kids gave a good account of themselves. Larry Ferguson won the scoring championship, Cy Coombes and Paul Parnell both scored over 30 goals and Dan Quinlan had a 45 point season. The Petes even made the playoffs by grabbing fourth spot with a 9-14 record.

The league had grown to six teams with the return of Brampton and Mimico. The Excelsiors had a strong, young club. They placed second with a 17-5 record. Bill Castator was the leader of a very balanced attack. Other notable marksmen were: Revis Bennett, Bill Wanless, Clarke Pulford and Jack Madgett. Mimico's final attempt at Senior lacrosse had them floundering at the bottom of the league with only three victories. The didn't have a single scorer make the top twenty. On their last visit to Peterborough they were beaten 14-6. Prior to the game a minute's silence was held was the recent passing of Lou Vitarelli. Vitarelli had played Senior prior to the Mann Cup winning years and had coached the Peterborough Juniors in the early fifties.

One other change to the circuit was St. Catharines' move out of the Garden City. They headed down the road to Welland, becoming the Crowland-Switsons. Ironically they had more local St. Catharines talent then the A's had had. Nip O'Hearn came home, plus none of the '57 Athletics jumped ship. The Switsons rolled to first place with a 19-2 record. Don Baker finished runner up for the scoring championship. Skip Teal, Doug Smith, O'Hearn, Ron Roy, Ted Howe and veteran Jim McMahon all made the top ten scorers.

Long Branch Monarchs placed a disappointing third with 11 wins and 10 losses. Larry Ruse was their best player with 41 goals and 58 points. Florie Tomchishen was next with 21 goals and 21 assists.

Hamilton Lincoln Burners last season of Senior lacrosse was not too successful. They missed the playoffs and won only seven games. They had imported more talent but it still wasn't enough to keep the franchise from failing. Ross Powless was again one of the league's leading playmakers. His 35 assists were second only to Nip O'Hearn. Scoring the majority of Hamilton's goals were Willie Logan, Jim McNulty and Tony D'Amico.

The regular season concluded without finishing the schedule. Bad weather cancelled many games and prevented some from being replayed.

The playoffs went according to form. Welland defeated Long Branch 4 games to 2 and Brampton dispatched the defending champs in five games. Larry Ferguson missed the entire series with an injury. In the OLA Final, the Switsons swept the Excelsiors four straight. They took the first game 11-9. Hattricks for Doug Smith, Skip Teal and Joe McNulty. 12-8 was the seond game result. The third contest was a 16-4 rout. Jim McMahon scored six goals. Welland nipped Brampton 10-9 in the concluding match. Harvey Madgett was top playoff scorer with 11 goals and 21 points. Clarke Pulford scored 19 points.

Once again the O.L.A. cause was lost in the Mann Cup without Peterborough to represent the province. Welland was no match for the New Westminster Salmonbellies. The Fishmen made it twelve consecutive victories for the I.C.L.L. with four impressive road wins. Only in Game Two did the Switsons challenge. After Justin Howe had been blasted from the Welland goal in the 20-7 opener, the Switsons hastily rushed Gordie Johnston into the net. Johnston had only just returned east and not played a single game in the O.L.A. Yet eastern hopes rested on him and he gave a spectacular performance. He held the Salmonbellies to seven goals in a 7-4 loss. New Westminster solved Johnston by the next match and ran away with a 17-6 win. Welland turned to Jack Timlock for the finale but he also could not stop the westerners. The Fishmen won going away 14-6.

Skip MacKay led all scorers with 22 points. Ken Oddy was top goal-getter with 11. Les Norman began his sensational Mann Cup career by holding Welland to 5.75 goals per game. Skip Teal was best for the Switsons with 5 goals and 9 points. No one else on the O.L.A. champs averaged more than a point a game.

photo courtesy of Chris McNulty

1959 - RETURN OF THE PETES

With Ed Blair gone as Senior Commissioner, the past wrong inflicted upon Peterborough lacrosse was corrected. The five year suspensions were dropped and all members of the '57 Trailermen were allowed back into the game. The C.L.A. quietly accepted this decision and lacrosse returned to normal. Which naturally meant another Senior championship for Peterborough!

Bob Allan came back to win yet another scoring championship - his fourth straight! Bob Curtis and Lou Nickle were also top ten scorers, along with second year star Larry Ferguson. Lloyd Wotton returned to goal but had to share the duty with Pat Baker. Wotton started 15 games, winning 11 and surrendering 113 goals, for a goals against average of 7.5. Baker saw action in 8 contests, winning 6 and giving up 83 goals, for an average of 10.38. It was a unique situation to have the great Moon sharing work with the soon to be great Pat Baker. It was a moment when two eras overlapped and Peterborough fans had the opportunity to watch two of the best net-minders all time in action.

Other returnees from exile included: Bob Batley, Carl Brioux, Frank Farley, Jack Mason and Jerry O'Reilly. The club was now known as the Mercurys. After splitting their opening two games against Brampton, Peterborough ran off a 10 game winning streak. They coasted to first place with a 17-6 record, the only team with a winning record in the league.

The defending champions spent their second and final season in Welland. Ron Roy had another great year. He led the league with 52 goals and finished runner up for scoring honours. Newcomer Dave Hall also impressed as he placed tenth in the scoring race. Doug Smith did not. Four games into the season he battled with both referees during a match against Long Branch. Smith was suspended for the remainder of the year. Without their perennial leading scorer the Switsons struggled through an 11-11 season.

Long Branch and Brampton made up the bottom half of the league. The Monarchs finished 10-14, while the Excelsiors ended up last with 8 wins and 15 losses. Florie Tomchishen led the lakeshore crew in scoring with 33 goals and 52 points. Brampton had three top ten scorers: Clarke Pulford, Bert Russell and Jack Madgett.

The Mercurys saved their best for last. They did lose one Semi Final game to Long Branch. The Monarchs scored 14 goals in that one victory but only 17 in four defeats. Brampton upset Welland in six games to reach the Final. Peterborough swept them four straight, outscoring them 48-19. Lloyd Wotton played every playoff game. His post season goals against average was 5.56!

1960 - PORT CREDIT ARENA OPENS

Long Branch Monarchs found a new home to begin the season. They moved down the lakeshore a short distance to an arena by the Credit River which looked more like a big barn. Thus the Port Credit Sailors were born. Like the Welland Switsons, they would have immediate success. In fact Port Credit lacrosse fans would quickly be spoiled. First they would host a Mann Cup Final, then the next year the Minto Cup would come to town.

It was still a four team Senior League. Brampton and Peterborough were back, Long Branch had moved to Port Credit and Welland had returned to St. Catharines. It wasn't a very offensive league. Teams averaged under ten goals per game for only the third time in O.L.A. Box history. The 1960 season was the lowest scoring since 1932. Port Credit was the only club to average over ten goals per game - 241 in 24 games! Peterborough had the only faltering defence as they surrendered an astronomical 11.82 goals per outing! Pat Baker was slow to fill Lloyd Wotton's shoes.

Port Credit Memorial Arena drew a crowd of 1,000 for its first game. The Sailors defeated Brampton 10-6. At a later date an exhibition game was held which raised $700 for a crippled childrens fund. Port Credit beat Long Branch 12-7.

It was a winning year for coach Elmer Lee and his Sailors. They took first place with a 17-7 record, the only team with a winning record. St. Catharines followed at 10-11-1, Brampton 11-13 and Peterborough a distant 7-14-1. The Athletics grabbed second on the strength of winning one 4 point game against the Mercurys. Yes Peterborough actually finished in last place! How quickly the mighty had fallen. The team was virtually unchanged from the previous year. They were without Bob Allan (who played only one game) however Ike Hildebrand replaced him and was a top ten scorer as usual. Lou Nickle had jumped ship to Port Credit. The key difference: no Lloyd Wotton. Pat Baker was a very good goaltender but with Moon gone the Mercurys lost that decade old psychological edge. Baker in Peterborough and Bob McCready with the Whitby Juniors, at that time, would lead lacrosse net-minding into the modern era. Baker scored 1 goal and picked up 13 assists in his first year as undisputed starter. Wotton didn't even have 13 career assists to his name - though he did score a goal once!

There were some great shooters in the league but none managed to score 50 goals. The closest were Ron Roy and Brian Aherne (43), Florie Tomchishen (42), and Larry Ferguson (40). Roy was also top playmaker with 27 assists and edged Tomchishen for the scoring title by 5 points. It was a young league as few players' Senior careers extended back to the 1940s. Ike Hildebrand was one of the exceptions. After sitting out two seasons he was back as fresh as ever. Bob Thorpe was the other old-timer. He returned to Double Blue for a handful of games.

Once again everyone made the playoffs! The Excelsiors were looking for another semi-final upset and started by winning in Port Credit. The Sailors answered by doubling Brampton 12-6. Dave 'Porky' Russell was even better the next night as he held the Excelsiors to two goals. Only Gord Thompson and Jack Madgett beat him as Port Credit won 6-2. Wayne Thompson scored four goals in Game Four, yet Brampton still lost 8-6. The Maroons did win once more. Wayne Thompson scored three more and Bill Wanless also had a hattrick in an 8-5 victory. The Sailors ended the series with a narrow 8-7 triumph.

For the first time in ten years Peterborough lost an O.L.A. playoff series with all their senior players dressed. St. Catharines earned the honour and dispatched them in five games. The opener was an offensive treat. The A's won 16-7 as Ron Roy scored seven times and Larry Ferguson blasted five in. The next evening Bob Curtis' five goal effort helped the Mercurys to their lone win, 14-11. Back home the Double Blues again shot the lights out. They outscored Peterborough 17-6, Jim McNulty leading with five markers. St. Catharines grabbed a strangle hold on the series with a 14-8 win. Six point nights from Gary Carr and McNulty for the winners. Jack Timlock starred in the finale, a convincing 11-3 victory.

The Athletics went into the Final without Jim McNulty, away in Charlotte, North Carolina. They would miss him as Porky Russell was at his best. Three goals were all the visitors could manage on August 30th. Larry Ruse and Paul Henderson both scored a pair and that was enough. The Sailors added a few more to register a 7-3 victory. St. Catharines doubled their total at home, thanks to a four goal game from Roy. Brian Aherne matched that effort, plus Ruse and George Kapasky contributed hat-tricks. Port Credit took it 11-6. Another 11-6 game gave the Sailors a commanding 3-0 lead. The Double Blues finally solved Russell by Game Four. They won 12-6 as Dave Hall scored five points. Porky was back on form for the last contest. Aherne's four goals were sufficient as Port Credit won 8-3.

Next came the daunting task of facing the ICLL champion. Port Credit got a nice break when third place Nanaimo Labatts, with their 15-14 record, upset 20-10 Vancouver in six games. It wasn't really that big a break for Porky Russell. He would have to face two of the west's top scorers, 70 goal man Jack Bionda and 41 goal-getter Skip MacKay. Nanaimo also had four time Mann Cup winner Don Ashbee and three timer Arn Dugan. Not to forget veteran Archie Browning, who had played more senior games than half the Sailor line up combined! The Labatts came east with ten Canadian champions in their line-up. To meet them was Port Credit's lone former winner Lou Nickle. And just to make a sure thing safe, Nanaimo picked up Les Norman to back up Fred Fulla. With three consecutive sweeps and sixteen straight wins in the books, western fans can be forgiven for packing brooms.

The Mann Cup's greatest upset ever began with Russell out-duelling Fulla in a 10-9 nail-biter. Nanaimo had received its wake up call. They got an even bigger jolt when they lost the second match 12-11! By Game Three the Labatts meant business. They led 12-8 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. A stunning twenty minutes followed as the Sailors outscored them 9-1 to win 17-13! Invincible Les Norman was called to work in relief of an ailing Fred Fulla for Game Four. Norman extended his perfect Mann Cup record to 9-0 as the westerners bounced back with an 11-5 win. Could the OLA be in store for the ultimate embarrassment, blowing a 3-0 lead? Not this year. Larry Ruse solved Norman by scoring three second half goals as Port Credit took the fifth game 9-7. Poor Archie Browning! He'd seen Favell, Wotton and now Russell. In his final Mann Cup appearance he had been beaten for the fifth time. He'd retire with only one championship, way back in 1947.

It was no surprise Porky Russell was named series MVP. In five games he stopped 154 shots, over 30 a night! Skip MacKay led the series with 10 goals and 19 points. Jack Bionda had 8 and 17 points. Don Ashbee also chipped in with 8 goals. Overall Nanaimo outscored the new champions 53-51. No one on Port Credit finished more than 13 points. Larry Ruse led them with 10 goals. Brian Aherne and George Kapasky followed with 8 each. Florie Tomchishen added 7. Of course statistics are for losers - as the Sailors proved.

After two last place seasons in the Junior ranks Whitby went about turning things around in 1960. With sponsorship from Red Wing Orchards, Coach Bev Groves signed last year juniors Terry Davis (from Peterborough) and Bob 'Buff' McCready (from St. Catharines). McCready was already a seasoned veteran with a wanderlust. A couple of years earlier he had started in goal for Cornwall, a team which played a series of exhibition games against O.L.A. Senior opponents.

The Red Wings went from last to first, though their record of 13-6-1 was one of the worst of any pennant winner in O.L.A. Jr. A history. The problem was winning on the road. Neither Whitby, nor any of its rivals, could do so with consistency. In the Semi Finals fourteen games were played and the home side won every one! St. Catharines and Long Branch both fell one game short. The final series had a sixth game shocker when the Red Wings won in Brampton, taking the series 4 games to 2.

With only one victory in six post season games, the future did not look bright for the west coast bound Ontario champions. Indeed Whitby fell to New Westminster 4 games to 1. The Salmonbellies took the first game 16-10. Doug Wallsmith led them with four goals and an assist. Terry Davis scored four times for Whitby and Bryan Gibson had a hat-trick. Buff McCready helped on two markers. The Red Wings lone win was a 15-9 contest. Gibson and Wally Thorne scored three and Mike Gates had a trio for the losers. The remaining matches were New Westminster victories of 12-5, 8-4 and 11-7. Gates counted five points in Game Three, a goal in the fourth encounter and two goals in the finale.

1961 - A YEAR OF FIRSTS

This was the year lacrosse abandoned Peterborough, however Peterborough did not abandon lacrosse. The Senior club folded thus players like Larry Ferguson and Bob Batley headed down the road to Brooklin and joined their new Senior franchise. The Junior Petes also left town, relocating to the east. Thus the first Hastings Legionnaires club entered Jr. A play. It was an all Peterborough side, however they would be based in Hastings for the next seven years.

The Legionnaires wasted no time making history. They finished second to Brampton during regular season play but produced the greatest comeback ever in Jr. A. Brampton won the first three games in the League Final by scores of 8-2, 12-10 and 10-9. Then the Legionnaires fought back with victories of 9-6, 7-6 and 9-5. For the seventh game in Brampton they were at their very best, winning 11-5! The first and only time a team has come from three games down in league history!

Hastings odyssey was far from complete. Being an odd numbered year they should have hosted the Minto Cup, however Port Credit had been chosen as the site for the series. Despite strenuous appeals to have the series moved to Peterborough the C.L.A. would not budge. Thus the final was played in front of small crowds. The most fanatical supporters of Peterborough lacrosse thought the C.L.A. was still out to get Peterborough. Such fanatics would soon be joined by less biased fans as the C.L.A. was about to pull something out of its hat - and it wasn't a rabbit!

The last neutral site Minto Cup began as any Dominion championship should. Burnaby won the opener 13-11, then Hastings rebounded to win the second contest 11-10. Burnaby scored the tying goal at the buzzer but the referee ruled the ball had entered the net too late. The westerners appealed the decision. Brampton pick up John McCauley was outstanding with six points for the second straight night. For the third game, Saturday night, Grant Heffernan scored four times as the Legionnaires won again. The next night Ken Ruttan and Whitby pick up John Davis scored hat-tricks as Hastings took a 3-1 series lead. Thus by Tuesday evening the Peterborough kids made the long trip back to Port Credit knowing they could win the Canadian championship that night. They got quite a surprise to arrive at the arena and discover that the C.L.A. had overruled the referee's decision at the end of Game Two, awarded Burnaby the goal and declared the game an 11-11 tie! The first and only tie in Minto Cup play since the field era. By the end of the night the series was even at 2-2-1 as the Lakers won Game Five. Temporarily stunned but undaunted, the Legionnaries responded like true champions. Jim Vilneff scored five points as Hastings won Wednesday's match. On Friday they clinched the championship as Fergus pick up Gary Landoni scored twice and Dave Drummond had three points. Hastings 4, Burnaby 2 and 1 tie.

In Senior, Peterborough was replaced by Niagara Falls Scobies and Brooklin Hillcrests. Niagara Falls did not work out. Their one year in the league saw them win only three times and give up more than twice as many goals as they scored. On the other hand, Brooklin was a great success. Rookie Terry Davis won the scoring championship, Brooklin finished fourth with a 10-14 record and they gave a good account of themselves in the Semi Finals by battling Brampton for seven games. It was defensive lacrosse at its best as both teams managed to score 10 goals in a game only once. Brampton took the last game 9-5.

The league continued to be as defensive as ever as only Port Credit and St. Catharines averaged over ten goals per game. Junior lacrosse was just breaking out of its offensive slump, thanks in part to John Davis setting a rookie record with 92 goals. John also won the scoring championship, on a team that missed the playoffs! Thus the Davis brothers swept the Jr. A and Sr. A scoring races, something that had never been done before. To compare Junior to Senior, Davis' 92 goals were almost twice what anyone in Senior scored, though both leagues played 24 game schedules. Gary Moore led Senior with 47 goals, followed closely by Terry Davis and Larry Ruse both with 46.

Port Credit finished in first place and met third place St. Catharines to start the playoffs. Their six game series was the shortest of the O.L.A. post season. The last game went to double overtime before Lou Nickle beat Buff McCready. Russell and McCready surrendered only fifteen goals in 74 minutes.

The defensive struggles continued in the final. The Sailors took the opener 7-6. Larry Ruse scored the winner with seven minutes remaining. Brampton won at home 8-7 as Bob 'Duke' Savage out-dueled Dave 'Porky' Russell. Jim Thompson got one period of work in the final and it was a disaster for Brampton. He surrendered nine goals as Elmer Lee's crew won 11-4. That was the only time in the series Port Credit scored more than seven goals in a game. Brampton leveled the series with a 7-6 victory. Bruce Wanless broke the tie with over five minutes left. Game Five was ultra defensive until late in the second period. Port Credit took advantage of a Wanless penalty and scored two power play goals. That extended their lead to 4-1 and broke the game wide open. The Sailors won it 7-3. The Mann Cup holders were looking good in Game Six as well. They won the opening period 3-1. Brampton battled back to tie it and grabbed their first lead with a Bill Castator goal late in the second. They exploded for seven more in the third and won going away 13-7. That was the only time in the series Brampton scored more than eight goals in a game. The goaltending duel was back on for Game Seven. Duke Savage was solid but Porky Russell blinked during the second period. Brampton ran three goals past him to grab a 5-1 lead. Port Credit fought back and cut the lead to 6-4 with six minutes remaining. Gord Thompson scored two minutes later to clinch the win. It was Brampton's first championship since 1931!

1962 - A MOST INOFFENSIVE O.L.A.

Unless one liked to see plenty of goals. In that case it was a most frustrating year. In both major leagues the offences played second fiddle to the goaltenders and defences. It wasn't as bad as 1959, when Junior teams averaged less than 8 goals per game, however the Jr. A League has never again been as low scoring as it was in '62. The Fergus Thistles were twice shutout. Long Branch's Brian Cuddy did it on May 28th. Eleven days later Brampton's Gary Drysdale also blanked them.

Sr. A shooters also struggled. Despite a 24 game schedule there were no 50 goal scorers for the third consecutive season. In fact Gary Moore was the only player to reach the 40 plateau - even he did not average two goals per game! Moore became the first Athletic to win the scoring championship in twenty years and the last ever. He also did it on a last place team, the first to lead the league since Jack Gair tied Bill Isaacs in 1942. 1963 would be an even worse year for the offences in Senior. Yet 1962 was the lowest scoring season since the mid 1930s!

The O.L.A. champs also did nothing to offend their western counterparts. Brampton clubs won both Jr. A and Sr. A but were brushed aside by the B.C. boys. It would be fourteen years before the west again swept the Canadian championships. Sure enough 1976 was the next time Brampton won both provincial titles.

For the first time since 1940 the Senior League was identical to the previous year. The same four teams returned to play another 24 game schedule. That only goes to show how unstable the O.L.A. Senior League had been. Of course it had always been unstable. The same four teams would be back again the next season - a record three straight! Only on one other occasion would that be accomplished (1981-83). The rest of the O.L.A. Senior League's history was ninety years of teams coming or going or the schedule changing or the playoff format - absolutely nothing for the Ontario lacrosse fan to depend upon!

Brampton ran away with first place as they won nineteen games. They scored 242 goals, making them the only side to average ten per game. They succeeded with defence and great depth. Only Wayne Thompson and Bert Naylor were among the league's scoring leaders and neither averaged two points per game.

Brooklin was much improved and enjoyed their first winning season with thirteen victories. They added Cy Coombes and Bob Curtis, plus picked up Lou Nickle from Port Credit. Scoring champ Terry Davis made the jump to Nanaimo and the I.C.L.L. Glen Lotton finished runner up in the scoring race and Larry Ferguson was right behind him. Bob Batley and Coombes also made the top ten. The Hillcrests big offensive star was goaltender Pat Baker. In 34 regular season and playoff games, Baker scored once and racked up 31 assists.

Port Credit slipped to a 10-14 record. They lost Leo Teatro in mid season with a seven game suspension for throwing a ball at a referee. Florie Tomchishen led them in scoring, though Brian Aherne was their big gun in the playoffs.

St. Catharines slipped to last place with six wins and three times as many losses. Supporting Moore was Pete Berge with a 32 goal 52 point season.

For the third consecutive year Brampton and Port Credit met in the playoffs. Their Semi Final series lasted six games. With wins of 11-8 and 8-7, the Sailors were competitive. Brampton closed out the series with victories of 7-5 and 6-5 as net-minder Jim Thompson dominated.

In the other series, Brooklin dispatched St. Catharines in five games. The key was a fourth game 9-8 overtime win for the Hillcrests. They doubled the Athletics 12-6 at home to eliminate them.

The champions successfully defended their O.L.A. title in the final. After a 9-7 loss, Brooklin won their only game 8-4. Brampton took the next three contests by socres of: 13-5, 7-4 and 6-4.

Brampton picked up goaltender Pat Baker for the Mann Cup, along with his teammates Glen Lotton and Ken 'Red' Crawford. Florie Tomchishen was also added. Baker saw the bulk of the work against New Westminster. Still nothing could save the Ontario champions. New Westminster O'Keefes were led by Les Norman. Norman recorded the only ever I.C.L.L. shutout when he blanked Victoria 23-0 in a game that year. New West also had Peterborough imports Paul Parnell and Bob Allan. Jack Bionda joined them midway through the season and was also available for the Dominion championship. They won a thrilling seven game final over the Mann Cup holders from Vancouver. The deciding game was played at the hostile Kerrisdale Arena. The O'Keefes prevailed 13-9. After such a hard earned victory they headed east determined not to suffer the same fate as the Nanaimo Labatts. The result was yet another sweep for the I.C.L.L. As in 1958, New Westminster won on the road in four straight - the only teams to ever accomplish such a feat. Bionda was described as a man playing amongst boys. He scored sixteen points and took home the Mike Kelly Award. Bob Dobbie led Brampton with only nine points.

This marked the peak of B.C. dominance. They had won seven Mann Cups in eight years - 29 victories and only 6 defeats! There were more Mann Cups to come, however the O.L.A. champs would be much more competitive. The Minto Cup win was the West's seventh title in fifteen years. They would not win again until 1971 and would need special rules in their favour just to barely take that series. Ontario was about to claim complete control of Junior lacrosse and, with the exception of the odd break, they would own it for the next four decades.

1963 - JIM BISHOP RETURNS TO JUNIOR

The Green Gaels continued their tour of the province and landed in Oshawa. Regardless of where the team was based Jim Bishop could draw talent from all over. He had started in Oakville, in 1953, and posted a winning record immediately. The club finished fourth and fell to the defending Minto Cup champions in the semi-finals. Denny McIntosh was Bishop's star player. The next two seasons were spent in Newmarket. A pair of first place finishes as McIntosh was joined by such talented youngsters as Don Baker, Bill Davenport, Hugh Devine, Charlie Ludlow, Jack Madgett, Ralph McCormick and Clarke Pulford. Both years the Gaels faltered in the Final, losing seven game series to Long Branch. The next experiment was in Mimico and a disastrous last place finish. Bishop headed north and the Huntsville Green Gaels were born in 1957. By that time only Devine remained from the great Newmarket teams. The result was another losing season, only 3 wins and 15 losses. Like Napoleon retreating from Moscow, Jim Bishop fled to the minors to start from scratch all over again.

While Bishop revitalized small town lacrosse, turning Huntsville into a provincial power at the minor level as he coached as many as five teams a year, far to the south Ontario County was embracing the game again. Since the glory years of the Oshawa Generals at the end of the field era, the only county lacrosse had been the Brooklin Intermediates. The County Town of Whitby joined Junior to replace Peterborough in 1958. A 1-17 record plus a playoff sweep was the best they could do. Whitby did have some talent, namely Olympian Brian Gibson and Glen Lotton. In '59 they finished 3-21 and missed the playoffs. By that time Terry Davis had joined from Peterborough. The next year came the Whitby Red Wings Minto Cup run as they ended Brampton's three year reign. By 1961 the Red Wings had added the greatest Junior of them all, John Davis, but they fell to sixth place and dropped out of Jr. A at the end of the season.

Thus it was up to Jim Bishop to pick up the pieces in 1963. He moved his sporting goods store to Oshawa, took a job at CKLB Radio and returned the Green Gaels to Jr. A. Huntsville products Tom Conlin and David Lough joined Bishop from Brampton, plus John Davis returned to Ontario County after a year in Hastings. The result was a strong 17-7 record, tied for second place. This time the Gaels would not falter in the playoffs. Unlike the Newmarket teams, the Oshawa squad had a 16 year old goaltender named Merv Marshall who would not allow his team to lose. There would be no choke in the O.L.A. Finals. Bishop's Boys went through the league post season with a 10-2 record, both losses coming in Brampton. That earned them the right to host the Minto Cup, facing the defending champion Victoria Shamrocks.

Oshawa won the opening game at the Whitby Arena 10-7. Conlin scored three times and Lough picked up four points. The home side won the next contest 11-4. Davis was high man with a hat-trick. The Shamrocks fought back with wins in the next two matches. They took a 10-9 game in spite of five goals and two assists from Brampton pick up John McCauley. Victoria then overcame a four goal effort by John Davis to win 9-6. In the end they could not overcome the net-minding of Marshall. Davis scored five points, Alderwood pickup Wally Hutzel four more and Larry Ireland added a hat-trick as the Gaels won 12-6. An 11-6 victory followed as McCauley scored three times and Tom Conlin had four points. For the first time the Jim McConaghy Trophy was presented to the series MVP. Merv Marshall became the inaugural winner.

Seventeen years work had finally been rewarded as Jim Bishop had won the Minto Cup. He was only beginning. Of far greater importance was the influence this success and the ones to follow would have on the game. Ontario County lacrosse had finally been established and Durham Region lacrosse would come to dominate the game. Had Bishop not moved down from Huntsville there might not have been Minto Cup winners in Oshawa and Whitby, or Mann Cup winners in Brooklin. Bishop's greatest legacy would be the number of his players who would go on to coaching success. Jim Hinkson ('80 Minto Cup), John McCauley ('80 Mann Cup), Peter Vipond ('84 Minto, 5 Mann Cups), Neil Armstrong ('85 Minto), David Lough ('98 & '00 Mintos) and Derek Keenan (Toronto Beaches). Not to forget championship assistant coach Elmer Tran or the influence Bishop had on the legendary Bob Hanna. The move to Oshawa was one of the most important lacrosse events of the past forty years!

On the senior front, the Brooklin Merchants were already banging at the Mann Cup door. Glen Lotton and Cy Coombes swept the top two scoring positions as Brooklin finished in first place with a 15-9 record. St. Catharines were right behind them at 14-9. The A's had top scorers Jim McNulty, Gary Moore, Doug Smith and Gerry Cheevers (future NHL goaltender). Port Credit and Brampton both had losing seasons.

Alas the Merchants failed to profit from their regular season success and went bankrupt in the playoffs. Brooklin began well, with a 10-6 home victory. Port Credit responded with a 7-5 win. Then they took control of the series with a 7-6 road triumph. A 9-6 win followed giving the Sailors a commanding 3-1 lead. Brooklin came back with a 14-3 win followed by a convincing 13-6 victory in Port Credit. Yet Porky Russell silenced the Merchant shooters in the crucial seventh game. Port Credit won it 5-3.

The other series also looked like an upset as last place Brampton grabbed a 3-1 lead on St. Catharines. The Athletics stormed back with three consecutive victories. They immediately extended their winning streak to seven games as they swept the Sailors in the league final. The first senior championship for St. Catharines since 1946. It would be their last ever!

The Double Blues were hardly expected to win the Mann Cup even though the series was moved from the west coast to essentially neutral site Cornwall, Ontario. In fact they were not even expected to win a game. Vancouver Carlings had finished first in the I.C.L.L. with a 22-7-1 record. Their top scorers were Gord Gimple, Sid Warick and Bill Barbour, plus they had first team all star goaltender Merv Schweitzer and all star defencemen Bill Chisholm and Wayne Pecknold. In the playoffs they defeated New Westminster four games to two.

They greeted the eastern champs by winning the first three games. St. Catharines then surprised everyone by taking Games Four and Five. Vancouver coach Alec McKay claimed that the Athletics were trying to maim his players. St. Catharines player/coach Jim McNulty replied, "If they don't like the wood, they should get out of the game." Yet penalty minutes hardly reflected brutal behaviour on the part of the visitors. In the series the Brew Boys racked up 156 minutes compared to the A's 94! Chalk it up to gamesmanship on the part of McKay. His whining ceased the moment Vancouver won the sixth game 12-6.

Gord Gimple was series leading scorer with thirteen goals and nineteen points. He also took home the Mike Kelly Award. John Cervi also had nineteen points and Wayne Pecknold popped in ten goals. Gary Moore led the A's with ten goals and fifteen points. Jr. A addition Doug Favell Jr. (the future NHLer) scored six points in five games. Pat Baker was picked up from Brooklin and split goaltending duty with Bob McCready. He had five assists in three games. Previously no net-minder had scored more than two points in a Mann Cup series.

1964 - BROOKLIN BREAKTHROUGH

The village of Brooklin won its first Ontario championship this year. Admittedly most of the talent was imported from Oshawa, Peterborough or Whitby, still it was a great accomplishment for a community of less than 2,000 people. In the Canadian Championship they would face the city of Vancouver...only in lacrosse!

Peterborough returned to the Senior Circuit and took away some of the Merchants talent. Cy Coombes headed home to become player/coach. Larry Ferguson joined him. Yet Brooklin did hang on to Grant Heffernan, Ken Ruttan and, most importantly, Pat Baker. The Speedy Erns (yes that was the Petes' new nickname) had to settle for Russ Dunn in goal. Current Laker owner Ted Higgins saw two periods of action in relief and actually beat Port Credit. Plus Lloyd Wotton returned to goal one last time. He was the same superstitious Moon. He would not allow anyone to photograph him before a game. Also he always stepped into his pants right foot first. In his solo start, Wotton filled in for thirteen minutes against Brampton and only surrendered two goals before giving way to the late arriving Dunn.

The Merchants finished in first place with an 18-6 record, followed closely by Brampton at 15-9. Led by goaltender Baker, Brooklin had the best defence in the league, giving up only 197 goals.

The Excelsiors scored a league leading 271 goals. They were led by scoring champ Don Arthurs, the only Brampton player to make the top ten. For the first time in five years the league had a fifty goal scorer. Straight out of Junior, Arthurs counted 70 goals and 44 assists. Only one other player came close to 50 goals. Brooklin's Glen Lotton fell one shy at 49. He finished third in the scoring race, just ahead of his playmaking teammate Grant Heffernan. With 52 assists Heffernan became only the seventh player to count over 50 in one season and the first to do so since Ross Powless back in 1956.

St. Catharines was also in the hunt with 14 wins. They were followed by Peterborough at 10-14. Renown goal-scorer Cy Coombes finished second in the scoring race and second in playmaking with 49 assists. Port Credit and Huntsville both missed the playoffs with eight and seven wins respectively. The Sailors had lost Bob Hanna as the big guy jumped ship to join the Merchants. Huntsville was led by Minto Cup winner Tom Conlin and Fergus junior star John Roberts.

The previous year, Brooklin had won the Regular Season championship for the first time, then bombed out in the opening playoff round. The Merchants came from 3-1 down only to lose the seventh game at home to Port Credit. Against the defending champions the Red Shirts won three out of the first four, including a key 6-5 overtime contest. St. Catharines came back. Wins of 8-7 and 5-3 forced the series to its limit. The deciding match was a 10-9 thriller. Heffernan's deuce, including a shorthanded marker, saved Brooklin.

It was no picnic for the Excelsiors either as they dueled Peterborough for seven games. The home team won every single game convincingly. The series opener was the closest of the bunch. The Excelsiors won 14-11. Gord Thompson scored three goals and Larry Ferguson had a quartet for the Erns. Peterborough followed with a 15-10 victory. Thus the competitors went back and forth. Brampton 11-6, Peterborough 13-9, Brampton 13-7 and Peterborough 12-9. Wayne Platt took over in the Petes goal starting in Game Three. Jim Thompson went all the way for the Excelsiors. The sixth game in Peterborough drew just under 2,000 fans. Brampton ended the series by doubling the Speedy Erns 16-8. They won the first period 6-1 and never looked back. Ferguson had four goals and two assists for the losers.

This was the year Ontario lacrosse fans were treated to twenty-one playoff games in three series. The league final would also go the distance. After an opening victory, the Merchants ended Brampton's dominance at home. It took them over 80 minutes to defeat the Excelsiors though! Glen Lotton tied the contest with 44 seconds left in the third period. A ten minute overtime could not decide the game. 11 minutes and 48 seconds of sudden death lacrosse would also be necessary. Eventually Elmer Tran ended the second longest game in O.L.A. history, 11-10 Brooklin. Back home they went up three games by doubling the Excelsiors 12-4.

Next came the Excelsior comeback. Brampton looked to be in control during the fourth game but nearly lost it to a late Brooklin rally. Down 7-4, the Merchants scored two power play goals, then Glen Lotton tied it with a shorthanded marker in the final two minutes. Twelve seconds later, Junior call up John McCauley notched the winner. He added another with 38 seconds left. In Game Five the Excelsiors finally won a road playoff game. A five goal second period put them in position for the upset. With the contest knotted 5-5, John Spicer scored the winner with less then three minutes remaining in the third period. It came on a neat passing play from Bruce Wanless. The next match was another 6-5 win. The Brampton power play decided this one. They scored three times, while giving up two shorthanded. Ken Ruttan had a hat-trick for Brooklin but it wasn't enough. Bruce Castator counted the deciding goal, with the man-advantage, midway through the third period.

The deciding contest was a remarkable see-saw battle. Don Arthurs led the visitors with four goals, as Grant Heffernan countered with a five point game for the home side. It was Brampton's turn to jump ahead 3-0. That lead was cut to 4-3 by the end of the first period. They extended their advantage to 6-3, however three unanswered goals by Brooklin turned the match around. The period ended at 6-6 and the Merchants went on to outscore the Excelsiors 4-1 in the third. 10-7 Brooklin, its first O.L.A. Senior A championship.

The Mann Cup commenced at the Whitby Arena on September 12th. Castrol Oils had inked a four year deal to sponsor the Mann and Minto Cup finals. This dispells that rumour that the Long Branch Castrolites Jr.A club was supported by friends of the Cuban Communist Party.

Vancouver Carlings represented the I.C.L.L. They led the opening game 7-5 early in the third quarter but only beat Pat Baker once more. The Merchants fought back for a 10-8 victory. Pick ups Bob Allan (Peterborough) and Ron Roy (St. Catharines) both scored hat-tricks. Brooklin was soon up two games. They led the second contest 6-5 at the half, then scored three unanswered third quarter goals to pull away. The final result was 11-7. Another pick up, Larry Ferguson, led with three goals. Allan and Roy both bulged the twine twice. Carlings' coach Alex McKay praised the work of Pat Baker. He also complained about the narrowness of the Whitby Arena floor. Fortunately for the Brew Boys, the arena would not be available for Game Three, thus the series would move to Peterborough's Civic Arena for one night.

With the chance to stretch their legs, the Carlings took advantage. Actually it was the defence and net-minding of Norm Nestman which won them the 9-5 contest. Brooklin was minus captain Glen Lotton, out with a pulled groin. The Merchants led 2-0 early but were down 4-2 by the thirty minute mark. The Brew Boys extended their run to nine consecutive goals. Back in the safe confines of Whitby, Brooklin went up 3-1. Lotton was back, however Grant Heffernan missed the game with a bruised hip. Vancouver took the opening quarter 4-1. The Merchants beat Nestman six times in the second and led 7-6 at the half. They went on to a 14-10 triumph. Lotton scored four times. Brooklin's other ten goals were all scored by pick ups - Jack Madgett (3), Roy (2), Allan (2), Cy Coombes (2), Ferguson (1).

Now the Carlings had to win in Whitby! Whitby Town Council was not expecting them to ever win in the County Town. During their meeting Alderman Bob Attersley (former Whitby Dunlop) moved that the town's anti-noise law be waived for the Brooklin celebration. The request was seconded by Alderman Tom Edwards and passed. The gauntlet had been passed. Could the Brew Boys keep Whitby quiet?

It was time for heroes to step forward and 215-pounder Fred Usselman did so for Vancouver. He beat Pat Baker six times in the fourth game. The Red Shirts led 5-4 in the second quarter when Usselman scored three times in 2 1/2 minutes. That gave the Carlings a lead they would not relinquish. They won 13-10. John Cervi contributed six points in support and Alex Carey had a hattrick. Eight out of Brooklin's ten goals were scored by pick ups. Merchant Manager Art Morton was unconcerned by the loss. "I told you we'd take them in six," was his response to reporters.

Game Six proved to be one of the greatest games in Mann Cup history. No question the finish will never be matched. Vancouver led 9-7 early in the fourth quarter. A Brooklin spurt put them ahead 10-9 midway through. The Carlings responded with three goals in three minutes. First Cervi set up Carey to tie it. Next Usselman made it 11-10. Nine seconds later it was 12-10 as Cervi helped Carey again. That appeared to be the end of it as the clock wound into the last minute. With 28 seconds remaining Glen Lotton gave the home side hope. Seven seconds later Bob Allan tied the contest 12-12! The Brew Boys struck back immediately. Gord Gimple blasted a shot past Baker with twelve seconds left. Yet the Merchants were not done. They won the ensuing draw and Ron Roy was sent in alone. Norm Nestman robbed him with two seconds on the clock. 13-12 Vancouver.

A crowd of 1,860 attended the final game. It was all Brooklin early. They built a 4-0 lead before Vancouver could even get a shot on goal. The visitors first chance came late in the quarter. Bill Chisholm scored after taking a perfect pass from Pete Black. From that point on the Carlings whittled away at the lead. They cut the margin to 4-3 by halftime. Chisholm tied it in the third period, then the Brew Boys ran in four more to take control. They went on to win the game 10-5. Bob Allan finished the series with nine points more than any other player. He was named MVP. It was the first time an eastern player on the losing team had won the Kelly Award.

Jim Bishop again had the best junior team in Canada. With Oshawa's John Davis setting records for assists, 93, and points, 184, the Gaels rolled to another title. Davis won the scoring race by an incredible 63 points! In the Minto Cup, New Westminster were competitive but only able to win once. Davis led the series with 23 points, while Ken Thompson's 13 goals were best. Sentimental favourite Gaylord Powless took home the McConaghy.

1965 - COMPETITIVE SIXTIES CONTINUE

While Ontario had been frustrated in most of their Mann Cup bids, the advantage of a weaker Senior League was that it was more balanced. In the first half of the decade four different clubs had won the championship. Of the fifteen playoff series, seven had gone the distance and only one had been a sweep. In comparison, during the first half of the 1990s the O.L.A. won four Mann Cups. They did have three different league champions but none of those winners lost more than seven league games all year. More importantly, of the eleven playoff series during that period six ended in sweeps, only three went past five games and none went the distance. If competitive lacrosse is entertaining lacrosse then fans in the sixties were blessed.

The '65 pennant race was the most competitive of them all. Brooklin and Brampton both finished with 16-8 records, Peterborough one point back. St. Catharines, Port Credit and Huntsville all failed to keep pace. Each finished with a losing record. That was all for the Sailors and Hawks as neither club would return next year. A sad fate for Port Credit, considering their meteoric rise and first season championship. Elmer Lee coached the Sailors all six seasons.

The scoring race was also tight. Five different players scored fifty goals: Larry Ferguson (63), Cy Coombes (57), Don Arthurs (54), Glen Lotton (50) and John Roberts (50). Point wise, Ferguson edged defending champ Arthurs 113-110. Coombes was close by at 106 and Lotton also broke the 100 point barrier - without picking up a single penalty minute. Second year man Don Arthurs became only the fourth player in league history to produce consecutive 100 point seasons.

This was the season Brooklin began two of its greatest rivalries. The Merchants faced Peterborough in the playoffs for the first time and later met the great Salmonbellies for their initial encounter. First came their Semi Final series against the Speedy Erns. Drawing the 15-8-1 Petes, some reward for winning the pennant! Meanwhile the Excelsiors drew 11-13 St. Catharines.

It had been an eventful regular season for the Red Shirts. They had to play out of the Whitby Arena and Children's Arena in Oshawa until mid July. They started the year on a ten game winning streak but immediately turned around and lost five in a row. With the club sitting at 12-7 player/coach Ken 'Red' Crawford was replaced by Bud Christie. In contrast, all was calm in Peterborough, where Bob Allan made his coaching debut. The most dramatic event was the appearance of Miss Salad Queen, Wendy Sanders, to perform the ceremonial opening draw for a contest and hand out the Three Star Awards at its conclusion.

It was another short post season for goaltender Russ Dunn. He was injured midway through the opening playoff game and knocked out of the series. Ted Higgins replaced him but was unable to contain the Brooklin onslaught. He was beaten twelve times as the defending champions won 17-10. Next came a bit of outlandish political manoeuvering which had Brooklin fans already referring to Peterborough as "cheaters". The Erns were allowed to bring in Porky Russell to replace Dunn. The same Port Credit Russell Peterborough had twice beaten in overtime earlier in the season. That made things tight for the Red Shirts but they pulled off a 12-11 victory for a 2-0 lead. The final nail in the Petes' coffin came in Game Three. They blew a 10-4 lead in Brooklin and lost 14-13 in overtime. The Merchants also took the last game 13-5.

This set up another Brampton/Brooklin showdown. The Excelsiors got by St. Catharines, though they needed seven games! Neither of the finalists were strangers to seventh games. Both clubs had seen their past two seasons ended by seventh game defeats. Thus it was a safe bet the '65 Final would go the distance.

The Excelsiors were missing starting net-minder John Jefferson for the opener. They trailed much of the match but Gord Thompson gave them their first lead with 1:28 left. Brooklin scored twice in the dying seconds to win 12-11. A crowd of 2,800 attended the second contest in Brampton. Nine different players scored for the home team as they doubled the Merchants 10-5. Back home, Brooklin claimed another one goal victory. They led 11-7, but a late comeback by the visitors made the final 11-10. Both Glen Lotton and John Spicer led their sides with four goals. Brampton again won at home, a narrow 9-7 triumph. Don Arthurs had four goals, while Ken Lotton counted three for the losers.

The series advantage shifted to the Excelsiors in Game Five. Another one goal encounter in Brooklin, however it was the visitors who prevailed on this occasion, 10-9. John McCauley's hat-trick lead the way. Grant Heffernan appeared for the first time in the series and scored a deuce for the Merchants. Brampton led 10-7 with 8 minutes remaining, then hung on for the win. The Excelsiors may have been poised to end it at home but Brooklin turned up with their best game and smoked them 13-6. Grant Heffernan scored five times.

The final game was another controlled by the Red Shirts. Red Crawford (now just a player) and Jack Madgett both counted hat-tricks. Crawford's trio made the difference in a 12-9 victory.

Like other Ontario champs of late, The Merchants headed west as huge underdogs. The O'Keefe's looked like a sure bet after they dismissed the eastern challenge with an 11-5 first game victory. Pat Baker had to make 38 saves or the beating would have been worse. He was unable to stop Cliff Sepka. The New Westminster sniper potted four goals. When Bill Castator tried to slow Sepka down with a high stick he paid dearly for it. Ron Loftus came charging across the floor and send Castator sprawling. Both recieved two minute penalties.

Brooklin found their form in time for Game Two. They slowed down the westerners' offence enough to prevail 6-5. Ken Ruttan was outstanding on defence and scored the winning goal with 2:44 left on the clock. Coach Doug McRory described it as New Westminster's worst game of the year! He expressed disappointment with the play of Sepka, Paul Parnell and Wayne Shuttleworth - one goal between them. He was still confident of victory but, not to take anything away from the Merchants, admitted that it might take six or seven games.

The Friday night game was a thriller. Brooklin overcame a 10-4 disadvantage, thanks to six goals in five minutes. They also overcame 41 penalty minutes, compared to New Westminster's 23. In the end, Grant Heffernan scored the winner with five seconds left in overtime, 15-14 Merchants. Over 3,600 attended the match and saw Larry Ferguson and Sepka with four goal efforts.

The series resumed Monday. Once again New Westminster started fast, grabbing a 4-1 lead. Yet the Brooklin fast break kept beating the O'Keefe's defence back, thus the Red Shirt offence kept rolling. Led by Glen Lotton's hat-trick they won 14-9. The Merchants only loss was when Jack Madgett was crushed into the boards by Shuttleworth. He had to be taken to hospital and was finished for the series. Madgett had scored five times in the first four contests.

For the second consecutive year Brooklin led the Dominion Final 3-1. This time they hoped to get that fourth win. They nearly succeeded Wednesday evening. In a tight game New Westminster played in front. They led 3-2 at quarter time and 5-3 by the half. The key play to the game and the series came in the third quarter. Brooklin captain Don Craggs lost his cool and punched upon referee Whitey Severson. That act got him thrown out of the game and suspended for the remainder of the final. The Merchants stayed close without their leader. Red Crawford scored midway through the fourth quarter to narrow the lead to 8-7. New Westminster successfully ran the clock down, thanks to great ragging from Don Boyd and Rudy Reisinger.

Brooklin was now missing Craggs, Madgett and Ruttan (work commitment at home) but it was the loss of Craggs, their inspirational leader, which transformed the series. The westerners smelled blood and struck fast in Game Six, on Friday. They built up a 10-2 lead enroute to an easy 17-7 victory. Sepka scored four times, while Shuttleworth registered a hat-trick. New Westminster did lose Parnell in the first quarter when he was crosschecked by Castator.

There was no rest for the weary. Both clubs were back at Queen's Park Saturday night. A five goal second quarter busted it open for the O'Keefe's. They led 7-2 at the half and cruised to an 11-3 triumph. Les Norman turned aside 25 shots as he won a record sixteenth career Mann Cup game. Coach McRory described Brooklin as "just too tired to win." He couldn't understand why the Merchants dressed sixteen runners but only used ten of them the last two games. Close to 5,000 watched New Westminster hoist the Mann Cup yet again.

The Ontario County Double had fallen one game short for the second successive year. Still, one out of two wasn't bad. The Oshawa Green Gaels were Canadian Junior Champions again. They went 29-1-1 in league play, then disposed of the Salmonbellies in a six game Minto Final. Individually, Hastings' Bill Armour denied John Davis what would have been a record third scoring title. Davis concluded his spectacular career with twelve goals in the New Westminster series. In 24 career Minto Cup games Davis scored 43 goals and 73 points, both records at that time. Davis left Junior lacrosse the O.L.A.'s all time leading scorer with 960 points in 170 games. He was also the first player to score over 500 goals in a junior career.

1966 - DAVIS TAKES SENIOR LACROSSE BY STORM

Having lost five straight Mann Cup finals and winning only one Canadian title since 1954, the O.L.A. needed something to turn things around. That something would be ex Gael John Davis. Davis was a curiosity. At a time when Peterborough players were abandoning their home town, such as Paul Parnell in New Westminster plus Terry Davis and Grant Heffernan in Brooklin, John Davis returned home. With the exception of four years of professional lacrosse, Davis would wear Peterborough colours his entire career.

As his brother Terry had done in 1961 and Don Arthurs in 1964, Davis became yet another rookie scoring champion. John took top spot with 119 points, while brother Terry was runner up twenty-two points behind. With 51 goals John Davis was one of only two fifty goal scorers. Second year man Ron MacNeil led the league with 52 tallies.

Peterborough's new blood wasn't limited to Davis. Bill Armour was another outstanding rookie and top ten scorer (though Davis scored more than twice as many points). Pat Baker also returned home from Brooklin. Consequently the Petes finished in first place at 16-7-1, three points ahead of Brampton and four up on Toronto. The defending champions changed their nickname to Redmen and fell to fourth place with a losing record. St. Catharines won only three times in their final season and defaulted all of their late season games.

The Petes started their Mann Cup run by sweeping Toronto Maple Leafs. The first two contests were tight wins of 10-7 and 11-7. The final two matches were even closer one goal games. Player/Coach Bob Allan broke an 8-8 tie with under five minutes remaining in Game Three. Peterborough lost Baker with a knee injury in this game. Russ Dunn replaced him for the fourth contest, a 12-11 victory. Ken Ruttan spoiled Toronto's three goal comeback with a last minute score.

Everyone expected another long Brampton/Brooklin series but no one expected double overtime in Game One! Five Redmen power play goals enabled them to stay even with the Excelsiors. At the 7:38 mark of the fifth period Grant Heffernan scored to give Brooklin an 8-7 win. In the next match Brampton goaltender Porky Russell held the opposing shooters to six goals in a 10-6 Excelsior triumph. Brampton then doubled the Redmen 8-4 to take the series lead 2-1. In Game Four the defending champs trailed 5-4 with six minutes left but scored three unanswered goals to steal it. Bob Hanna counted the winner on a backhanded shot. Brooklin next won in Brampton 12-11 with Matt Campbell replacing Gary Drysdale in goal. Elmer Tran scored a hat-trick, including the winner. Drysdale was back for the remaining games, both Redmen losses. The star of the sixth game wasn't even on the line up sheet! Porky Russell inspired the Excelsiors to a 6-4 triumph, however back up John Jefferson's name was twice written on the score sheet by mistake. Back home, Brampton jumped out to a 5-0 lead enroute to a seventh game victory of 13-5. Jack Madgett and Jim Richardson both scored three times.

Brampton's next series also began with an overtime game. The usual ten minute overtime was enough as the Excelsiors edged Peterborough 10-9. Richardson and Gord Thompson scored in the extra period. In Game Two, a third period shutout by Russell was the key. Brampton scored twice to take the contest 7-5. The Petes came back with successive wins on a Friday and Saturday night. Pat Baker returned to goal and Cy Coombes tallied a hat-trick in a 12-2 triumph. That was followed by an 8-6 victory in Brampton. The first period of that game was so rough that a third referee was used on the floor for the remainder of play. That win gave Peterborough home advantage back. That would be enough for them to secure their first championship of the decade. After three day's rest, Game Five was a tamer affair. There was only one fight and seventeen minutes in penalties. The Petes won it 11-4. Though they lost Game Six in Brampton, they were just as dominant at home for the seventh contest, a 10-2 triumph.

The Mann Cup Final had returned to Peterborough. Unlike the past disappointment in 1956, the Petes would win this time. Four out of the five close games went their way as they only outscored the Vancouver Carlings 47-42. John Davis was at his best, leading the series with ten goals and ten assists. He took home the Mike Kelly Award. Defenceman Ken Ruttan was outstanding as Peterborough's second highest scorer. Brian 'Butch' Keegan, Don Arthurs and Ken Crawford were picked up for the series and played every game. Veteran Jack Mason appeared in a pair of contests. He and coach Bob Allan were the only two ex Trailermen remaining from Peterborough's last Dominion champion back in 1954.

For the second consecutive year the Green Gaels lost more games in the Minto Cup than in league play. Oshawa went 35-1 as Gaylord Powless had a record setting year. The scoring champ set high marks with 120 assists and 191 points. New Westminster again took two games from the titleholders. After a 20-7 loss, the Salmonbellies rebounded with a remarkable 15-4 victory, followed by a 10-8 win. The Gaels barely won the next encounter 11-10, as Powless had five points. After that net-minder Merv Marshall shut the door and Oshawa posted wins of 11-6 and 16-6. Powless counted eight points in the finale. Ken Winzoski became the first player on a losing team to win the McConaghy. For the champs, Powless' 26 points and Ross Jones' 12 goals stood out.

1967 - PETERBOROUGH'S NEXT DYNASTY GOES POOF!

The Mann Cup champions looked poised to put together a string of titles. With Pat Baker, they had the best goaltender in the game. Veteran leadership from Bob Allan, Cy Coombes and Larry Ferguson was in place. They had great youngsters like John Davis, Bill Armour and Jim Paterson. Plus one of the best two way players in the game Ken Ruttan. The Don Byes, as they were now called, looked set to at least win another Mann Cup.

Regular season play did nothing to diminish their chances. They finished in first place with a 17-4-3 record. Granted three of those victories came in overtime - Peterborough played eight! - however they still finished thirteen points ahead of second place Brooklin. The Don Byes also had four of the league's top six scorers (Davis, Paterson, Ruttan and Coombes). The Davis brothers swept the top two spots again. John repeated as scoring champion - the first to do so since Bill Brunskill in 1944-45.

Then it all fell apart. Peterborough played third place Brampton in the semi finals. That meant a seventh must win game because the Excelsiors of the sixties only played seven game series. The previous seven playoff series Brampton had been in had all gone the distance. It was practically guaranteed that the Don Byes would have to go seven. They did and lost that deciding contest.

To squash all Peterborough hopes, professional lacrosse came in 1968-69 and the town once again lost it's Senior club. They did have a team in the pro league both years and John Davis won two more scoring championships for Peterborough, however the Mann Cup dynasty was long gone.

The Senior Circuit was back down to four clubs, meaning each made the playoffs. Brooklin drew fourth place Toronto. The Maple Leafs had started the year at the Gardens but were playing out of Port Credit by the end of the season. Buff McCready had returned to Ontario County and was ready to win another O.L.A. championship. He led the Redmen to a 10-8 opening game victory. Toronto rebounded at home to win 14-8. Brooklin jumped ahead again thanks to a 15-8 romp. They ran George Stephens out of the Maple Leaf goal in two periods. Stephens returned for a big fourth game overtime triumph. Ron MacNeil scored twice in the extra period as Toronto won 9-8. They then went one better by winning in Brooklin, in overtime again! Paul Henderson scored the winner, a 9-7 victory. McCready bailed his Redmen mates out with a stellar performance in Game Six. He held the Leafs to four goals over two periods then shut them out the final twenty minutes. The clubs entered the last frame tied at four. Glen Lotton scored once and set up another as Brooklin won 6-4. The series was decided by one shot during the seventh game. In the second period, George Stephens was injured by a shot hitting him in the throat. He recovered enough to remain in net, however he was unnerved by the blow. The Redmen took advantage and ran away with a 12-3 victory.

The Peterborough/Brampton series was odd. Even though the Don Byes had home advantage the series opened in Brampton. Peterborough hosted Games Two, Four, Five and Seven. It was also unusual because the losing team outscored the winner 63-46!

The series commenced with three blow outs. Brampton doubled Peterborough 12-6. The Petes came back with wins of 14-6 and 15-6. Then things settled into a defensive struggle, very dangerous for the high flying Don Byes. John Jefferson shut their offence down as the Excelsiors tied the series with a 6-5 win. Brian Aherne scored the deciding goal with five minutes remaining. In the fifth game Peterborough outshot Brampton 41-22. John Davis scored five times as the Don Byes won 13-4. Over 1,700 fans packed Brampton's Memorial Arena for Game Six. Shots once again favoured the Petes but only by a 33-32 edge. Jefferson outdueled Pat Baker in a 5-4 Excelsior victory. Peterborough paid dearly for a slow start in the deciding match. Brampton were up 6-2 halfway through and would never relinquish their lead. Jim Paterson cut it to 7-6 with four minutes left. There was over two minutes still on the clock when Bob Allan started pulling his goaltender. The extra attacker would not be enough. The Excelsiors held on to their 7-6 advantage.

For the fourth consecutive year Brooklin and Brampton met in the playoffs and for the fourth time they would play seven games. The Championship Final commenced at the end of August. Buff McCready was the star in the opener. He held the Excelsiors to 4 goals, while Brooklin doubled that total with 8. In Brampton, the home team turned the tables with an impressive 11-5 win. Don Arthurs scored five times.

They next grabbed control of the series with an 8-5 win in Brooklin. Control did not last for long. The Redmen scored three power play goals enroute to a 5-3 win, knotting the series 2-2. In Game Five they tripled Brampton 9-3. Elmer Tran potted a trio. Two crucial second period plays decided the next contest. First, Terry Davis scored to apparently give the Red Shirts a 7-5 lead. The goal was disallowed because Davis was proven to be using an illegal stick. Second, the ever wandering Bob McCready finally got caught out of his crease, gifting Arthurs an easy goal. Those breaks, plus a Brian Aherne hat-trick, powered the Excelsiors to an 8-7 win. The deciding match started fast. Davis scored with a legal stick 19 seconds in. He would add two more later on. By the end of the opening period Brooklin led 5-0. They carried that lead all the way to claim a 9-6 victory. It was the fifth successive year Brampton was eliminated in a seventh game.

Brooklin were back in British Columbia and determined not to blow another 3-1 series lead. They started well and surprised a crowd of 3,400 by taking the first game 9-8. Buff McCready set up two goals with rushes up the floor. Elmer Tran scored three times on three shots. Vancouver Carlings turned things around the next night by shaking up their power play. John Cervi was moved to the point and he was motivated to produce a four assist/five point game. The Vancouver power play went 3/5, compared to the Redmen's effort of 1/6. The result was a 9-5 Carlings victory. Coach Jack McKinnon was crowing after the game. "We were running tonight and when we're running their aren't many clubs that can beat us." Buff McCready was still running but he paid for his wanderlust. He took a stiff check from Pete Black late in the contest, suffering a cut elbow.

The Brew Boys were really running in Game Three. They blew McCready out of goal with eight first period markers. The Brooklin net-minder retired to rest his elbow. Vancouver kept pouring it on and ran the score up to 19-5. The Redmen's top line, including Elmer Tran, John and Terry Davis, was on the floor for twelve Carlings' goals! No chance of Brooklin blowing a 3-1 lead now. Yet they were soon down 3-1. Coach Fred Whalley did his best to stem the tide. He broke up the top line and dressed Mike Gray for defence. Still Whalley had to watch helplessly as his Redmen took thirty minutes in penalties compared to Vancouver's eighteen. The Carlings' red-hot power play kept pouring in the goals - ten in two games! Bill Robinson and Gary Stevens scored hat-tricks as the Brew Boys won 13-4. It looked bad for the Ontario champs, however they were not about to give up. 225 pound defenceman Bob Hanna warned, "it takes four games to win a series and it's a long way from over. We'll be back Wednesday and we'll be a lot tougher."

Fred Whalley had one more Ace up his sleeve. For Game Five he unveiled a zone defence which stopped the Vancouver offence in its tracks. The penalty minutes were more even - Redmen 26 Carlings 23. Buff McCready came up with 21 saves. And Peterborough pick up John Davis broke loose with five goals. Brooklin won handily 11-4. Brampton General Manager Herb Armstrong was impressed: "Brooklin played the whole game the way they played the first period in the eastern final against us."

Vancouver responded with a fast start to Game Six. They won the opening period 3-1. With the luxury of a lead, the Carlings resorted to stalling tactics to counter Brooklin's zone defence. This was the last year before the thirty second shot clock was introduced to the game. Even without a shot clock, ragging the ball had always been illegal in lacrosse. The normal procedure was for the referee to take possession away from the offending team and award it to their opposition. This did not happen in Game Six. The two officials - including Whitey Severson(no favourite of Redmen fans) - watched Vancouver play catch much of the scoreless second period. The stalling was so bad the crowd booed the home team. A Sid Warick power play goal thirty seconds into the final period extended the lead to 4-1. At that point Vancouver felt safe enough to start abandoning the stall. John Cervi scored on the power play at the 13 minute mark. Down 5-1 Brooklin was forced to give up the zone and play more aggressively on defence. They had left it too late. With four minutes remaining Buff McCready raced down the floor and set up John Davis for a goal. That made it 5-3 but was the last score of the series. Coach McKinnon defended his tactics: "We used it earlier than we intended because of injuries." Nevertheless, the conclusion to this series would prompt a change in the rules transforming the modern game.

The Green Gaels lost only four games enroute to another Minto Cup championship. Again New Westminster defeated them twice but not before losing the first three games in the series. In his final year, Gaylord Powless led the league in regular season and playoff scoring, plus had twice as many points as any other player in the Minto Final. He became the second junior to claim the offensive double. Back in 1964, John Davis led the league in the regular season and playoffs. Powless also topped the career Minto Cup scoring list with 53 assists and 97 points. His 44 goals were one better than Davis' mark, however Jim Higgs would pass both two years later with 47.

1968 - PROFESSIONAL LACROSSE DECIMATES O. L. A.

Overnight Senior lacrosse in Canada was turned on its head. The birth of the National Lacrosse Association nearly ended the established leagues. Out west all four I.C.L.L. clubs abandoned their league and turned professional. Vancouver, Victoria and New Westminster formed the Western Division of the new league. Coquitlam moved south of the border, becoming the Portland Adanacs. That left the I.C.L.L. with four Sr. B teams representing Coquitlam, Burnaby, Surrey and North Vancouver.

In Ontario, Peterborough jumped to the professional league, however Brooklin and Brampton loyally remained in the O.L.A. They were joined by a Hastings team (the same year the Hastings Juniors moved back to Peterborough) and a Mississauga club. Yet all the talent was gone. Of the top twenty five scorers from 1967, only Don Craggs returned to the O.L.A the next year.

The Redmen coped best with the changes and ran away with a first place finish. In goal Brooklin started with George Stephens but that partnership didn't last. Another veteran Justin Howe was brought in, spelled occasionally by junior call up Merv Marshall. Howe also didn't last. By the playoffs Wayne Platt had been lured away from Hastings, however he was replaced by Joe Tomchishen. Professional league or not, there were many experienced goaltenders around. Offensively the Redmen were led by St. Catharines' Sandy Doberstein. He narrowly lost the scoring race to Mississauga's Rick Bisson. Along with player/coach Craggs the supporting cast included: Neil Armstrong, Gerry Burrows, Jim Campbell, Mike Gray, Dave Houston, Ken Lotton, Danny Sandford and Paul Tran. Some had been second line players in Brooklin for years. Others had won Mintos with Jim Bishop or been to the Minto Cup with the Red Wings. Thus there was enough talent and experience for the Redmen to dominate.

The Excelsiors counted on many young players either just out of Junior or still in Jr. A. Their only experience was player/coach Gord Thompson and John Spicer. Julie Kowalski was their leading scorer. Still the Maroons finished in fourth spot.

The '68 scoring race was a mystery which took many years to solve. Even to this day, only the top two scorers are known. The problem was a mail strike which paralyzed the exchanging of statistical information. Game sheets could not be sent to the O.L.A. office and the statistician could not finish his work. By the time the mail strike had ended lacrosse season was done and no one seemed to have cared enough to save the information. Jr. A suffered just as much, thought we know Ross Jones won the scoring title and the local Huntsville paper saved their club's scoring. Jr. B and Sr. B scoring was lost completely!

Brooklin met third place Mississauga in the Semi Finals. The Redmen won the opener 16-3 but lost on the road 10-7. Back home they flirted with disaster when Justin Howe was injured halfway through. Hastily Mike Gray was thrown between the pipes and he gave up only four goals in 34 minutes of play. The defending champs won 13-8. Wayne Platt was picked up to finish the series - wins of 18-5 and 18-7.

Second place Hastings tangled with the Excelsiors in the other semi-final. Remarkably this series did not go seven games, ending Brampton's run of eight straight. The Excelsiors took the first two games by scores of 12-8 and 12-10. Kowalski scored five times in the opener and a hat-trick in the second match. Jim McClure had four goals in Game One and Bob Bartlett chipped in a second game hat-trick. Hastings came back to win at home 13-5. Roger Grant and Bernie Burns had four point efforts. A 10-6 Brampton win put them up 3-1. John Spicer had four points, while Bartlett counted another hat-trick and Dave Rudge scored three times. The Legionnaires extended the series with an 11-9 victory. Mike Self was high man with four points. The Excelsiors dodged a seventh game by ending the series with a 12-10 triumph. Julie Kowalski scored four times, one better than Grant's trio.

By the start of the final Brooklin had picked up Joe Tomchishen to tend goal. The Excelsiors and Redmen renewed their rivalry but this one would be no classic. Wayne Davidson scored four times as the defending champions won the first game 15-7. They were victorious in Brampton 13-10 as Gerry Burrows and Dave Houston scored five each. Back home, six unanswered second period goals blew the Excelsiors away. 12-3 was the final score as Davidson counted a hat-trick. In the last contest Houston and pint sized speedster Jim Campbell buried Brampton with hat-tricks. Brooklin won 13-4.

Coquitlam won the I.C.L.L. but were beaten in the BC Final by Nanaimo Luckies. This marked the second and last time the I.C.L.L. champ did not represent the west at the Mann Cup. Nanaimo came east without their starting net-minder Alf Shuker. He was Gone Fishing literally! Off on a expedition to the interior. The Luckies made do with Port Coquitlam pick up Harry Preston. Neither Preston, Shuker or Tomchishen had any Mann Cup experience. Justin Howe had appeared in one game during the '58 Final.

Brooklin took the opener 9-6. They won the first period 4-2, grabbing a lead they would never give up. The westerners out shot them 39-36 but couldn't beat Tomchishen consistently. The eastern champs dominated the second contest, outshooting Nanaimo 17-4 in the second period. The final shot totals were 38-23 as the Redmen won 11-6. Before Game Three Alf Shuker arrived in town carrying a twenty-five pound salmon. His appearance in goal changed nothing. The Ontario champs outshot the Luckies 36-24 enroute to a 12-5 victory. Davidson led with three goals and three assists. Brooklin had twice blown 3-1 Mann Cup Final leads, could they now blow a 3-0 lead? Justin Howe was healthy and made the Game Four start. Shuker stoned the Redmen for two periods and held them to three goals. The shots in the game favoured the home side 36-20, thus it was only a matter of time before they broke through. An eight goal third period finished Nanaimo off. The final score was 11-4. Julie Kowalski scored four times. Bench warmer Joe Tomchishen was named the Mike Kelly winner. After the game the team drove to Oshawa in a parade of cars, then returned to Brooklin on a fire engine.

The Green Gaels were nearly perfect in 1968. With 101 goals Ross Jones showed them the way to a 24-0 record. The squad next ran off back to back series sweeps to reach the OLA Final. There they met a determined Mississauga club which nearly beat them right in the Civic Auditorium. Oshawa squeezed out a 17-15 victory, despite seven point efforts from Earl MacNeil and Al Gordaneer. Two nights later, the bubble burst in Mississauga. Rick Dudley and Barry Salovaara both scored four goals as the locals won 13-12. All they really achieved was to get the Gaels mad. Oshawa took the next three by scores of 17-4, 15-3 and 13-4. They were just as merciless in winning the Minto Cup. In their last ever meeting with New Westminster the results were: 13-7, 16-7, 24-10 and 22-9. Goaltender Merv Marshall won his sixth championship.

1969 - ONTARIO COUNTY DOUBLE

While much of the lacrosse world was preoccupied with the second and final professional season, the good, old teams just kept right on winning. Brooklin and Oshawa repeated as champions once again, another Ontario County sweep and the last for the county soon to be renamed Durham Region. The sixties were the decade for the area east of Toronto. From insignificance a meteoric rise had taken place leading to thirteen O.L.A. championships, seven Minto Cup wins and a pair of Mann Cups. Lacrosse's balance of power had shifted.

It was an eventful year for scoring champ Elmer Tran. Brooklin's diminutive sniper began the year suspended, along with Merv Marshall, for not honouring a professional contract. The suspension lasted five days. Next Tran, Marshall and Peterborough's "Golden Jet" Bill Armour were all suspended until their amateur status could be cleared. All this transpired before the season had even started! Once play began Tran was unstoppable. He won the scoring race with a record setting 96 assists. He worked well with fifty goal scorer Neil Armstrong. Thus begining a partnership which would coach Whitby to a Minto Cup win years later, then lead Toronto Beaches to their only Jr.A playoff successes.

The Senior B Brantford Warriors jumped to A ball and enjoyed immediate success. They had the league's top offence, though they finished four points behind Brooklin in the standings. Jim Squires finished second in league scoring, with Bill Squires right behind him.

The other three clubs all had losing records. Brian Thompson led Huntsville and everyone with 66 goals. The Hawks had four top ten scorers but not enough depth to succeed. The Excelsiors moved next door to Bramalea. Senior lacrosse in Peterborough continued its eastward trek. From Hastings the club shifted to Belleville, becoming the Merchants.

The playoffs commenced in early August. Armstrong scored seven points as Brooklin upended Bramalea 18-14. Julie Kowalski counted four goals for the losers. In Game Two the Redmen had to outscore the Excelsiors 6-2 in the third period for a 17-15 win. Marshall came off the bench to replace Justin Howe and spark the rally. Don Craggs led with five goals, while Dave Houston chipped in four. Marshall played the final two games and held Bramalea to seven goals. In Brooklin the score was 20-3. Five goals for Houston and a nine point effort from Tran. The last game was slightly more respectable at 11-4. Glen Lotton starred with a hat-trick.

Brantford and Belleville hooked up for a more competitive series. The Warriors began with a 19-14 victory. Ivan Thomas scored four times and Jim Squires added a trio. Pat Hickey was best for the Merchants with five points. The first ever post season contest in Belleville was a narrow 13-11 loss for the home side. Hat-tricks for Ivan Thomas and Bill Squires as Charlie Squires contributed five assists. Bill Armour beat Ron Thomas five times for the Merchants. Back in the Telephone City, the Warriors won 13-8. Charlie Thomas was the only notable scorer with six points. Belleville avoided elimination by winning at home 17-15. Seven goals from the stick of Armour while Hickey added six points. Brantford ended the series with a tight 11-10 triumph. Another super effort by Armour as he tallied half his team's goals. Bill and Jim Squires both counted three for the winners.

The Redmen opened the Final with a 15-11 win. Elmer Tran led with six assists, however three third period goals by Glen Lotton were key. Dave Houston also had a hattrick and Jim Squires scored four times for the losers. Brooklin then blasted Brantford 21-12. A Homeric eleven point game from Tran was just the tip of the iceberg. Jim Henderson scored four goals, while Neil Armstrong, Glen Lotton and Jim Campbell each had five points. Charlie Thomas and Bill Squires were best for the Warriors with three goals apiece. The defending champs again struggled at home but came away with an 11-9 victory. Lotton counted three goals as Tran and Armstrong both contributed four assists. Bill Squires had a five goal night. Squires was shutout by Merv Marshall in the finale, a 14-9 Brooklin triumph. Lotton, Henderson and Campbell all found net three times.

The year concluded with another Redmen Mann Cup victory. They defeated New Westminster Blues four games to one. Bill Squires was picked up and he led the series with thirteen goals. Elmer Tran was top point man with twenty-four. This gave Tran the triple as regular season, playoff and Mann Cup scoring leader. A rare triple only previously done by John Davis three years earlier and Oddie Core back in 1931. The only player to since duplicate the feat was John Tavares in 1993 and 1994.

The Green Gaels won their seventh straight Minto Cup. Oshawa set a league record, which has never been matched, by averaging 23.79 goals per game. Remarkably they placed only two scorers in the top ten. Jim Higgs won his third McConaghy. Ageless Don Stinson finally graduated from Junior. He had played on all seven winners. Jim Bishop also moved on. He would coach some Senior lacrosse before making the first of three returns to Jr. A in 1977.

1970 - A NEW DECADE, A NEW RIVALRY

Belleville and Brantford had met in the playoffs the previous year, however Peterborough and Brantford had never met. That was about to quickly change. The two titans of Senior lacrosse would meet in the O.L.A. Final the next four years. The Belleville squad returned to the Lift Lock City and adopted the nickname Lakers, which the professional club had used. With the demise of the pro league all the players returned to the O.L.A. John Davis came back to amateur lacrosse and switched from #16 to his now famous #9. Davis had worn #43 with Oshawa, the traditional number worn by Green Gael captains back then. Upon moving to Senior he was forced to give up #43. A certain Brooklin fan claimed that he couldn't wear 43 because up in Peterborough no one knew how to count that high! Larry Ferguson also returned to the Lakers. For the first time Ferguson wore a face mask. After fifteen years and over three hundred stitches he was due for a change.

John Davis had been out of Junior lacrosse four years and had won four scoring titles. That string was ended by his former teammate Gaylord Powless. Powless' 90 assists were too many to keep up with as Davis finished a distant second. The top ten list was littered with ex-Gaels. Behind Powless and Davis were Jim Higgs (5th), Brian Thompson (6th) and Larry Lloyd (7th). Thompson scored 82 points despite missing a third of the season. Cy Coombes surpassed them all with a league leading 66 goals.

With the boys back home, the former giants of the Senior League became minnows. Brooklin managed a third place finish and a winning record, however they never threatened to win a fourth consecutive championship. Brampton fell to last place, missing the playoffs for the first time in over thirty years! Matters would only get worse in the years to come. Both clubs would have losing records in 1971. It would be 1972 when they were really snookered. Both the Redmen and Excelsiors were prepared to challenge for the Mann Cup when the O.L.A. suddenly created its Major League, consequently relegating Brooklin and Brampton to B status.

Merv Marshall became the third of the great wandering goaltenders. He scored in a game against Brantford, beating none other than Buff McCready. Pat Baker was unimpressed. He conceded that it was colourful but not what lacrosse was about.

The troubles for Brooklin and Brampton were never ending this year. The Redmen started the year with Glen Lotton as coach. He was fired after a 20-7 loss to Peterborough. Bob Vesey replaced him and immediately beat Brantford 15-13. The Vesey Redmen would have the Warriors number all year, as the playoffs would prove. Meanwhile the Excelsiors went to Brooklin for a game minus starting net-minder Joe Musial. Wayne Thompson had to sub for him but Thompson had no equipment! Fortunately the Redmen were playing out of the Civic Auditorium in Oshawa, so Thompson was able to borrow equipment from the Green Gaels.

On a sad note, former Athletic George Teather passed away that summer. Teather had founded the Old Boys Association. An organisation dedicated to preserving St. Catharines' rich lacrosse history. The Old Boys are still going strong today and supporting all current St. Catharines teams.

Brantford and Brooklin met in one semi final. The other saw Peterborough sweep Huntsville by scores of: 13-6, 14-10, 22-6 and 16-13. The Warriors would not have it so easy. They may have finished first by a point, however the third place defending champions would not go quietly. The Warriors demolished Brooklin in the opener 17-4. They met a very different squad in Oshawa the next game. The Redmen narrowly won 15-14. Thus the homer series was off and running. That form was maintained over the next three contests. Brantford won 19-13, followed by a 13-9 Brooklin victory, then a 12-8 triumph for the Warriors. Game Six was the tightest of the series. Brantford tied it with their goaltender pulled. The defending champs regrouped for overtime and won 16-13. Thus the deciding contest came down to Brantford's offensive firepower versus Brooklin's experience. Experience nearly won out. Late in the third period Larry Lloyd scored his fourth goal to put the Redmen ahead 10-9. Gaylord Powless tied it with two minutes remaining. Next Ron MacNeil beat Merv Marshall for the winner with 68 seconds left. The Warriors then ran out the clock to preserve their 11-10 victory.

The first of four meetings between Peterborough and Brantford would be the shortest series. The Warriors took the opener at home 18-13. In Peterborough their road woes continued - a 16-11 loss. The crucial contest in the series would be Game Three. Cy Coombes made the trip with the flu and was even sick on the bus. On the floor he scored five goals! Bill Armour scored four times, with three assists. The Lakers edged Brantford 14-13. The Warriors replaced Rodger Williams in goal for Ron Thomas but their losing ways continued. The Lakers took Game Four 16-10. Thomas did play the final six minutes and made an impact. He knocked out John Davis then fled to the bench with Carm Collins chasing him. Brantford coach Ross Powless then defended his goalie against Collins. The seeds of hatred had been sown. This was not going to be a pretty rivalry. The ugliness was fully evident in the last game. Gary Powless went between the pipes and Peterborough beat him 22 times. Pat Baker allowed 15 goals in the series clincher. Coach Bob Allan removed Baker from goal to the safety of the bench with two minutes remaining. By that time the Brantford fans were littering the floor with garbage. However it was their boys who had been trashed and the Petes who were heading west.

Heading to New Westminster for the beating of their lives. The Salmonbellies had put together one of the greatest teams of all time. They went 22-8 to finish first in, what was now called, the Western Lacrosse Association. They then defeated Coquitlam in a six game final. The Fishmen had scoring champ Wayne Goss, plus Paul Parnell, Mac Tyler and Dave Tory. Joe Comeau was in goal and Steve d'Easum was an all star defenceman.

Every game of the final was played in front of a full house at Queen's Park Arena, even though none were particularly close. The Salmonbellies won each contest by at least four goals. In the second game they doubled Peterborough 16-8 while out-shooting them 65-38! Parnell led the series with 13 goals and 25 points, plus took home the Mike Kelly Award. Ed Goss was next best at 21 points. Comeau set a Mann Cup record for goaltenders with 9 assists. John Davis was best for the Lakers with 13 points.

On the Junior Front, a veteran Lakeshore squad brought the Minto Cup to Toronto. They upended the defending champions in the semi-finals, then produced the second greatest comeback in O.L.A. Jr. A history. They trailed Bramalea three games to one in the league final. The Maple Leafs battled back to force a seventh match. In the deciding contest they fell behind by a substantial margin. Yet the Lakeshore kids refused to lose. They came from behind again to take the game and the championship. After that it was an easy four game sweep of Burnaby. Brian McCutcheon won the McConaghy. Bill Coghill's 190 regular season points left him one shy of Gaylord Powless' record. In combined regular season and playoffs Coghill finished with 236 points, equaling John Davis' 1963 mark. Powless was still best, having twice had 239 point seasons.

1971 - BRANTFORD ENDS 66 YEAR DROUGHT

In 1904 the Brantford Lacrosse Club won its third straight C.L.A. Senior title. Since then their success at the highest level of the game had been minimal. In 1971 all that changed. Though the old Brantford squad imported several eastern stars, the majority of their players were local. The '71 Warriors had no local players, unless one counted those from the Six Nations Reserve. Regardless of where the players came from, Brantford Warriors became the newest Canadian champion.

Their chief hurdle would be the club from Peterborough. The Lakers put together an impressive 29-3 record to finish on top of the standings. John Davis scored 197 points, surpassing Bill Isaacs record. Davis also set a new high for assists, 123. He and Gaylord Powless were both over 100, the only two players in ever accomplish that in O.L.A. play. Cy Coombes produced his third 100 point season. That made him only the third player in league history to have three. Bill Isaacs had done it earlier. Meanwhile Davis had four in four seasons!

Brantford was not without offence. Though they finished a distant second with a 21-9 record, the Warriors led the league with a record setting 613 goals - the best offence in O.L.A. history! In one game they defeated Aurora 41-5. Paul Suggate, Brian Wilson and Ron MacNeil gave Gaylord Powless plenty of support. Suggate finished third in the circuit with 73 goals, one behind Davis. Brooklin's Larry Lloyd led with 80.

There was no love lost between the frontrunners. In a mid-summer game Peterborough defeated Brantford 18-17 in overtime. The affair was so violent that the Lakers were fined $500. The Warriors' fines totalled $1700, plus coach Morley Kells was suspended five games! The teams met a couple of nights later in Peterborough. Brantford showed up with only six players and were beaten 12-7.

The Warriors swept Brampton to reach the league final. They were shortly joined by the defending champions. Peterborough needed five games to get by the Redmen. After opening with a 15-8 win, they narrowly prevailed in Brooklin 11-10. Surprisingly they lost the next contest 14-13. After a 13-6 victory, the Lakers closed out the series with a tight 11-9 triumph.

Pat Baker started the championship series by shutting out the Warriors for the first half of Game One. Peterborough doubled Brantford 16-8. Larry Ferguson scored three times but John Davis had the most memorable goal. He was awarded a penalty shot. That decision incensed Morley Kells so much that he refused to allow Buff McCready to stay in his goal. Thus Davis scored into an empty net. Back home the Brantford offence found itself. They drove Baker from the game with 16 goals in two periods. They went on to win 22-12. Rick Dudley bulged the twine four times, plus Gaylord Powless and Bill Coghill scored hat-tricks. Peterborough coach Bob Allan complained that Brantford was using a zone defence. The zone defence had been outlawed after the '67 Mann Cup. Over 3,000 fans saw Peterborough win Game Three 14-12. The Lakers scored twice in the final two minutes to break the deadlock. The star of the night was Pat Baker. He made 50 saves as the Warriors outshot the Lakers 62-38. Yet Baker could not slow down the Brantford offence the next match. The Warriors struck for four goals in the first five minutes. Meanwhile the Petes hit four posts in the opening period. Bill Coghill beat Baker four times as Brantford won 14-7. With the series knotted 2-2 Joe Todd returned from injury for the fifth contest. He scored four goals and had two assists for the Lakers. The game was tied 10-10 when Zeny Lipinski scored a shorthanded goal for the Warriors. That sparked them to a 19-13 victory. Rick Dudley had four markers on the night. That loss cost Peterborough home advantage. The next game they would lose the championship. Game Six was more of a defensive battle. It was tied 6-6 early in the third period when Brantford broke away. They went on to win 13-8 as Ron MacNeil counted three goals. The unsung hero of this series was Bob Smith. He successfully shadowed John Davis the entire six games.

The Warriors next swept New Westminster to win the Mann Cup. Buff McCready held the Salmonbelly snipers to 35 goals. The Brantford offence scored 54. McCready also helped on ten goals. That tied him with Ron MacNeil for top series playmaker. Gaylord Powless, Brian Wilson and Paul Parnell each scored eight goals. In a losing cause Parnell was the top point man with sixteen. 42-year-old Ted Howe had four goals and five assists. Howe's senior career dated back to 1950. It had taken him over two decades but he was finally a Canadian champion.

Just when fans of competitive lacrosse thought it was safe to return to junior arenas, the Green Gaels returned to prominence. Coached by Bob Hanna, the '71 edition finished with the best record in the O.L.A. "Here we go again," the fans must have feared. Fortunately Etobicoke upset Oshawa in the semi final. Unwittingly they opened the door for a new dynasty to unleash its reign of terror on the league. Peterborough knocked off the giant killers in six games. Ben Floyd had stepped in to replace Don Barrie as coach for the last eight games plus playoffs and he never stopped winning. With fifteen regular season and playoff losses, the Petes hardly seemed like a throwback to the Oshawa sides. Yet over the next four seasons they would only lose twelve league games!

Before the dynasty could get rolling, the Petes had to become part of lacrosse history, in a losing cause. The '71 Minto Final was the greatest ever played! Four games went to overtime, including the dramatic seventh game finale. Richmond Roadrunners came away with a 13-11 victory. Pick up goaltender Ted Gernaey was named series MVP. Gernaey was one of many pick-ups on the Richmond squad. Due to the O.L.A.'s recent dominance of junior lacrosse, Peterborough was not allowed to add any players. They would face this disadvantage over the following four years, yet would overcome it every time. They were unlucky not to win the '71 final as well. John Grant led the Petes with 28 points. Other top performers were: J.J. Johnston (12 goals), Jim Wasson (11 goals), Jan Magee (9 goals) and Gord Floyd (16 points).

1972 - CREATION OF THE MAJOR LEAGUE

Would a rose smell so sweetly by any other name? Senior A lacrosse in Ontario experienced a transformation with the creation of the O.L.A. Major League. With frontrunners Peterborough and Brantford it was basically the Senior A League of the previous season. Aurora Astros became Toronto Shooting Stars and joined the Big Two. A new team in Windsor rounded out the circuit. As for the Brampton Excelsiors and Brooklin Redmen, they remained in the Senior League, sans A, only now they would not be permitted to compete for the Mann Cup. It was all very puzzling. Nothing like change for the sake of change.

Once again the Warriors and Lakers dominated the Senior A...err...Major League. Perhaps they only dominated it for the first time? Brantford won 22 games, during an 32 games schedule, while Peterborough followed closely with 19 victories. They also tossed in a tie for good measure. The first tie in Major League history! Windsor was next with 14 wins. They were called the Warlocks but it should be pointed out that male witches are only called Warlocks on the television show Bewitched. They are properly referred to as witches - just as actresses are technically known as actors. Sorry if all that sounds frightfully un-heterosexual but I don't make the rules! A better name for Windsor might have been West Gaels or Old Gaels. The team succeeded in being competitive by bringing in Jim Bishop to coach and he promptly filled his roster with all the graduated Green Gaels he could lay his hands on. Last but not least was Toronto. The Shooting Stars were better suited to the Major League, where they claimed 10 wins and 1 tie more then they accomplished the previous year in Senior A. Plus fourth place was merited a playoff spot - only 8 wins away from a Mann Cup berth!

The Shooting Stars would never get any closer. Brantford swept them four straight. Meanwhile Peterborough struggled past Windsor in six games. For the fourth consecutive year the Warriors and Lakers paired off to decide the Ontario champion. The previous three meetings the second place finisher had prevailed in the end. Brantford stopped that trend as they edged Peterborough in seven games.

Whether it was a record setting year for scoring or not depended on whether one considered the Major League a new league or a continuation of the old O.L.A. Senior A circuit. Most historians prefer the latter. Either way, 32 games meant impressive scoring totals for Ontario's top gunners. Jim Higgs led Windsor and the league with 99 assists and 153 points. He finished 10 points ahead of Brantford's Paul Suggate for the scoring title. Another former Gael, John Davis, was top goal scorer. He sniped 61 and was the Lakers' only top ten scorer. The Warriors had five, all with 100 points or more.

Out west Morley Kells chargers disappointed badly. New Westminster Salmonbellies swept them four straight in the Mann Cup Final. Paul Parnell won his second Mike Kelly Award. Parnell's 97 career points gave him the most in Final history, one point more than fellow Peterborough native Bob Allan. Allan had topped Bill Wilson's record six years earlier. Wilson, however, with 121 points in all Mann Cup games would only have his mark eclipsed by Geordie Dean and John Tavares.

When it came to offensive goaltenders, there were none better than Bob McCready. Appearing in his final Mann Cup series, Buff added 12 assists to his already substantial total. He was involved in 27% of Brantford's goals. That effort rocketed him past Pat Baker - 26 career assists to Baker's 19. The Laker net-minder would get one last chance the next year, however 1973 would be a one game final. Thus McCready's mark would never be topped and would only be equalled by Wayne Colley seventeen years later.

Peterborough juniors were near perfect in 1972. Their record in all games was 46-1-1. Oshawa Green Gaels spoiled things with a round robin playoff win and tie. J. J. Johnston led the P.C.O.'s and the league with 85 goals and 149 points. He also followed in the footsteps of Ron MacNeil by becoming the second scoring champ to have over 100 minutes in penalties. The season was capped with a four game sweep of Richmond - avenging the previous year's heartbreaking loss. John Grant and Jim Wasson led the final series with 7 goals apiece. Grant, the great playmaker, was named Jim McConaghy winner.

1973 - MADE FOR TELEVISION

This was to be the final season for many players. Some, like John Davis, went out in style. 'Shooter' Davis became only the second O.L.A. player to produce four consecutive 50 goal seasons. In his six year Senior career he counted better than fifty every time, which tied Bill Brunskill's record. He also won his fourth scoring title, second only to Bill Isaacs' mark of six. Davis scored over 100 points every year he played, making him the only one to ever do it six times. Which meant that he also recorded four straight 100-point seasons. Once again the only player to do it in league history.

Another professional league loomed on the horizon. Thus 1974 marked a mass extinction of the league's top talent. Consequently a four year Mann Cup drought followed for Ontario. The trophy would come east in '73 but not return again until 1978. In between the O.L.A. champs would take their lumps.

Brampton and Brooklin returned to Senior A, with mixed results. The Excelsiors were a competitive side. They won 11 out of 24 games to finish third ahead of Toronto. The Redmen lasted half the year, lost all twelve games, then dropped out.

Lacrosse's best rivalry in recent years would go head to head one last time. Again Brantford won the regular season pennant. Twenty-one victories gave them a runaway first place finish. Peterborough was a distant second with a mere fifteen wins. A 3-5 start killed any chance they had at top spot. The frontrunners dominated the scoring records as well. Four out of five of the league's 100 point men came from Brantford or Peterborough. Brampton's Steve Mastine slipped into second place, thanks to a 77 assist year. John Davis' scoring championship meant that former Green Gaels had won six straight. Davis became only the third player in O.L.A. history to score over 1000 points. His 503 goals and 1148 points topped Roy Morton but were not quite enough to overtake Bill Isaacs. The Warriors had three players reach the 100 point plateau. Ron MacNeil led the league with 78 goals. Paul Suggate and Earl MacNeil finished with 104 and 103 points respectively.

The semi-finals were a mere formality. Both the frontrunners won four straight to set up one last showdown in late August. The series opener in the Telephone City was a wild affair. The home team led 16-15 after two periods. The lead see sawed back and forth over the last twenty minutes. First Jim Wasson and Ken Henderson put Peterborough in front. Next Earl MacNeil tied it after being set up by Bob McCready. Bill Coghill put the home side ahead but Henderson tied it 18-18 with 6 minutes remaining. Jerry McKenna notched the winner for Brantford with less than 3 minutes on the clock.

The Lakers returned home to put their perfect record on the line. They would use Game Two to propel them on a three game winning streak. Terry Davis led them with 4 goals and 4 assists. Six power play goals would decide the contest. A four goal run early in the third period put the Petes up 14-10. They would come home 16-12 winners. Ken Henderson was named first star.

Brantford also had an undefeated home record. Their first loss came at the worst possible time. Cy Coombes scored four times as the visitors built up a 13-7 two period lead. Brantford came at them with everything in the last session. They outshot Peterborough 21-9 but could not solve the outstanding goaltending of Wayne Platt. The Lakers hung on for a 16-11 win.

Pat Baker was in goal for the fourth contest. This one was dominated by the Peterborough offence. The rookie line of Gord Floyd, Jim Wasson, John Grant, Len Powers and Jim Vilneff scored six first period goals. Floyd finished the evening with five tallies. During the second session Davis potted five markers. By the time 60 minutes had concluded the Lakers had doubled the Warriors 20-10.

The champions were on the ropes but rallied for a 17-10 victory at home. They outscored the Lakers 5-1 in the second period to pull away. Back in Peterborough for Game Six it was a different story. A crowd of 2,263 watched the home side win the opening period 3-2 while outshooting the visitors 23-12. Jim Hickey dominated the draws the full 20 minutes. Carm Collins stepped up as the second period hero. His penalty killing - at one point ragging the ball for over a minute - allowed Peterborough to take an 8-6 lead to the third. They then clinched a series deciding 14-9 win. Pat Baker scored the final goal from his own crease. With McCready out of goal, Baker fired a two bouncer into the empty net.

A remarkable accomplishment for a club which had lost half its players from the previous season - either to retirement or out west. The Lakers began the year with only 14 signed players and injuries reduced their roster to 10 at one point. 33-year-old Jim Vilneff was coaxed out of retirement and he led the Rookie Line. Peterborough finished 7-1, before their playoff success. Brantford coach Morley Kells predicted that, "Peterborough should win the Mann Cup easily."

Obviously Kells was not calling for a four game sweep. Simply because the Mann Cup would be a one game final. Even during the field era finals were at least two games. Yet the CBC wanted to televise the game nationally, therefore they had to have a one game final. Peterborough fans lost out as the game was hosted by Brantford. But it would be the losing team of the final which would always wonder what might have been in a seven game series.

Coach Bob Allan planned to use Wayne Platt in goal. Call it divine intervention but he changed his mind and went with 36-year-old Pat Baker. Baker's final game in a career going back to 1959 would be one of his best ever. He would make 53 saves while endlessly frustrating the Vancouver shooters. The Burrards started Dave Evans in goal but he'd be replaced in the final period by Don Hamilton. Hickey was again solid at centre, continuously outdrawing Gord Frederickson. The Ontario champs came out fast and won the first period 4-0. Pat Differ and Bob Salt cut the lead in half early in the second frame, however the Lakers maintained a 6-3 advantage heading home. They would proceed to register a 9-5 final score. A short and sour trip east for the western champs.

Next came the Peterborough juniors bid for a Kawartha Double. They romped to a first place finish with a 26-2 record, while scoring a league high 459 goals. Yet the P.C.O.'s did not place a single player in the top ten. Rexdale's Blair Campbell won the scoring title. His 171 points barely exceeded his 161 penalty minutes. At the other end of things, the mighty Gaels fell to last place in the eight team circuit.

Peterborough won two playoff series without too much trouble. Bramalea Excelsiors challenged them in the O.L.A. Final by beating them twice. The fight they put up on the floor wasn't always legal. Game Three in Peterborough turned into a donnybrook when Ian Robinson high sticked Ken Byers. The benches cleared, fans joined the players on the floor and the brawl took thirty minutes to subside. One could only hope for nothing but lacrosse in the Minto Cup.

The P.C.O.'s returned to Richmond, scene of their dramatic seven game loss two years earlier. They were given a rude welcome, losing the opener 15-5. Paul Evans said it best, "we've never had to play hard all year. But now we will." True to those prophetic words, it was a different Peterborough squad the rest of the way. They threw a zone defence at the Roadrunners in game Two. It worked early, however Richmond solved it in the second period and ran in six straight goals for an 11-7 lead. Brian Evans and Steve Plunkett both scored late in period to switch momentum back. The eastern champs followed that with seven more goals to start the last period and waltzed to a 16-12 victory. The third contest was very evenly played. Richmond held a 42-38 shots on goal edge. Peterborough took a 7-5 lead into the final 20 minutes but it didn't last. With the affair knotted 7-7 Plunkett scored to give the visitors the lead for good. Roadrunner coach Ron Phillips claimed the goal came after the 30 second shot clock had expired. Nevertheless it counted and the Petes went on to a 10-9 win. 3,150 attended the fourth game at Queen's Park Arena and the westerners were inspired to greatness. They outshot their opponents 49-35 and chased goaltender Fred Gardner (picked up from Mississauga) to the bench during the second period. Four goals in 92 seconds put the contest out of reach. The 16-7 triumph would not be an uneventful one. At one point someone tossed a octopus onto the wooden floor. Later there were fights near the Peterborough fans' section. The players were ordered off the floor for 25 minutes and the police were brought in. In the end the series was even at 2-2, with memories of '71 dancing through everyone's heads. For the P.C.O.'s it was a troubling image. Not only had they been thumped twice but they'd lost two star players - J. J. Johnston and Mark Vitarelli - to injury. Matters only got worse the next night. Richmond led all the way, including an 8-4 edge at the 40 minute mark, and hung on for a 10-9 win. Weak goaltending hurt the easterners. Both Gardner and Tim Barrie played. Barrie struggled with long shots. Game Six the Petes danced on thin ice much of the night. They barely escaped the second period still in contention. Three Roadrunner power play goals gave them a 6-3 advantage. It could have been much worse. Fred Gardner stopped three breakaways before having to leave injured. At the other end John Lewis was outstanding. Barrie would be even better in the third period, while his teammates would figure Lewis out. Brian Evans began the rally 11 second into the session. Paul Evans concluded it with the game winner 61 seconds from the end. 10-9 Peterborough as they were outshot 50-49. Another seventh game, with 3,875 in attendance to witness it. Gardner was back between the pipes. He led the Petes to a 5-0 start. Richmond battled back to deadlock it 6-6. Ken Byers scored the winner early in the third period. Most Valuable Player Paul Evans counted the final two goals. 9-6 Peterborough as 1971 was put behind them.

1974 - PERFECTION!

46-0. An extraordinary record and one only the '74 junior Petes can boast about. They outclassed all comers from May to September enroute to their third consecutive Canadian championship. They went through the regular season 28-0 and set a record by scoring 606 goals. With Tim Barrie in goal they surrendered only 244, over 100 goals less than any other team. Paul Evans won the scoring championship with 102 assists and 180 points. He was closely followed by teammate J. J. Johnston who scored 102 goals. Brian Evans and Steve Plunkett were also top ten scorers.

Yet the P.C.O.'s job was only half finished. New challenges awaited in the playoffs and they were equal to them all. The top four teams entered a double round robin with three advancing to the Semi Final. Six more wins for Peterborough as they scored 102 goals and gave up only 49. They ended up facing the eighth place Legionaires anyway as St. Catharines won the B Pool to advance to the next round. The P.C.O.'s swept them then disposed of Mississauga four straight in the Final. The last challenge would be Burnaby in the Minto Cup. Hosting the series, Peterborough once again was flawless. It was no cakewalk however. In the four competitive games the easterner champs only outscored the Lakers 53-42. Barrie played every minute and took home the Jim McConaghy medal. Burnaby's Mike Holden led all scorers with 17 points. The Pete's high man was Randy Bryan with 14. Bob Wasson and J.J. Johnston both scored 7 goals. Thus history was made as the P.C.O.'s set a mark which likely will never be equaled. Bravo to Ben Floyd and his coaching staff, General Manager Lee Vitarelli and the players: Tim Barrie, Randy Bryan, Ken Byers, Gord Duncan, Brian Evans, Paul Evans, Ted Floyd, James Gow, Dan Green, Terry Hughes, Moe Jodoin, J.J. Johnston, Guy Legault, Greg Lustic, Angus McKay, Steve Plunkett, Mark Vitarelli and Bob Wasson.

To compare the Major League's leading scorers of '73 and '74 it was hard to believe that only one year had passed. None of the previous season's stars returned to the top ten. There were eight first time appearances on the list. Only Windsor's John MacDonald and Six Nations' Bill Squire had made the elite group before. The turnover had as much effect on the teams. Owen Sound and Fergus returned after long absences. Six Nations debuted at the A level, while Windsor made their second appearance. Meanwhile more recent powers like Peterborough, Brampton and Brooklin were gone. Only Brantford and Toronto returned from the previous season.

Windsor topped the standings with a 14-5-1 record. Unlike the team of two years ago, Jim Bishop and all his Gael imports were gone. This time the Warlocks were led by top playmaker MacDonald. Norm and Bill Hope were also top ten scorers. Brantford followed three points behind. They were a mere shadow of the previous year's team and placed no scorers in the top ten. Owen Sound and Fergus rounded out the playoff participants. Six Nations won only seven times despite having the league's only two 50 goal scorers, Richard and Bill Squire. Richard won the scoring championship too. Toronto Shooting Stars concluded their brief Senior A career with a 4-16 record.

Windsor defeated Owen Sound in a five game Semi Final. Fourth place Fergus upset Brantford in six. That would be the final playoff series for the once mighty Warriors. In the Final the Warlocks claimed their first and only O.L.A. championship. The Thistles first trip to the O.L.A. finals in 52 years ended in six games.

The Mann Cup would be another one game final. This time one game would be enough. While Ontario's top talent was playing professionally in Philadelphia, Rochester, Maryland, Toronto, Montreal or Syracuse, the W.L.A. retained all their best players. Thus the New Westminster-Windsor match up heavily favoured the B.C. champs. The Salmonbellies beat Windsor 18-5.

A short note on the National Lacrosse League. I won't bother with team results because no one really cares about who did what in the shortlived league. But the circuit was dominated by Ontario boys. Former Warrior Paul Suggate won the scoring title. His ex-teammates Gaylord Powless, Bill Coghill and Rick Dudley all made the top ten scorers. Former Lakers John Davis and John Grant also made the top ten. Gael graduate Larry Lloyd finished third in scoring. Lest we forget Pat Differ, Bob Haw or Paul Cioci. In short, the O.L.A. swept all the top scoring positions. Also the first and second all star teams. Wayne Platt was voted top net-minder, followed by Merv Marshall. Jim Higgs, Dale McKenzie and Dave Wilfong all made the second team.

1975 - FOUR STRAIGHT

Peterborough juniors changed their nickname from P.C.O.'s to Gray-Munros but it made no difference. They still won their fourth consecutive Minto Cup. Again they were simply too good. Western import Dan Green set league high marks for assists, 150, and points, 205. Yet the powerful Petes did lose 5 regular season games, plus playoff defeats to Mississauga and the newcomers from Whitby. They even dropped one Minto Cup contest to Burnaby. Unlike the P.C.O.'s, perhaps the Gray-Munros might be had?

Senior A in Ontario was the most competitive it had been in years. Brampton returned to the Major League. They finished 15-9, good enough for a first place tie with Owen Sound. The Excelsiors were led by league leading goal scorer Brian Robinson. His chief support came from Bob Haw and Barry Richardson. Robinson narrowly lost the scoring race by three points. Owen Sound's Norm Hope registered 99 assists - tied for third highest in league history - enroute to a 135 point season. North Stars' Pat Fallon finished third in the league.

The other three clubs all had losing records. Six Nations grabbed third place with an 11-13 record. Fergus followed with 10 wins. In their final year, Brantford Warriors won only nine times and missed the playoffs.

Brampton defeated Six Nations in a six game semi final. Meanwhile Owen Sound ended the Thistles' season in five games. The top two clubs appeared to be evenly matched. Not only did they have identical records, during the season one had scored 371 goals while the other scored 370. Yet the final series would be all Brampton. They won every game. The Excelsiors ended a five series losing streak in the O.L.A. final - four of those losses in seven games! It was their first championship since 1962.

The Mann Cup would be a best-of-three affair. Brampton got a break by avoiding the defending champion Salmonbellies. Led by Wayne Goss and Paul Parnell, New Westminster finished first in the W.L.A., only to be upset by third place Vancouver in the semi final. The Burrards then defeated Victoria in the western final, making everyone forget their 14-10 regular season record.

Don Hamilton faced the Excelsiors in Game One. This was the same Don Hamilton who had shutout Brampton in a game 14 years earlier. On this occasion he struggled. The surprising Bramptonites took Vancouver to overtime. The Burrards pulled out the win thanks to a power play goal by Gord Frederickson. After that 11-10 defeat, the Excelsiors were clearly deflated. Hamilton held them to 8 markers in Game Two. Vancouver scored 16 times for the easy win and the championship. Ron Pinder led with six goals in the contests. Frederickson and Rico Bellusci contributed four each.

With the conclusion of the season came the end of yet another professional lacrosse league. The result was the end of many playing careers. The O.L.A. had forgiven such players in 1968-69, yet many of the same players displayed their lack of loyalty to the organisation by leaving a second time in 1974. They would not be given another chance to come back home. The O.L.A. slapped five year suspensions on every player who had participated in the second pro league. These suspensions were lifted after two years, however all the veteran players had already retired. Arguably many would have retired anyway. The ones who chose not to retire still had the option of playing in the W.L.A. Ron McNeil, J. J. Johnston, Ivan Thompson and Brian Evans did exactly that. Each made a significant impact out west. Johnston even came east for the '76 Mann Cup. Thus it was quite a bold move by the O.L.A. Their Major League had been deprived of its best talent for two years running, yet this action was still taken, essentially locking those players out for good. On principle the O.L.A. made its stand that it would no longer tolerate its players running off to renegade leagues every five years. And there would be no more summer professional lacrosse leagues. It was a controversial move, virtually sacrificing the next two Mann Cups in order to make a point. A similar action today would be for the Major League to demand that none of its players be paid, thus sending many superstars into the arms of the W.L.A. But we all know better than to expect anyone to do anything based on principle in the 21st century.

Behind the scenes there was talk of an ulterior motive. Many believed the suspensions were instituted to prevent the Major League from being flooded with Peterborough players. The junior Petes had won four straight Minto Cups and five consecutive Ontario crowns, most of them with great ease. The last thing Senior lacrosse wanted was for the Lakers to dominate their league. Three of the top ten scorers (J.J. Johnston, John Grant and Jan Magee) in the last pro league were Peterborough boys. There were many others in the league, plus outstanding juniors about to graduate to Senior. Teams like Owen Sound and Fergus would have had slim hopes against a Peterborough powerhouse in '76. Besides, Brampton and Brooklin remembered how they'd gotten the short end of the stick when the Major League was created in 1973 and their teams were bumped down to Senior B. None of the current Major teams were eager to see a return of the Lakers. Even if it meant sending the second best team to the Mann Cup in '76 and '77. For Peterborough would remain out of Senior lacrosse until the suspensions were lifted. Then they would return in 1978 and promptly win a Mann Cup.

1976 - BRAMPTON'S NEAR MISSES

A quarter century and running. That's the stretch of time Brooklin has been in the Major League without break. They returned to Senior A in 1976 and have never looked back. The smallest community to ever be Canadian champions (in '68 the population of Brooklin was under 2,000) the Redmen didn't fare so well upon their return. They finished last in the five team circuit with a 7-17 record. John Reed led them in scoring despite missing nine game. He registered 74 points in 15 games.

Once again Owen Sound finished tied for first. They were led by the league's top goal scorer Ted Greves. Greves counted 68 markers and narrowly lost the scoring race by 4 points. Pat Fallon was third best in the circuit. Mike French was also a major contributor with 78 points in only 14 games. Officially first place went to Fergus. It was the first time since their 11-1 record in 1932 that the Thistles had the best record in the league. True it was an unimpressive 14-9-1 but still good enough for top spot. They also had the best defence. Larry Smeltzer returned home. With him between the pipes the Scotsmen surrendered less than 12 goals per game. Smeltzer also won the James Murphy Trophy as league MVP. He was the first Thistle to ever win the honour. Teammate Steve Plunkett would follow in his footsteps two years later. Plunkett had finally graduated from the Peterborough juniors but not before winning four straight Minto Cups, plus establishing a new O.L.A. record with 242 career games played. He teamed up with Terry Sanderson to lead the Fergus offence. Both scored over 80 points plus accumulated nearly as many penalty minutes. Ironic as their sons would also have successful careers, without being on a first name basis with so many timekeepers.

The defending champions were the sleeping giant of '76. They only won 11 times even though Tom Patrick graduated from the St. Catharines juniors to lead the Excelsiors and the league in scoring. Brampton not only finished back of the top two, they also ended up 4 points behind Six Nations. The Excelsiors and Braves did have the two top offences in the league, however they both had two of the worst defences.

Offence mattered in the playoffs this year. Brampton upended the North Stars in six games in one semi final. The other series also went six, before the Thistles defence prevailed over Six Nations. For the first time ever, Fergus had home advantage in the Final. Still they would face an Excelsior team which had been excelling ever since John McCauley took over as head coach in mid-season. Home advantage instantly evaporated as Brampton took the opener 11-9. The Thistles responded by winning on the road 13-9. Back in Fergus, the Excelsiors again won a close one. 9-8 was the score. They then became the only home team to win in the series thanks to an 11-10 overtime victory at Victoria Park Arena. The champs wrapped the Final up in five games with a third road win of 13-11. Hard luck for the Thistles as they were only outscored in the series 49-47.

The Excelsiors returned to the Mann Cup, carrying a ten game losing streak with them. It had been forty-four years since the club had won a game in the Canadian championship. Even with home advantage they were heavy underdogs against the mighty Salmonbellies. After all, their losing record was the worst ever for an OLA champ. The '67 Redmen turned a 12-12 regular season record into a championship. Then surprised everyone by winning twice in the Mann Cup. Brampton would go one better, giving lacrosse fans the first competitive final since 1967.

The opener was a tight contest. The home team trailed by a goal on five different occasions. They didn't take the lead for good until pick up Ted Greves scored with 12 minutes left. They added three unanswered markers for a 14-10 triumph. Chuck Medhurst scored six times for the losers. He would only score five more the rest of the series. W.L.A. scoring champ Brian Tasker was lost in the first period when he took a shot in the eye. Excelsiors' Gary Powless and New Westminster's Joe Comeau both played great games.

Comeau was even better the next night. The turning point in this defensive struggle came at the end of the second period. Coquitlam pick up Dave Durante scored at the buzzer to put the Salmonbellies ahead 6-4. They went on to win 10-4. That momentum carried right into Game Three. The Fishmen blasted their hosts early and led 9-3 after 40 minutes. At one point in the final period their lead was still a healthy 11-7. Then Greves set a Mann Cup record with a 27 second hat trick in the final two minutes! Poof! the lead was gone and Brampton took the game 12-11.

Brian Tasker played with his sore eye the previous two matches but had not made a huge impact. His turn for heroics came in Game Four. His three shorthanded goals were the difference. Salmonbelly special teams dominated the night. They registered four power play and four shorthanded goals. The contest was tied 2-2 early, then the visitors pulled in front 7-4 before coming home with a 10-6 victory.

New Westminster had another strong second period the next game. They chased Powless from goal, to be replaced by pick up Larry Smeltzer, and took a 9-5 lead into the last period. Yet again that Greves fellow popped up. His third and fourth goals of the evening tied the match at 10-10. Tom Patrick won it with a breakaway winner in the final two minutes.

Three come from behind wins had served the Excelsiors well. Playing with the lead would be their undoing in Game Six. A Dave Wilfong hattrick kept the Salmonbellies in a 10-10 tie after two periods. Bram Wilfong missed an opportunity to put Brampton ahead 11-8 late in the second. The westerners took advantage by winning the third period 5-2 and the game 15-12.

Now you couldn't have a seven game Mann Cup without some controversy and behind the scenes bickering. This year it was over the schedule. The Salmonbellies wanted Game Seven the next evening, making three games in three nights. The C.L.A. ruled against them because they did not want to go head to head with the Canada Cup hockey game on television. Thus a day of rest allowed the clubs to prepare for one of the most unforgettable games ever.

Victoria Park Arena was overflowing for the contest. It was so crowded and so hot that a sweaty floor would play a role in the contest. The game had to be delayed a half hour during the second period because conditions got so bad. The floor was no worse than the home team's start. The Fishmen were all over them early, winning the opening period 6-1. Yet the Excelsiors had one more miraculous comeback in them. They reversed the score the next period and tied the match 7-7 heading home. But Brampton were never able to get ahead. Coach McCauley lamented after, "If we ever took the lead once, I believe we would have been all right. But we never did take the lead." In a tight final session Dave Wilfong's second on the night put the Fishmen ahead. Chuck Williams tied it midway through. Bob Tasker scored the winner at the 12:26 mark. Up 9-8, New Westminster played defence the last 7 1/2 minutes. Brian Robinson did beat Comeau at one point. However the referee had already called play, though no one heard his whistle over the crowd noise.

Triumphant Joe Comeau had concluded his career in style. Not only was he sensational in goal but he also contributed 9 assists in the series. That took his career total to 23, second only to Buff McCready.

Immediately after the victory Salmonbelly coach Bob Babcock said, "They played like they weren't suppose to play - they were supposed to be underdogs but they didn't play as underdogs as far as I could see." Small consolation for John McCauley who believed that, "Twenty years from now they'll remember who won the Mann Cup in '76 but they won't remember who the finalist was." Wrong. We do remember the amazing Brampton Excelsiors of 1976.

The Junior League was the most wide open in sometime. Four clubs made furious challenges for the championship. Whitby had quickly developed into a contender and were narrowly beaten by Bramalea in a seven game semi final. Mississauga had the best offence, most exciting club and the lethal Chandler-Gemmell combination. Rob Gemmell won the '76 scoring title and had over 100 assists. What the Chiefs lacked was defence. It cost them in a heartbreaking seventh game loss to Peterborough. It was the third year in a row the Gray-Munros had eliminated the Mississauga squad. Yet the title-holders days were numbered. They were upset by Bramalea in a six game final.

As in 1962, Excelsiors again met Victoria for the Minto Cup. Controversy dominated even before the series began. It was customary for the B.C. representative to pick up players to give them a chance against the stronger Ontario clubs. The eastern champs had rarely added players since 1965 and Peterborough had gone with their own players the past two years. It was understood Bramalea would do the same, however the Excelsiors had other ideas. They came west with Oshawa star Stan Cockerton. The westerners insisted that Cockerton could not play, yet the O.L.A. titleholders were determined to dress him. Was junior lacrosse about to have its own Bob Allan fiasco? Not likely. No one in B.C. wanted to fly out the four-time defending champs to replace the inexperienced Excelsiors. So Victoria gave in and Cockerton was allowed to play. The Green Gael was in the twilight of an illustrious career. At the time, he sat fifth in O.L.A. Junior A career scoring and would pass Gaylord Powless in his final game. Proof that small players can be stars in lacrosse. In four games against Victoria he scored 12 goals and 8 assists. Yet Bramalea lost every game. Doubtless Cockerton came as close as anybody on a losing team to winning the McConaghy. The trophy went to Kevin Alexander, another superstar wrapping up his junior career.

1977 - B.C. RULES!

Something about the Brampton Excelsiors and Canadian Championships just did not jive. The Excelsiors had enjoyed success in the past, however the recent years had been a nightmare. Not just for Brampton. It seemed the O.L.A. could kiss the Mann and Minto Cups goodbye the moment Brampton earned the right to face the western champs. In 1976 B.C. swept the championships for the first time in fourteen years. They defeated the Excelsiors at both the Senior and Junior levels. Back in 1962 Brampton were again victims twice. In '77 the Senior Excelsiors would go west again. After their heartbreaking loss the previous year, plus carrying a four series Mann Cup losing streak, they were due some good fortune.

Owen Sound once again finished with the best record in the Major League. On this occasion they were a clear first place finisher with a 19-5 mark. The defending champs followed a couple of wins behind. Brooklin, Fergus and Six Nations all had losing records.

The Brampton duo of Steve Mastine and Pat Differ dominated league scoring. They were the only players to break the 100 point mark. Bob Burke and Bram Wilfong also had strong years for the Excelsiors. The North Stars' Ted Greves and Redmen rookie Stan Cockerton were the only two to score more than 50 goals. Greves got support from Thom Vann and Norm Hope.

The playoffs were anti-climactic as no series lasted longer than five games. The North Stars swept Brooklin. The Excelsiors eliminated Fergus and Owen Sound both in five games. That was it for Senior lacrosse fans in Ontario. Brampton packed its' bags and headed west to try and avoid losing in the Mann Cup Final for the third consecutive year.

Vancouver won the W.L.A. for the second time in three years. They finished first in the league with a 16-7-1 record, in spite of giving up as many goals as they scored. In the final they narrowly survived a seven game series against a strong Victoria club.

Thus a rematch of the '75 Final would take place. This time it would be a best of seven series, unlike the best of three earlier. That was too bad for Brampton as they won the first two games this time. The second victory was by a convincing 18-7 score. They should have grabbed the cup and ran, before it was too late. Soon Mastine was injured with a broken finger and Burke was knocked out of the series after three games. Meanwhile the Burrards had finally recovered from that tough W.L.A. final as they ran off four straight wins to reclaim the Cup. Doug Hayes averaged three goals a game to lead the series.

At least the Excelsiors would not be representing Ontario at the Minto Cup. Rexdale saw to that by sweeping Bramalea in the first round of the playoffs. They next lost to Peterborough in a dramatic seven game semi final. In their third year of Jr. A, the Whitby Builders broke through to win the O.L.A. crown. They eliminated Peterborough in five games to win the championship.

They would host, probably the greatest Junior lacrosse team to ever come out of British Columbia. Burnaby Cablevision won 35 out of 37 games and placed six scorers in the top ten, while also having the best defence, led by Rod Banister. They would be sorely tested in Ontario. Whitby had no Minto Cup experience, however they came out of a very competitive league with a 31-4 record. History was truly on their side. Though Victoria had won the championship the year before, the west had won only four Minto Cups in over twenty years - none of them in Ontario. One had to go back to the mid fifties, then to 1949 for the only two times B.C. teams had won in the east. On both occasions the Minto Cup was held at a neutral site and both times the west sent essentially B.C. All-Star teams.

1977 would be completely different. After the Stan Cockerton controversy of the year before, it was agreed that both Ontario and B.C. would send their club champions, with no pick-ups! For the first time since 1941, lacrosse would have a truly Canadian team championship. Yet another difference was Whitby hosting the series at Iroquois Park Arena. Another Ontario triumph was expected by most fans.

The Builders opened with competitive 12-8 and 12-9 victories. Then the Cables found their legs. The key contest was the fourth game, a tight 12-11 decision for Burnaby. Whitby were a beaten team after that, losing the next two games 15-4 and 17-10. All experts agreed on the reason for the comeback: Rod Banister. His brilliant goaltending netted him the McConaghy award. His foes, the likes of Cam Devine, Ken Colley and Bryce Jordan, were left in total frustration. At the other end, Wayne Colley's debut in the Minto Cup Final had been an unhappy one. He struggled against the sharpshooting of Dan Wilson, Dan Perreault and company.

How significant a win was it? No other B.C. team has won the Minto Cup in Ontario since then. Not even the Gaits, who had two cracks at it, nor the more recent Burnaby Dream Teams have been able to breakthrough in the east.

1978 - CANADA'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Manchester, England was the site of the fourth World Field Lacrosse Championship. Granted lacrosse was a curious sport to be holding a World Championship as so few countries played the game. In Britain it was considered a schoolgirl sport. The Americans only played it in college. Even in Canada, the birthplace of the game, it was just played in small pockets around the country. With only Australia, Canada, England and the United States competing lacrosse made Curling's world championship seem like the World Cup of soccer. Even sports such as cricket and baseball were played by more countries. Unlike cricket, lacrosse had an even bigger handicap - lack of competitiveness. The Americans had won every game in every championship going back to 1966. Made one wonder what the point was in even holding a world championship. A Box World version would come along a couple of years later - with Canada replacing the United States as the dominant country. In fact Canada would be split in three (Canada East, Canada West and the Iroquois Nation). Excuse me but what kind of a World Championship is that? The Iroquois Nation would eventually compete in the field game as well. True the Iroquois are a people but they are not a country. One could point out correctly that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not countries either. At least such teams had a long history dating back to the beginning of international soccer and rugby. In the case of lacrosse, it all smacked too much of revisionism. Our game pretending to be on the scale of other major international sports.

Nevertheless, there was a world field championship held in Manchester in 1978 and the unthinkable happened. For the first and only time the Americans failed to win the Gold Medal. They did beat Canada in round robin play by a record score. The pair met again in the Final and the Canadians pulled off the upset. Stan Cockerton scored in overtime as Canada won its first and only World Field title.

Major lacrosse in Ontario lost the Six Nations Braves. The league did welcome back Peterborough and Windsor. It would be the Warlocks last appearance in Senior A. Orangeville was left with the only team in Senior B, thus they played a full schedule against the Major clubs. Things had certainly changed from the beginning of the century, when the Dufferins were the dominant team in the province. Even their last stint in Senior A in 1932-33 had produced two respectable seasons. Percy Bradley had even won the '32 scoring title! Following in his footsteps, Terry Sanderson led Orangeville and the league with over 50 goals. Yet the modern version of the Dufferins won only 4 times while losing 20 games.

Sanderson was the league's only 50-goal scorer. Bram Wilfong and Ron Smith both fell one goal shy. That didn't do the Excelsiors much good as Brampton had the other losing record in the circuit. The defending champs missed the playoffs in sixth place. Windsor, at least, managed a 12-12 mark. They also missed the post season.

Owen Sound finished on top of the table with 18 wins and 6 losses. They were followed closely by the Red Oaks of Peterborough (sponsored by the Red Oak Hotel) with a 16-8 record. The Petes swept the scoring race. Paul Evans set up 96 goals, remarkable considering that only two other players in the league scored more than 96 points. Evans ran away with the championship and was the only player over 100 points. Teammate Pete Guerin narrowly missed with 99. Brooklin and Fergus rounded out the contenders.

The playoffs were a disaster. It only took 12 games to complete the three series. Again the North Stars fell short in the end. Peterborough was back and would host the Mann Cup. They also won their first championship in five years. One could call it a successful title defence. Peterborough had last been in Senior A back in 1973 - a repeat five years in the making. The Red Oaks were down 3 games to 2 in the Mann Cup Final but rallied to take the last contests. Goaltender Tim Barrie won the Mike Kelly Award. Paul Evans set a Final record with 21 assists. His brother Brian led Victoria with 19 helpers.

For the only time between 1971 and 1990 the Peterborough juniors failed to make the O.L.A. final. Arguably they had the second best team in the province, however the system sabotaged their chances. The Jr. A League was divided into two divisions. The top six clubs from the previous year formed the East Division, while the five lowest returning teams made up the West Division. The two division champs met in the Final. That forced the Gray-Munros to play Whitby in the semi-final. They first disposed of the Green Gaels in a six game Quarter Final, ending Jim Bishop's two year return to the Junior game. The defending champion Builders swept Peterborough in the next round. They went on to sweep Elora and repeat as champions.

Whitby had virtually the same team as the year before. One big difference was their signing of Mississauga hold out Rob Gemmell before the season. Despite a competitive regular season fight with Peterborough and Oshawa, the Builders were untouchable in the playoffs. Mississauga went the other way. Going back to their Toronto Township days, Missy had always been near the top in Junior Lacrosse. Twice they'd come second to the Mighty Gaels and twice they'd been runner up to the great P.C.O. dynasty. From 1978 on it would be all downhill. It all came apart during the '77 playoffs. After finishing second in the league, they were upset by Elora in the quarter-final. Thus 1976 would be the last time the team made the Semi Finals.

Whitby had only one more win left in their season - the 13-11 Minto Cup opener in Burnaby. In each of the following games the Cablevision scored 17 goals or more. The Builders could not keep up. Like their first visit to the West Coast in 1960, Whitby were beaten in five games. They joined Brampton as the only Ontario teams to have lost three Minto Cup Finals.

1979 - THE YEAR OF NO GOALTENDERS

When speaking of the '79 Junior season, a fan once joked that it was the year of no goaltenders! Ironically, Shawn Quinlan, one of the best between the pipes, debuted for Peterborough. The other clubs were not so fortunate. Poor Windsor received a 40-10 beating in Oshawa. Jayde Gibbs scored a record 19 points in that game. Three nights later, Gibbs counted 21 points in Kitchener.

It was an unlucky year for Whitby's Cam Devine. He tied Gibbs with an incredible 247 points in 28 games. He lost the scoring crown with 19 less goals. Devine had already lost the '77 title in similar fashion when George Chandler scored 41 more goals. Another high mark for the league was Mike McKee's 115 goals. His quick stick on the awesome Green Gael power play was unstoppable.

Overall, it was an outrageous year. Kelly Mitchell joined Gibbs and Devine with over 200 points. Oshawa had five players score 75 goals or more. The Gaels also averaged more than 20 goals per game. On the other hand, Kitchener surrendered 20 goals per game and won only once in 24 tries.

As Oshawa and Whitby tied for first, Durham lacrosse fans drooled at the idea of a playoff showdown. It never materialized. Peterborough upset things by sweeping Whitby in the Quarter Final round. The Centurians (yes, Peterborough had a new nickname! thanks to Century 21 sponsorship) had finished only one win behind the top two squads but were greatly overshadowed by the Gaels' and Builders' offences. Next Oshawa nearly fell flat on their face. They opened the Semi Finals with a 19-5 rout over Elora. After that the determined Mohawks gave the Gaels all they could handle. Five tough games followed, including two narrow home wins for Oshawa, before they finally prevailed in six games.

The final was a classic match of contrasts. The hard running, high scoring Green Gaels versus the tough defensive, sometimes dirty Petes. Another view saw the battle between team oriented Peterborough, with three solid lines, and an Oshawa club with five superstars and the other players tagging along behind. With the games being played at the Children's and Kinsmen Arenas, the settings were the worst imaginable for such a classic series.

In the opening game the Gaels prevailed in overtime 15-14. Peterborough responded with a confident second game victory. Their effort in the next contest could only be described as irresponsible. With a second period penalty blitz, including Wayne Batley spearing Gi Goulding and a teammate running Jayde Gibbs feet first into the boards, the Oshawa power play blew the visitors out of the building. The final result was a 16-4 rout. Back home, the Centurians were run off the floor in an 18-10 loss. It appeared the Gaels had avenged three consecutive playoff losses to their rivals. Yet three would soon become four as Mark Vitarelli regrouped his troops. In Game Five, the running game disappeared and Peterborough paced themselves to a 10-5 victory. Bob Hanna's Gaels came back strong the next night and positioned themselves to win the championship. They led by a goal late and with a power play could have put the game away. Instead the Petes scored twice shorthanded and the series was tied 3-3. Interest climaxed as the deciding match was moved to Iroquois Park Arena in Whitby. The Centurians jumped in front early, smothered the Gaels running attack, and led all the way to a 10-8 win.

Ontario lost the Minto Cup this season. Even though it was the O.L.A.'s turn to host the championship, the C.L.A. arranged a three team final with the deciding match being televised on the CBC. Thus Junior A lacrosse moved into the new era of three team round robin championships. The format would be used again in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990. In such cases as '79, '84 and '86 it could be argued that the best team did not win. Such was the legacy of the round robin tournament. Since 1991 the Minto Cup has returned to the best of seven format and there has never been any question as to who the best teams have been.

So the '79 championship was hosted by Calgary. Peterborough was joined by the Cup holders from Burnaby and an Alberta All-Star team. The Centurians finished comfortably in first place. Yet when they met Burnaby on a Saturday afternoon all went wrong. The Cablevision claimed their third consecutive Minto Cup win thanks to an 8-6 victory in the one game final.

O.L.A. Major had a small but competitive league in 1979. Only four teams entered in Senior A (Peterborough, Brampton, Brooklin and Ohsweken) and last place Ohsweken won only one game. The other three fought it out at the top. The Red Oaks finished first, three points ahead of the Redmen and five up on the Excelsiors. Peterborough's J. J. Johnston won his first scoring title, by a mere two points over Brampton's Bob Burke. That pair, plus Johnston's teammate Jim Wasson were the league's only 50 goal scorers. Again Johnston was marginally better than Burke.

After a double round robin competition Brooklin was eliminated from the playoffs. They lost three out of their four games despite scoring more goals than they gave up. The youthful Redmen were on the verge of contending but not there yet. That left a Peterborough/Brampton final. It was the first time the two clubs had met in the Final since the dramatic seven game series of 1966. Once again Peterborough prevailed. On this occasion the Red Oaks only needed five games.

For the trip west, the champs added only two players. Brampton star Tom Patrick was an expected selection. The second choice was surprising. Oshawa Green Gael teenager Derek Keenan was picked. Keenan had finished fourth in Jr. A scoring with 189 points. Yet he was chosen league MVP over more flashy players such as Gibbs, Devine, Mitchell, McKee or Ken Colley. The Red Oaks also recognized Keenan's better all around game. With his size he would not be out of place in Senior. Keenan would contribute a goal and three assists in four games.

The eastern champs had their hands full in Victoria. The Shamrocks finished first in the competitive W.L.A. then lost only twice in the playoffs. Two losses would be their grand total for the post season. Peterborough was unable to defeat them in four games. Huntsville's Ivan Thompson led the series with 31 points. Fresh from two Minto Cup triumphs, Dan Wilson added a Mann Cup win to his resume. He set up 18 goals in the Final. Bob Cool and Kevin Alexander were the top snipers with 11 and 8 goals respectively. Larry Smeltzer starred in goal, plus added three assists to his career Mann Cup total. He wrapped up his career with 25, one shy of Bob McCready's record.

1980- THE DROUGHT ENDS

Back in 1931, Brampton Excelsiors won the Mann Cup for the second consecutive year. It was a remarkable repeat, considering how many players the Excelsiors had lost to professional lacrosse. Equally impressive was their trek west to defend their title. Brampton should have had a dynasty in the making. It wasn't meant to be. The loss of so much talent to professionalism hurt badly, even worse when their top two scorers defected after the '31 campaign. If that wasn't enough of a challenge, the last field champions had to adapt to the box game in 1932. The Excelsiors did not make it three in a row. Far from it. Instead they started a championship drought which lasted nearly half a century. Brampton did win back the Cup in 1942, plus another O.L.A. title the following season, however it was a combined team based in Mimico. For the Excelsiors, a couple of O.L.A. Finals was the best they could do over three decades. The sixties saw two O.L.A. titles and numerous league finals but no Mann Cup. The seventies were no better for the Brampton squad.

1980 should not have been any different. There were four teams in Major again, as Fergus replaced Ohsweken. All four would make the playoffs. A lucky break as the Excelsiors would finish fourth! The Major clubs combined their schedule with the Senior B League. Naturally three of them had winning records. Brampton won 7 times while losing 16. The basement dwellers met Brooklin in the Semi Final. The first place Redmen had won all six regular season games, each by at least seven goals. They were led by rookie of the year Ken Colley, who scored 72 goals while running away with the scoring title. In total, six Brooklin players made the top ten. Bram Wilfong was the lone Excelsior. The drought looked safe for another year.

The Redmen did have an Achilles heel: eight rookies and six sophmores in their line up. Brampton at least had experience on their side. They also got a scheduling break. The series opened in Brampton, even though Brooklin had home advantage. In Game One the pennant winners would be minus seven regulars. The madness was about to begin.

The opener will be remember for a bench clearing brawl with many spectators on the floor. Brooklin lost goaltender Wayne Colley and Chuck Lepine. Both were ejected from the game along with Excelsior Gord Lyons. It will also be remembered for Mark Thompson scoring the winner in the final 5 minutes. 11-10 Brampton as Thompson and Ken Archdekin both had hat-tricks. Dave Wright scored three times for the Redmen. The Excelsiors next won in Brooklin. They led all the way in a 15-9 game. Thompson, Lyons and Bob Burke all scored three goals.

Brooklin coach Tony Gray gave each line a pep talk about playing tougher defence prior to Game Three. The third and fifth games were also scheduled for Brampton. The visitors played like the top team they were, winning 13-10. Ken Colley led with a hat-trick. The Redmen next won at home 12-6. A six goal third period broke this one open. Wayne Colley blanked Excelsior shooters for a 42 minute stretch over the second and third periods. Blaine Harrison was top marksman with a trio.

The bubble appeared to have burst on the last place club. Yet scheduling would be key. As the pivotal first game had been held in Brampton, the even more important fifth game would also be in Brampton. The Redmen would host the final two. That would only be an advantage if the series went seven games.

After 28 minutes of play Brooklin led comfortably 7-3. They would not beat Barry Maruk again until the last 3 minutes. Mark Fisher and Burke each scored four goals to bring the Excelsiors back. They won it 14-9. Again the Redmen started fast in Game Six. They won the opening period 5-3, thanks, in part, to Larry Graham's three goals. After that Brampton's zone defence in front of Maruk shut Brooklin down. Lyons finished with a hat-trick as the Excelsiors came back for a 12-6 victory.

That was the series Brampton was not supposed to win. After that it would all be shockingly easy for John McCauley's chargers. With the ex-Rexdale Warrior Barry Maruk playing the best lacrosse of his life, the Excelsiors' Mann Cup drought was living on borrowed time.

Next came the defending O.L.A. champs from Peterborough. The Lakers had struggled past Fergus in seven games. They had to win Game Six in Fergus 17-11, then narrowly escaped the seventh game with a 10-9 decision. Just barely getting by was not going to work against the high flying Excelsiors. Brampton dispatched Peterborough in five games. They would host New Westminster in the Mann Cup.

It was a match-up not made in heaven. A last place team versus a third place club. Neither had a winning regular season record. Yet they both had won when it counted. New Westminster came from 3-1 down in the Semi Final to eliminate first place Coquitlam. The Excelsiors entered the series with a 15-19 record on the year. The Salmonbellies were only marginally better at 19-18. Still, they were both playing for the Canadian championship and that's all that mattered.

Bert Large, George Masters and George Thompson performed the ceremonial face off. All three had been on the Combines' championship team of '42. Thompson had played on the last Excelsior champion in '31. Large had been Brampton's starting net-minder when they won their fourth O.L.A. title in 1926. By 1931 he had left the team to play professionally.

It was a hot and humid series, which took its toll on the westerners. Starting goaltender Rod Banister had to be replaced after two periods, in the opener, because of the heat. New West led 10-9 at the time. Brampton won it 14-10. This was the last year for picking up players from other teams. The Excelsiors chose well. Peterborough's Bob Wasson was player of the game with 5 points. Wasson and Tom Patrick scored 44 seconds apart to put the easterners ahead for keeps.

The next night the Salmonbellies again played with the lead until the humidity wore them out. They led 7-6 late in the second period when it all fell apart. Three goals by Gord Lyons, Mark Thompson and Bob Wasson concluded the session. Fast emerging superstar Barry Maruk displayed his lethal passing by setting up all three goals. He then shut down the visitors in the third as Brampton won going away 14-9. The other Peterborough pick up, Jim Wasson, had an 8 point game.

Matters got bleaker for the westerners prior to Game Three. Brian Tasker - who was a W.L.A. Second team all-star - flew to Calgary on the off day for business then got stranded because of the Toronto air traffic controllers strike. Never mind, Bob Tasker made up for it with a 9 point game. This time the Salmonbellies built too big a lead to blow. They outscored the home side 8-1 in the second period. With a 12-5 lead they broke even in the third period, 5 goals apiece. It was a rough game and New Westminster took advantage with 9 power play markers. Gilles Bezeau led them with 7 tallies on the night.

Tasker was back for Game Four. His plane could have been late and he still would have made it. This contest was delayed 45 minutes as head coaches John McCauley and Al Lewthwaite argued over sweater colours! The Excelsiors cleaned up their act in this one. Terry Sanderson - picked up from Brampton's Senior affiliate Orangeville - took their only penalty. New Westminster did not get a power play the entire night. Sanderson made up for his foul by scoring the game winner in the last 2 minutes. The eastern champs out-shot the Salmombellies 60-45, winning 9-8.

The losing team scored first in every contest. New Westminster kept that record perfect by getting the first goal in the fifth and final match. Brampton counted the next four to win the period. The visitors battled back to tie it 5-5, only to be crushed by three late goals in the second. Bob Wasson, Bob Burke and Gord Lyons did the damage. Lyons and Wasson struck again to start the last period. At 10-5 it was all over. The Excelsiors cruised home for an 11-7 win and their first Mann Cup triumph in 49 years.

Barry Maruk was named series MVP. He was at his best during the fifth game. He made 43 saves, intercepted four breakaway passes and set up two goals. He finished the series with 10 assists. Another drought, of sorts, ended in Jr. A. With a fine mix of veterans and youth, Whitby Builders finally won the Minto Cup. Going back to 1960, they had been jinxed in the Canadian Final. They returned to New Westminster twenty years later and upset a physically superior Salmonbelly club in five games. After a fourth game 14-13 defeat, the Builders blew out the westerners 22-7 in the deciding match. John Jordan had 12 assists in the finale! A fitting way for veterans Jordan and Cam Devine to conclude their careers. Jordan set a series record by scoring 41 points.

1981 - THE BATTLE OF DURHAM

It was an interesting junior season. In Etobicoke, Adam Oates rose to stardom by eclipsing the record for points in one game. He scored 29 against Kitchener. Oates also went on to win the scoring title and the first of his three Most Valuable Player awards. In Whitby, a good, young squad had its season blow up in its face. Minto Cup winning coach Jim Hinkson ended his two year run with the Builders disastrously. Meanwhile, Peterborough flirted with perfection only to have one team spoil everything. That team, Oshawa, had as newsworthy a season as any. Jim Bishop returned to the club. The legendary coach had comeback in 1977-78 but that team had been too young to make much of an impact. The '81 side was expected to be an experienced one, until Bishop returned. Not caring for his authoritarian style, Scarborough natives Jayde Gibbs and Mike McKee refused to play. Both sat out more than half the regular season. The lost games eventually cost Gibbs first spot in career Junior A scoring, while McKee had his consecutive 100 goal seasons streak ended. The Gaels stumbled through much of the season until General Manager Bob Duignan cut the Gordian Knot and fired Bishop. Before replacement Peter Vipond could be brought in, both Gibbs and McKee had returned to the line up. Ironically Vipond had captained Bishop's last Minto Cup winner. His style was much more relaxed. He immediately reduced practices from two hours to ninety minutes and won the loyalty of all his chargers. During the playoffs he would often cancel practices to allow his players to be fresh for the upcoming games. The Gaels struggled to a losing record but the playoffs would be different.

Early July did much to determine the post-season results. Peterborough rolled into Oshawa still unbeaten and pondering the idea of choosing the Green Gaels as a first round opponent. That was until they narrowly escaped with a one goal win. A couple of nights later Oshawa was blown out at Iroquois Park. The Builders ripped the Gaels' zone defence to shreds. After the game Fred Upshaw Sr. predicted that Whitby would pick Oshawa for a Quarter Final opponent. For six years Durham Region lacrosse fans had waited in vain for a playoff matchup. The gate for such a series would be of Minto Cup size. Sure enough the second place Builders did choose to play fifth place Oshawa. To call it a bad decision was an understatement.

The Gael's headed into the playoffs with their starting goaltender Ken Passfield injured. They picked up Scarborough's Henry Bennett. This would be Little Hank's one moment of fame. With Bennett in goal and the zone defence abandoned Oshawa surprised Whitby by winning the first three games of the series. The third game blow out climaxed with a bench clearing brawl. Andy Perroni had been run into the boards and injured earlier in the contest, thus Whitby's frustration exploded towards the end. While Wayne Crawford was in the stands battling Gaels fans and the police were filing into the arena and the players were fighting with each other, Whitby net-minder Rob McLean stood in the middle of the floor as if he was waiting for a bus. Finally an Oshawa player charged towards him but instead of exchanging punches they hugged like long lost brothers! There the pair stood chatting with their arms around each other, while everyone else around them was trying to kill each other. Apparently they had met at a party on the weekend. Not all people in Oshawa and Whitby hated each other.

The series ended in five games. Nothing went right for the defending champions. In the last contest they scored nine first period goals, yet still lost 19-15.

The James Gang wisely passed on Oshawa in the semi-final. They swept fourth place Brampton instead. Their invincibility at home would be key in the final. They clearly outclassed the Gaels all four games at the Memorial Centre. The three contests in Oshawa were much more interesting. Peterborough's 29-0 record was spoiled in Game Two. The home side eventually won a seesaw battle 15-11. The fourth match also went the Green Gaels way, as did the sixth, in overtime. A crowd of over 3,000 attended the finale. An estimated 2/3's of them made the trip up from Oshawa. Fred Upshaw Jr. gave them the first goal of the match. After that Peterborough's defence easily dominated. It was the Gaels eighteenth playoff game and they'd run out of upsets.

Peterborough went on to host and sweep Burnaby for their first Minto Cup win in six years.

The Excelsiors and Salmonbellies were up to their old tricks again. Brampton placed third in an expanded Major League while New Westminster finished fourth in the W.L.A. Yet, when September came around the two met for the Mann Cup again.

Owen Sound returned to Sr. A and Scarborough joined them. The North Stars grabbed the fourth and final playoff spot with a 13-11 record. Mike McMillan led them with 52 goals. He finished runner up to J. J. Johnston in goals and points. Scarborough wallowed in the basement their initial season. They were respectable and won eight times.

The Excelsiors' record had improved to 13-10-1. The defending champs once again faced Brooklin to begin the playoffs. They defeated the Redmen in six games. At the same time Owen Sound upset the first place Lakers in six games. For the third time Brampton and Owen Sound met in the Final. In '75 the North Stars had been swept. In '77 they had managed one win. This time around they were victorious twice. Still not good enough to win the Ontario crown.

Out west, New Westminster won only ten regular season games, while losing thirteen and tying once. Hardly championship material. The playoffs were completely different. The Salmonbellies stormed to another championship by winning eight out of nine games. They next extended that run to twelve out of thirteen games by sweeping the Excelsiors in the Mann Cup Final. They outscored Brampton 61-33 over the four games. Jim Weller led Brampton and topped the series with nine goals. The high point men were all on New Westminster: Wayne Goss (21), Dave Durante (17), Derek Dickson (14).

Thus, for the second year in a row, a team with a losing record had rebounded to win the Canadian championship. This had never happened before in the history of the Mann Cup. Yet it would happen once more in two years time.

1982 - BROOKLIN IS GOING DOWN HARD

So read a banner hanging inside the Fergus Arena prior to the start of the playoffs. One could understand such over confidence coming from a Peterborough or Brampton side but the Thistles had never won anything in Senior A. They were first place finishers in '82, however that did not mean much. Only once since 1976 had the pennant winner gone on to take provincial honours. Fergus would also fall short, though their playoff journey would be history making. As for Brooklin, the Redmen would suffer a hard defeat, yet it was nothing like the banner had anticipated.

Fergus took top spot with a 18-6 record. That was two wins better than Peterborough and Owen Sound. It was the first time the Thistles had been clear first place finishers. Rookie Phil Scarfone had graduated from the Hamilton Bengals and taken the Major League by storm. He won the scoring championship with 75 goals and 127 points. It was the second time in three years a rookie had won the title. Brooklin came in fourth place with a losing record. The young team with so much promise disappointed badly. They had the second lowest scoring team in the league and placed no scorer higher than tenth overall. Scarborough had the lowest scoring team, plus the worst defensive record. That explained why they only won three times. The defending champs pressed their luck once too often. This year Brampton fell to fifth, which was out of the playoffs. There would be no post season miracles this time around.

Still, there would be one post season miracle. Fergus and Brooklin paired up to do something never before done in O.L.A. Senior A history. Whoever stuck up that banner must have been feeling very foolish after the series opener. They really had to feel downright dumb after Game Three. The series opened in Fergus and all looked well for the green and gold for 59 minutes. Larry Graham scored for Brooklin in the last minute to tie the contest 8-8. Ken Colley next scored the winner with 18 seconds remaining. Phil Scarfone was held scoreless on the night. The great defensive work of Jim Branton and Fred Upshaw shutout the Fergus sniper in Game Two as well. This match also went Brooklin's way thanks to a seven goal second period. The Redmen scored three times in 20 seconds to drive Rob Mason from goal. They went on to win 11-7. Another unsung hero was Brian Colm. He controlled draws and even chipped in a goal. I wonder if that notorious sign was taken down after the third game? The Thistles were embarrassed at home, falling behind 3-0 in the best of seven series. Scarfone missed the contest, thus Fergus managed only two goals on Wayne Colley. It was still very close until the visitors scored five times in the last period to clinch the 8-2 victory.

No team had ever come from three games down to win in league history. That was about to change. Coach Larry Smeltzer was quoted as saying, "the game plan we'd had earlier wasn't working so we threw it out." Not sure what they replaced it with, however the result was a convincing 13-5 Fergus win. Mason was excellent at one end, while Scarfone broke loose to score six times at the other end. The next night the Thistles won at home 12-5. Game Six started out even. The Scotsmen scored four straight at the end of the first period for a 6-3 lead. They later extended that advantage to five goals. They did this even though Bill Gerrie was forced to replace Mason in goal. The star was once again Scarfone. He scored seven points as Fergus won 14-11. So it was back to the Fergus Arena and that banner one last time. The desperate Redmen pulled out all the stops. Coach Brian Brady arranged to have Kelly Mitchell flown in from Calgary for the game. Mitchell's great Jr. A career had been followed by a brief stint in Major before work took him to Alberta. The seventh game would be the last in his senior A career. He scored a hattrick to lead the visitors. It wasn't enough. The Thistles jumped all over their shellshocked opponents and outscored them 5-0 the opening 20 minutes. They went on to a comfortable 13-7 victory. The banner was correct after all. The Redmen had gone down hard.

After such a narrow escape the Thistles luck ran out. Peterborough had disposed of Owen Sound 4-1 in their semi final series. The O.L.A. final would also be a five game affair. The Lakers were too strong and experienced for Fergus. The last contest was a 15-11 win for the Petes. Fergus led at one point 8-7, until Paul Evans tied it. Four more quick markers followed, chasing Bill Gerrie from the goal. That was the end for the Thistles. The Lakers next turned their attention to the Mann Cup.

Given the strength of Peterborough lacrosse, and the number of times they had played for the Mann Cup, it was remarkable that they had never beaten New Westminster. The Salmonbellies swept them in 1959 and 1970. The westerners were also defending their 1981 title. Furthermore, they were not a team with a losing record this year. They had finished first with a commanding 17-7 mark. Yet all those previous accomplishments had been performed at Queen's Park Arena. The '82 Final would be hosted by Peterborough.

The Cup Holders won the opener 13-9. They jumped in front with three early goals. The moment the home side battled back to tie it Derek Dickson gave the Salmonbellies the lead for good. The closest the Lakers got after that was 8-7, thanks to a pair of third period goals by Bob Wasson.

Peterborough evened the series with a Game Two victory. They won a wild affair 19-13. With Jim Wasson, J. J. Johnston and Paul Evans leading the charge the easterners got off to a 7-1 start. The defending champs fought back and tied the match 9-9 in the second period. The turning point came shortly after. Lyle Robinson picked up an extra major penalty for pulling Mark Evans hair at the end of their fight. Mark Tuura scored shorthanded to tie it 10-10. After that the Laker power play struck twice. Brian Evans and Jim Wasson put the home side ahead 12-10. Wasson was star of the game with 5 goals, 9 points and numerous loose balls won. The Ontario champs next grabbed the series lead with an 11-7 triumph. Ten different Lakers scored in the game. Jim Wasson registered two counters.

The Salmonbellies got off to a good start in Game Four thanks to a close call going their way. On Peterborough's first power play of the night, Jan Magee blasted a shot off Doug Zack's head. Jim Wasson popped the rebound into the net. Yet the goal was not allowed. It was ruled that play had been stopped for the injured Zack. Later, on the same power play, New Westminster scored two shorthanded goals for a 3-0 lead. They went on to double the Lakers 16-8. Geordie Dean finished the night with five markers.

That was the westerners second and final victory of the championship. Their host dominated Game Five until the late stages. Peterborough was up 13-7 when the Salmonbellies scored five times in two minutes! Still, the easterners hung on for the win. J. J. Johnston got an insurance marker with 35 seconds remaining. it was his fifth goal on the evening.

The sixth and final game was even more dramatic. Approximately 2,500 fans watched their team lead throughout the match but the visitors never quit. Eric Cowieson's four goals kept them in the game. It was 8-8 in the last period when a Laker surge appeared to clinch the title. They jumped in front 11-9, only to see their opponents come back one last time. With Mac Maude on the bench for an extra attacker, Barry Powless scored with 25 seconds remaining. That tied the contest 11-11 and sent it into a ten minute overtime period. Diminutive Frank Kylie starred in the extra period. He won all eight draws, guaranteeing the Lakers ball possession much of the time. They didn't take advantage until the last two minutes. At the 8:20 mark J.J. Johnston scored the only goal of the session. 12-11 Peterborough and their first Mann Cup win in four years.

The Oshawa/Whitby rivalry met in the playoffs for the second and last time. The Semi Final series went the distance. Given that Iroquois Park and the Civic Auditorium were only 90 minutes walking distance apart, home advantage was meaningless. The visiting club won the first four contests. The Builders took control of the series by finally winning at home in Game Five. They also looked like sure winners in Oshawa again the next night. In Game Six they built up a 10-5 second period lead. As Whitby fans taunted the Gaels' bench the series appeared to be over. Then Joe Roznik brought Oshawa back from the brink of elimination. Roznik was in his final year of junior. He'd been a second line player his entire career, talented but never to the point of becoming a superstar. His one moment of glory came towards the end of the second period of Game Six. He scored three times as the Green Gaels fought back. Over the last 20 minutes they won the contest going away. Roznik finished the night with five goals. The ever dependable Derek Keenan added six more and Oshawa won 19-14. Roznik's effort was so impressive that Jim Brady went out of his way to congratulate the Gael. The Whitby coach knew that his team had blown their chance.

That set the stage for the grand finale to Junior Lacrosse's most intense rivalry. The two clubs would play four regular season games in 1983, however a depleted Oshawa squad would be easy pickings for Whitby. The seventh game took place at Iroquois Park on a Saturday night. The two high powered offences became entangled in a hardnose defensive struggle which saw only eleven goals. The net-minding of Ken Passfield and Rob McLean was at its best. The Builders led 5-3 through 40 minutes, however Passfield shut them out in the third period. The Green Gaels fought back for a 6-5 victory. The winning goal came with 8 minutes remaining. Warren Palmer scored off a rebound.

Depth had never been the Gaels strength. Plus coming off such a long, emotional series they were in no condition to meet first place Peterborough in the league final. The well rested James Gang swept the Gaels. This marked the end of Derek Keenan and Jayde Gibbs' careers. Both players had passed Cam Devine as the league's all time leading scorer. Keenan finished with 1,086 points, Gibbs 1,070 and Devine 1,039.

Peterborough headed west to Vancouver Island. The defending Minto Cup champs met a Victoria-Esquimalt Legion squad loaded with veterans - ten last year juniors. The James Gang, however, had the talent and displayed it immediately. The Batley Boys (Wayne and Todd) both scored four goals as the visitors won the opener 13-5. The Legion came back to win the next contest dramatically. They trailed 5-3 with less than 9 minutes remaining. Gord Taylor tied it with a pair of goals six seconds apart. Wayne Christiens potted the winner with 3 minutes left. After this game, the defending champs lost their leading scorer Wayne Batley for the series. Some hotel horse play prematurely ended Batley's season with a heel injury. Nevertheless, following their fourth loss of the season, the James Gang was at its best. Brian Hall scored five times as they won 13-2. Victoria's two markers came 47 seconds apart in the middle of the match. The fourth game was much more entertaining. The Legion led 6-2 after the first period. The tide turned Peterborough's way when Hall and Larry Floyd scored consecutive shorthanded goals in the second. That put them ahead 7-6. Four third period tallies clinched a 12-9 victory.

This win was marred by western complaints about the officiating. The griping about the work of Ontario referee Don Brockie in particular but also his B.C. counterparts Bill Geddies and Reg Higgins had been going on from the start of the series. The protests climaxed after Peterborough took a 3-1 series lead. James Gang President Dan Quinlan was not impressed. "The thing that is most disappointing to me is the attitude of the whole community against referees. Right from the first meeting we had there were comments about the referees. They had never even met Brockie."

Officiating aside, the James Gang closed out the series in Game Five. Their penalty killing had been so strong (only one power play goal against the entire series) that Victoria stopped challenging their ball-carriers while shorthanded. Peterborough built a 10-6 advantage after two periods and made that score stick. Goaltender Shawn Quinlan - playing on an injured ankle - shut down the Legion's offence the final 30 minutes. At the end of the contest, the champs took half a victory lap with the Minto Cup then went to their dressing room to change.

1983 - JAMES GANG MATCH GAELS

Oshawa Green Gaels record of seven Minto Cup wins was equalled by the Peterborough Juniors this year. The James Gang won their third consecutive Canadian championship without too much trouble. The nine-team O.L.A. league played a split schedule. After a 16 game double round robin the top four clubs advanced to the championship round while the bottom five played for a Tier Two title. St. Catharines Athletics were the victims of this arrangement. They had a promising young squad but finished fifth, thus they were knocked out of the championship race before the end of June. Their new coach, Jim Brady, was incensed with the schedule which forced his club to meet Oshawa early in the year, when they were still making the transition to a new coach. Consequently Oshawa won both contests and that proved to be the difference as they edged out the A's for fourth spot. Tier Two play also ended disappointingly for the Double Blues. Hamilton defeated them in five games for the title.

Of the Big Four, Oshawa was out of its depth. Years of an unproductive minor system had taken their toll, thus the Gaels' local talent had dried up. General Manager Bob Duignan did his best to keep the team in contention. He brought in players from Six Nations, Orillia, Guelph and even Alberta! It still wasn't enough. Oshawa would lose every game they played against arch rivals Whitby and Peterborough. Their final trip to Iroquois Park was a heartening overtime defeat. Still, the writing was on the wall. This twenty-first season was the Oshawa Green Gaels last in Junior A.

Meanwhile the James Gang rolled to another Minto Cup win. Their only defeat was to Whitby as they went 23-1. Playoff sweeps of Oshawa and Etobicoke followed. The Eclipse may have had Whitby's number but they could not beat Peterborough. Eight straight losses were extended to ten during the Minto Cup tournament. The James Gang added four more victories to their record, against New Westminster and Etobicoke. In the end, the Canadian championship final was played between two Ontario teams. Peterborough met the Eclipse for the eleventh time. It was a one game shot, so the previous ten results meant nothing. With nothing to lose, Etobicoke gave the defending champs a bit of a scare. The James Gang survived it, mainly by holding Adam Oates to one goal in his last game. Doug Evans scored three goals and seven points. Peterborough won the contest 12-8. Minto Cup Number Seven was in the books.

Another Peterborough Double was on the cards much of the year. The Senior Lakers were defending Mann Cup champions. The big question was whether the veteran crew had one more title left in them. Their chief challenger in the East would be Brooklin. The youthful Redmen finally began to live up to the promise they initially showed three years earlier. Rookie Gil Nieuwendyk won the scoring championship. Yet Brooklin stumbled to a 14-10 regular season record. Only six points shy of the Cup Holders, however they also trailed Owen Sound by two points. The circuit was rounded out by fourth place Fergus, then Brampton and Scarborough.

In the playoffs, the Redmen came of age. They matched Peterborough's sweep of the Thistles by quickly disposing of the North Stars in four games. After the series Owen Sound coach Derek Forbes predicted: "Brooklin will beat Peterborough in six games if they keep running. The moment they stop, they're finished."

The series opener was attended by over one thousand fans. Brooklin had started fast every game against the North Stars, however the Lakers ended that trend quickly. After 40 minutes the Redmen had scored only once and trailed 5-1. The net-minding of Wayne Colley kept the deficit from being greater. He was unbeatable in close. Peterborough snipers solved him in the third period with long, low shots which fooled Colley. When asked about the low shooting after the game, Laker coach Cy Coombes merely smiled. The champs won Game One 11-5.

The Redmen evened the Final at home. Again the Laker defence dominated early. Brooklin scored only once on Shawn Quinlan in the first period. Quinlan had replaced Tim Barrie because, as Coombes put it, "Barrie never had good luck in Brooklin." After the second period the coach had to admit that, "Quinlan wasn't making the stops." The home side surged ahead 6-4, enroute to a 10-9 victory. Bryce Jordan won it in the last minute, scoring after Quinlan had stopped a John Jordan shot.

Next, the Redmen won in Peterborough. Andy Perroni scored the first and last goals. He broke a 7-7 tie with less than 4 minutes left. Gil Nieuwendyk returned from a referee's clinic and contributed one marker. It was the first time Peterborough had been held under 8 goals all year. "I hope Brooklin knows they haven't won anything yet," Cy Coombes warned.

They immediately gave home advantage back to the Lakers. Even with three power play goals in the first 5 minutes, the Redmen were unable to win Game Four. Peterborough battled back to take the period. Four straight goals in the second knocked Colley out of the match as the Lakers pulled ahead 8-3. They evened the series with a 13-9 victory. "Some of our players had it all counted up before playing the game," Brooklin coach Brian Brady complained.

The home teams won the next two contests. Quinlan posted a third period shutout as Peterborough extended a 5-4 lead to win 9-4. Then Brooklin got two timely goals from Emil Labaj in Game Six. The turning point came on a Derek Keenan shorthanded marker to put them ahead 8-7. Keenan was flown in from Syracuse for the game. He'd been away at Ithaca College. Next Colley robbed J. J. Johnston at one end of the floor then John Fusco scored at the other. The Redmen went on to an 11-8 triumph.

That would be Brooklin's last win of the season. Close to 3,000 spectators watched the deciding match. It was settled early, thanks to an 8-1 Peterborough first period. The second period the benches cleared for a brawl. In the end, the Lakers won 20-4. J. J. Johnston and Jim Wasson both led with four goals each.

Thus everything was falling into place for Peterborough to sweep the Junior and Senior titles once again. For the Mann Cup the Lakers would face a third place Victoria club which had a losing record. There were two catches however. First, the final would be played in Victoria. No eastern team had won in the west since 1969. Second, two of the past three Mann Cup winners had losing regular season records.

The first game was played in Nanaimo. A crowd of 2,000 saw former Timberman Kevin Alexander score 76 seconds into the series. He'd finish the night with four goals and two assists. It was 3-0 before J. J. Johnston got the visitors on the board. By the end of the first period it was 7-2. The Lakers inched back in the middle stanza, to 8-5. The Pay Less scored on four of their first six shots to begin the third period and it was over. They went on to double Peterborough 14-7.

Victoria's Memorial Arena was a kinder setting for the easterners. They registered their first win in B.C. since 1955. Bob Wasson missed the opener due to work commitments. He scored six points in Game Two. Johnston added four goals. The home team nearly turned the 13-11 result around with a late rally. Alexander hit three posts in the final 2 minutes.

The Pay Less took charge with wins in the next two matches. A 10-9 victory was followed by a 15-7 romp. Peterborough outshot them 53-44 in the fourth contest. Mac Maude had their number, including four big saves on one power play. Meanwhile Tim Barrie was pulled during the second period after surrendering three goals in 61 seconds. Jim Meredith beat him shorthanded. Next, John Crowther scored off a backhand pass from Kevin Alexander. Then Jim Lynch capped the run.

The defending champs prolonged the final with a fifth game triumph. It was a narrow 7-6 decision. A six goal beginning to the second period made the win possible. Bob Wasson scored four times as the Lakers led 7-3 by the 30 minute mark. The third period heroics were reserved for Shawn Quinlan. Among his many great saves, "Walter" Quinlan robbed Dan Green twice, stopped Paul Michael on a breakaway and Dave Lowdon one on one. In the last minute Norm Baker beat the Peterborough goalie but hit the post.

Over 4,000 witnessed Victoria win the championship in Game Six. It was an 8-6 victory, in which Alexander and Crowther both scored hat-tricks. Cy Coombes lamented that: "We couldn't shutdown Crowther and Alexander. What can you say? Take your eyes off them for a second and the ball is in the net. What could we do? We checked them as well as humanly possible."

Both Victoria stars finished the series with 16 goals. Crowther led all scorers with 30 points. He took home the Mike Kelly Award as series MVP. Crowther would come east to play for Owen Sound in 1984. Back in B.C., he was tragically murdered during the off season.

1984 - NEW TEAM, SAME RESULT

Mark Vitarelli had plenty of experience when it came to winning. From his playing days with the P.C.O.'s to his coaching the James Gang, Vitarelli was well acquainted with the Minto Cup. As a coach, his record was the envy of his peers. In '79 he defeated both the offensive powerhouses of Durham Region, only to fall one game shy of a Canadian championship. The next year ended with an O.L.A. final loss to Whitby. Then came three near perfect seasons. The only drama during the James Gang dynasty was Vitarelli's threatening to quit in the middle of the '82 season. He was not satisfied with the efforts of his players - too much playing well enough to win but no more. Yet he stayed behind the bench. His players peaked for the playoffs that year and went on a 16-1 run, including four wins on the west coast. After Vitarelli's third consecutive win in '83 it was time for a new challenge. Cy Coombes had stepped down as the Lakers coach. Enter Mark Vitarelli. The journey towards another Canadian championship had begun.

Arguably the Peterborough Lakers of 1984 were the greatest box lacrosse team of all time. They were a veteran crew which had to hold off an emerging powerhouse in Brooklin, plus defeat the best the west had to offer from Victoria. They also had to make their way through a Major League enjoying its last competitive season for some time. There was no free ride for the Lakers. Still they brought the Mann Cup back to Peterborough for the last time. They did it in style by posting a mark of 38-2. The two losses was a Senior A record for the least ever in the box era. Likewise, their .950 winning percentage was the best anyone had yet seen. Not a bad effort for a club considered to be "long in the tooth".

The Lakers were not the only ones making history during the summer of '84. Phil Scarfone was in his final season. He would also depart in style. Scoring records in the O.L.A. had been slow to fall. Bill Isaacs had the first great season by scoring 101 goals and 165 points over a 30 game schedule. During the most offensive season ever, in 1946, Gordon Gair also hit triple figures, while his teammate Vince Reddy topped Isaacs mark with 102 goals. That was also achieved over 30 games. Isaacs' points record would last until another explosive season - 1971. That year Gaylord Powless scored 171 points, while John Davis set the record for good at 197. The O.L.A. played a 32 game schedule that year. Davis had a perfect attendance record, however Powless missed seven games.

Next came 1984 and a new figure was about to join the titans of the game. It was an extraordinary year for Phil Scarfone. Not only did he amaze lacrosse fans with a 93 goal, 183 point season, but he went on to smash university football records that fall. As the start quarterback of the McMaster Maurauders, he led his club to a perfect regular season record, only to be upset in the playoffs by eventual winner Guelph Gryphons. He also became the first Maurauder to be named the best player in the country. Scarfone was also chosen the MVP in the O.L.A. His lacrosse team also faltered. He had joined Brampton and the Excelsiors fell in a quarter final loss to Owen Sound.

Such disappointments only make Scarfone's achievements that much more impressive. Football wise, McMaster had always been one of the weak sisters in the OUAA. For the two years under Scarfone they were contenders. After his retirement the Maurauders slipped back to mediocrity. Lacrosse wise, he did his scoring on a team with a losing record. The numbers tell it all. Scarfone scored more than a quarter of Brampton's goals and was involved in more than half of them. His 183 points was 14 shy of Davis' record, however Scarfone only played a 24 game schedule. Likewise, his 93 goals came in six games less than Isaacs, Gair or Reddy had played. In light of those facts, one cannot be blamed for considering Phil Scarfone's effort to be the greatest in O.L.A. history.

Another group destined to make their own history was the Brooklin Redmen. The momentum of their seven game loss to Peterborough the previous year carried over to '84. Brooklin soared into undisputed #2 spot in Ontario lacrosse. They posted a 20-4 record, miles ahead of third place Owen Sound. The post season began with them sweeping St. Catharines three straight. Their semi final date with the North Stars was more of a challenge.

Brooklin began the best of five affair with a convincing 19-8 victory. A ten goal second period settled this one. Gil Nieuwendyk scored nine points, Ken Colley counted five goals and John Jordan added seven assists. The Redmen won the next contest, also at home, 12-8. Owen Sound only dressed fifteen players. One was John Crowther, whose hat-trick kept them in contention. Jordan led all snipers with four goals. The next two nights the series moved up north. Owen Sound upset their guests twice. They opened Game 3 with a 7-1 lead and carried it to a 14-10 triumph. Todd Stark led with five goals, while Brian Hall scored six points. On Saturday night, the North Stars squared the series with a 12-10 win. Mike McMillan had a hat-trick but Gil Nieuwendyk led all scorers with eight points. The deciding contest was an easy 17-8 Brooklin romp. Back at home Nieuwendyk scored three of the first seven goals. John Jordan contributed five assists on the night and Cam Devine - called up from Orillia - chipped in a couple of goals. Dave Cruickshank scored five times in vain.

Next came a meeting between the current dynasty and the dynasty to come. The Lakers had not lost since May 14th, when Brooklin defeated them 12-7. Thus they entered the Final on a 26 game winning streak. Game One was the Redmen's fifth contest in seven nights. That would be the difference. The visitors took a 7-6 lead to the third period only to see Peterborough comeback for a 12-9 win. Paul Evans led with four goals. The next night the Redmen again started well. They won the first period 4-1 before fading in front of their hometown fans. One goal in each of the next two periods wasn't enough as the Lakers prevailed 9-6. Jim Wasson dominated with five points.

Finally Brooklin was granted a night off. They returned to Peterborough refreshed and determined to win. A stunning start put them up 6-1. Jim Wasson scored the Lakers' second goal with 25 seconds left in the opening period. From that point on the veterans chipped away at the lead. Twenty minutes later it had dwindled to 8-6. Gil Nieuwendyk's hat-trick kept the Redmen in front but it wouldn't last. Peterborough tied it in the third and Brian Evans scored the winner in overtime. 10-9 Lakers and a 3-0 lead. The next game was Brooklin's ninth in fourteen nights. They would get a long rest after Peterborough eliminated them. The Redmen won the first period 4-3. A six goal second by the Lakers ended it. 10-6 was the final result.

Peterborough hosted Victoria in the Mann Cup. They defeated the defending champions in five games, avenging the loss from the previous year. Victoria's Kevin Alexander led the series with 19 goals. Alexander was in his prime, having just won the second of his three straight scoring titles. Junior call up Gary Gait scored eight times in the final, as did Huntsville native Jim Meredith. St. Catharines junior graduate Ted Sawicki tended goal for the Pay Less. A great offensive goalie, Sawicki assisted on ten goals in the series. Even with all that going for them, Victoria was able to win only once.

There was a power shift down highway 115 in Junior A. With Vitarelli's departure came a two year championship drought for Peterborough. It would take the coaching duo of John Martin and Dan Dunn to win the Minto Cup for a record eighth time. The Petes only fell to second best, nevertheless it was unfamiliar territory.

Into the void stepped the Whitby Warriors. This was the year the Whitby club settled on the nickname Warriors - a winning name for certain. Whitby benefited greatly from the demise of the Oshawa Green Gaels. Coming over to the Warriors were Barry and Steve Kent, Ross Tabor, Jason Richards, Ken Passfield, Dean Brown, Rob Phinney and Steve Skene. Not a bad haul! Barry Kent would finish second in league scoring in '85. His brother Steve would captain the '85 winner and Tabor would be his assistant. Jason Richards would play six years for Whitby and be the O.L.A.'s top playmaker in 1989. Ken Passfield joined Dave Holding in goal and would eventually win the starting job for both Warrior Minto wins. One last Gael, John Pipher, had to sit out two years (due to being Peterborough property) before he could play for Whitby. If that wasn't enough of a green connection, long-time Whitby assistant Elmer Tran was an original Oshawa Gael. His son Todd was a fixture on the Warrior power play. To top it all, Peter Vipond returned to the coaching ranks. The last Green Gael captain to hoist the Minto Cup would set the Whitby ship on course for B.C.

The Warriors went west after winning the O.L.A. without too much difficulty. Out west, they played in a three team Minto tournament with New Westminster and Victoria-Esquimalt. They twice defeated Victoria to guarantee themselves a spot in the one game final. Against the Salmonbellies, they lost twice. The first contest was a 14-13 thriller. The rematch was a meaningless 14-10 defeat because Victoria had already been eliminated. When it really counted Whitby bested New Westminster 16-8. Captain John Fusco scored five points in his final game. Passfield was named game MVP. Future NHLer Joe Nieuwendyk won the McConaghy with a tournament leading 13 goals and 22 points.

1985 - WHITBY AND BROOKLIN TRADE COACHES

If there is anything better than going out a winner, it's coming back a winner. Just ask Peter Vipond. The Minto Cup winning coach of the Whitby Warriors stepped down after winning the Canadian championship. This ended his brief career as a Junior coach. The Major League was waiting. Vipond jumped to Brooklin. By the time he retired as coach of the Redmen (once again going out a champion) he would be the winningest coach in the history of Senior A lacrosse.

Up Highway 12, there was trouble brewing in the village of Brooklin. Despite falling one game short against the eventual Mann Cup winners, the Redmen players were in revolt. The majority of them did not want Neil Armstrong back as head coach. Consequently Armstrong did not return, opening the door for Vipond. Yet "Army" was also far from done. He travelled down to Port Whitby and replaced Vipond as the new Warriors coach. He teamed up with assistant Elmer Tran, the start of a successful partnership.

Such team hopping was enough to make any fan's head spin. When the dust had settled, Durham Region could boast two Canadian championships.

O.L.A. Jr. A lacrosse was in a transitional phase. The total dominance of Peterborough, Whitby and Oshawa from 1978 on had taken its toll. Rexdale and Mississauga were gone. Elora would soon follow. Eventually Etobicoke Eclipse would drop out of the league. St. Catharines A's had made a successful return, however they would need to endure a long apprenticeship before they could flirt with a championship. The lack of competitiveness would only get worse. Soon the league would dwindle to six teams. One of those six, Peterborough Maulers would be untouchable. Yet Whitby Warriors had one more great run in them.

Even without their star Joe Nieuwendyk for much of the regular season, Whitby finished first with a 19-5 record. Ex-Gaels Barry Kent and Ross Tabor pick up the scoring for the Warriors. Kent narrowly lost the scoring championship to Kurt Drury. Drury was the third successive Pete to lead the league - after Mark and Doug Evans. Jamie Batley would win the next two titles for the Maulers.

League playoffs were a breeze for the Minto Cup-holders. They were tested their first post season game by a competitive Brampton crew led by Jim Veltman and Troy Cordingley. Nieuwendyk led a huge third period comeback as Whitby stole the win. Seven more wins followed earning the Warriors the right to host the Canadian Championship.

The '85 Minto featured three of the most talented youngsters the championship had ever seen. Joe Nieuwendyk was in the twilight of his career. Even though he had two more years of Junior eligibility he would give up lacrosse after this series in order to concentrate on hockey. Along with Adam Oates, who had recently retired, he would be one of the biggest losses our game has ever suffered. Nieuwendyk's opponents from Victoria were the Gait twins. Gary and Paul were only getting started.

The final was back to a best of seven affair for this one year. It was a blessing for all fans as the matchup was a marquee one and the series did not disappoint. Victoria-Esquimalt Legion won the opener 12-10 in overtime. The home team came back hard the next night. They won 19-12 as Nieuwendyk scored seven times and goaltender Ken Passfield set up five goals. Whitby then squeaked out a 10-9 win. Nuewendyk was again the difference with four markers. Victoria evened the final 2-2 with an 11-10 victory.

The remaining three matches would be over the Labour Day weekend. Three games in three nights, plus the brutal humidity from a week long heat wave would be too much for the B.C. boys. The Warriors took Game Five 16-12. Eric Perroni stepped up with a seven point game. The Legion came back to win the next night 11-7. It was the third game in three nights which finished the visitors. A dozen different Warriors scored goals as they ran Victoria off the floor in Game Seven. Whitby won 16-8 and successfully defended their Canadian championship.

Brooklin Redmen were poised to win their first Mann Cup in sixteen years, however their rivals from Peterborough remained the chief obstacle. The Lakers were not about to go away. They waltzed to a first place finish with 19 wins and 1 loss, to Brooklin. The Redmen finished 16-4, three of those losses to Peterborough. Needless to say, it was not a very competitive league.

Senior A lacrosse in Ontario was in trouble. Most of the talent in the province resided in either Peterborough or Durham Region. These were lean years for everyone else, including Brampton. The Major League had already lost Fergus, after a 0-19-1 season. In 1985 Scarborough finished 1-19. St. Catharines was marginally better with three wins. None of these teams had the stomach to endure years of Peterborough/Brooklin dominance while waiting for their own local talent to re-emerge. Thus they all quit the league. Even competitive Owen Sound would flee to Senior B after the '85 campaign.

Thus the Laker/Redmen Final would be the one highlight of the year. In fact, Laker/Redmen Finals would be the only highlights in league play for the next six years! Peterborough continued their dominance by winning the series opener. Would the youthful Redmen ever be good enough to breakthrough? In fact, they were on the verge of breaking through. They followed the opening loss with three straight wins. Brooklin made one last trip north to finish the defending champs off.

But there was trouble in Peterborough. It was late August, which in Canada - and only Canada! - means hockey season. The Lakers were unceremoniously booted out of the Memorial Centre in order to put ice in for the Peterborough Petes. The public outcry was second to none. Not since the mistreatment of Bob Allan had Peterborough sports fans shown such passion for lacrosse. In recent years they certainly had not shown much for regular season games in mostly empty arenas. However a playoff game against rival Redmen was completely different. The Memorial Centre was flooded with threats from fans vowing to cancel their season tickets for the Petes if the Lakers were not allowed back in. With a couple of thousand Redmen fans - many of them ex-Gael fans finally getting a chance to see their boys win a series over hated Peterborough - heading up Highway 115 for the fifth game, hasty action had to be taken. Boards were put over the ice. There was no time for proper preparation, thus the result was a disaster. Game Five did start as planned. It did not last long. The boards were wickedly slippery. They were so bad the game had to be postponed part way into the first period.

They eventually got it right and Game Five was replayed a couple of nights later. Brooklin won it, ending the Lakers three year dynasty. The King is dead, long live the King. The Redmen dynasty would more than double Peterborough's three year reign.

First came a trip west to challenge for the Mann Cup. The Redmen were the last easterners to win on the coast. However their competition back then was Senior B calibre. One needed to look all the way back to 1953, when the Trailermen beat the best B.C. had in their own backyard. Brooklin faced the most legendary of all western clubs - the Salmonbellies. That meant a series in Queen's Park Arena - more boards!

The series would be a reunion of sorts. Goaltenders Wayne Colley and Rod Banister would face off again. Banister got the better of Colley during the Minto Cups of 1977-78. The first meeting Banister especially stole the show. He took home the McConaghy Award as series MVP. Colley struggled terribly that first matchup. In '85, Wayne Colley would get a second chance.

New Westminster won a tight first game. Ivan Tuura tied the contest 8-8 with two minutes left. In spite of the Redmen outshooting the Salmonbellies 22-11 in the third period, the home side managed to get to overtime. They had the net-minding of Banister to thank for that. 1977 all over again? Geordie Dean scored twice during the extra period as New Westminster won 11-9.

It was Colley's turn to shine in Game Two. He made 47 saves compared to Doug Zack's 38 stops. Nevertheless, Brooklin played from behind much of the night and lost 7-5. They were soon down 3-0. Banister turned away 52 shots as the Salmonbellies hung on for a 9-8 victory.

Yet another eastern failure on the coast, what else was new? Everyone had suspected the Redmen were too inexperienced. Now they were down 3-0 and certain to lose. In lacrosse, no team had ever come from 3-0 down in a Canadian championship final. The greatest comebacks the Mann Cup had seen was when Vancouver had come from 3-1 down to win in '64. New Westminster did the exact same thing the next year. Both teams had done it against Brooklin!

Yet the easterner champs were not dead yet. Colley was playing the best lacrosse of his life - a red wall in front of his net. With his goaltending, Brooklin registered their first win in Game Four. Derek Keenan and Gil Nieuwendyk both scored two goals during the 7-6 victory. The next game the Salmonbellies showed up to finish the Redmen off. They outshot their opponents 20-8 in the first period. Thanks to Colley, New Westminster only won the period 2-1. That was the turning point in the series. On the strength of a five goal third period the visitors won the contest 7-5. After the win Peter Vipond said, "they have a bigger club and are more experienced but it's not over yet." It was far from over. Wayne Colley was just getting started.

Brooklin evened the Final at 3-3, thanks to another huge third period. They led only 3-2 after the second but broke away for a 9-5 triumph. Nieuwendyk led them with a hat-trick. Over 3,000 fans attended the game. The Redmen had started the series with ten supporters. By the end of Game Six their grit and determination had won over the Vancouver and Coquitlam fans.

The seventh match would once again be an exercise in frustration for the Salmonbelly shooters. For the third successive night they would only beat Wayne Colley five times. They did win the opening period 2-1. Brooklin inched ahead in the second and took a 4-3 lead to the intermission. This contest went down the stretch even 5-5. Ken Colley scored the championship winner with less than five minutes remaining. The O.L.A. had ended its drought on the coast! And under the most unlikely circumstances.

1986 - REDMEN/SALMONBELLY RIVALRY CONTINUES

The Major League nearly fell apart prior to the '86 campaign. During the off season half the teams in the league dropped out. Owen Sound, Scarborough and St. Catharines were gone, leaving just Brooklin, Peterborough and Brampton. It was the worst disaster to befall the league in its 75 year history. Year 76 would proceed, however Sr. A lacrosse in Ontario was on a downward spiral it has yet to recover from.

Poor Brampton was the one loyalist which had to pay the price. During an abbreviated 12 game schedule, the Excelsiors won only twice. In the Double Round Robin playoff they lost all four of their games. It was a two team league and Brampton was no match for Brooklin or Peterborough.

The Lakers were regular season champs for the fourth straight year. It would also be the last time they'd finish in first place. Their record was a modest 9-3, still, that was two wins better than the Redmen. Brooklin could boast to having the scoring champ John Fusco. He was followed by teammate John Jordan. In total, Brooklin had four in the Top Ten. Peterborough had the other six.

Consequently, May through July was basically passing the time awaiting the O.L.A. Final in August. The series started at Keene, on the north shore of Rice Lake. This was cottage country, were the mosquitoes come out after dark and outnumber the fans in the arena. These mosquitoes are big suckers, big enough to wear advertising billboards! Thus the Eastern Canadian championship began on a hot summer night, with malaria in the air.

Keene was not kind to the hometown Lakers. Brooklin doubled them 14-7. It was a Redmen club playing their first meaningful game since the previous September. Peterborough would retreat up the Otonabee River, to the Memorial Centre, for their remaining home games.

The next two contests went the Laker's way. They won in Brooklin 15-12 (another small town arena which had no business hosting a Provincial Final) then doubled the Redmen 10-5 back in Peterborough.

Game Four was when the momentum in the series shifted one last time. Brooklin earned a hard fought 11-8 victory at home. Derek Keenan put the game away with two power play insurance goals. The next match in Peterborough drew 1,500 fans. It was a flop. Ron Harinck beat Wayne Colley midway through the second period for the Lakers one and only goal. The Redmen scored a dozen to take a 3-2 lead in the series. They clinched the title the next game with a 17-5 rout. Keenan led them with 10 points.

The Mann Cup Final was held at Whitby's Iroquois Park Arena. New Westminster provided the opposition. The Salmonbellies had tied for first in the WLA with a 14-10 record. Then they narrowly survived a seven game semi-final series with Vancouver. The Bellies were nothing special on offence. They had only two players average more than a goal per game, while the team averaged less than ten a game. Their defence was the best in the west. That was what carried them through to another championship.

With only 22 games under their belt - many of them meaningless affairs - the Redmen were ill prepared for a Championship final. To make matters worse, Gil Nieuwendyk would miss the opener on his honeymoon. Derek Keenan would miss the first two contests for school.

New Westminster hit them with Ben Hieltjes right off the bat. Hieltjes had sat out the previous summer because he would only play for the Salmonbellies. That allowed him to become a free agent and join New Westminster the next season. He wasted no time surging to prominence. Five of his six goals in the series came in Game One. The contest was tied 8-8 when the westerners broke it open with six consecutive tallies. Then they held on for a 14-10 triumph.

The beginning of Game Two was delayed 15 minutes because of a violent thunderstorm. Once it commenced Nieuwendyk burst into the series with two quick goals. He'd contribute four assists later on. Brooklin knocked former Laker goaltender Shawn Quinlan out in the second period. Doug Zack entered with his team down 8-3 and went on to earn game MVP honours. It wasn't enough to save the day. The Ontario champs won comfortably 11-6.

The next contest was the highlight of the Final. Todd Lorenz completed his hat-trick by breaking an 11-11 tie with three seconds remaining. Lorenz would finish top scorer in the final with 7 goals. The Salmonbellies led 2-1. Things were about to turn ugly.

Game Four was spoiled by a terrible brawl at the end of the first period. Eight Game Misconducts were handed out as the "Big Bad" Salmonbellies lived up to their reputation. Not that the Redmen were any angels. However Brooklin ran a high flying offence - finesse, not brute force was how they succeeded. Several Brooklin regulars - like Tom Wreggitt, John Jordan, Calvin Avison, Kevin Van Sickle and Murray Graham - had less than 10 minutes in penalties the entire year! Van Sickle picked up 17 minutes in the six game series with New Westminster. The doneybrook concluded with Brooklin claiming that Brian Nikula had spat on John Fusco. Funny that the pair would be teammates two years later. In spite of all the extracurricular activities, the home side found a way to win Game Four. Wreggitt snapped a 5-5 tie with less than 3 minutes remaining for the victory.

Game Five was another defensive struggle which had Salmonbelly coach Steve d'Easum raging over, what he considered, biased officiating. "It was like they had seven on the floor all night. It was so one-sided," he complained. The Redmen had a shot edge of 39-29. Yet New Westminster prevailed 10-8. Three shorthanded goals were the difference. Brooklin also lost John Fusco with a broken finger.

Wayne Colley held the westerners scoreless through the first 36 minutes of Game Six. Shawn Quinlan kept the Salmonbellies in the contest with some big saves. Three times he stopped Kevin Van Sickle on breakaways. When New Westminster finally hit the score sheet, they struck twice 16 seconds apart. John Gilchrist notched the first goal and Steve Voelpel followed immediately after. That cut Brooklin's lead in half to 4-2. The last 20 minutes the B.C. champs came on strong to win the series. They scored six times in the third period to pull out an 8-6 victory.

With Whitby losing so many Juniors, Peterborough became the power in the east again. Whitby and St. Catharines would fight it out for second best for the rest of the decade. Peterborough Maulers would reign supreme. John Martin and Dan Dunn's youthful '86 crew swept through the O.L.A. without a loss. A perfect 28-0 record propelled them west for the Minto Cup. The Maulers also had the top four scorers in the league. Jamie Batley won the scoring title. He was followed by teammates Kevin Evans, Kurt Drury and Joe Hiltz.

Out west they faced the Gait led Victoria-Esquimalt Legion, a club determined to make up for their narrow loss the previous year. Victoria dominated the double round robin play-down by winning all four of their games. On top of two losses to the Legion, Peterborough only managed a split with Coquitlam. The Ontario champs squeaked into the one game final on goal difference.

Victoria had done everything right. Yet in one period they threw away a Canadian championship. The Maulers surprised them in the Final and jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The stellar goaltending of Terry Preston combined with the typical hard-nosed Peterborough defending made that lead stand. Kevin Evans scored four times, Kurt Drury added five points and Andy Oglivie chipped in a four point effort. It all carried the Maulers to an 11-7 win and the Minto Cup.