History of the A's

Another Win Over The Pros

LACROSSE 

The Daily Standard 

Thursday June 18, 1908 

The make-up of the Toronto lacrosse team (of the professional N.L.U.) that plays here on Saturday against the Athletics have been selected by Jimmy Murphy from all parts of the country. Alton of Toronto, Menary of Orangeville, Powers from Elora, McDonagh and Carter from Peterboro, Stagg and Barnett from St. Catharines, Lamb, McKenzie and Warwick, all men picked by Murphy for their greatest abilities as lacrosse players. 

It will be interesting to the local public on Saturday to see Stagg and Pete Barnett play against their old club mates. Stagg will have Jimmy Sullivan to look after and Geo. Parkes will have to take care of Pete Barnett. 

Ernie Menary of Tecumsehs and Orangeville fame plays on the Toronto team and is one of the greatest players before the public, and Fitzgerald will be placed on Menary on Saturday and from all appearances Ernie will have a busy afternoon’s fun holding Fitz down. 

Fred Waghorne of Toronto will referee the Toronto-Athletics game here on Saturday. Word was received to that effect this morning. 

Alton, the Toronto goal keeper, went to Australia with the all Canadian team and was the most sought-of man this season. Torontos think in Alton they have the best goal tender in Canada.   

ANOTHER  VICTORY 

ATHLETICS  DEFEATED  THE  FAST  TORONTOS  IN  A  BRILLIANT  LACROSSE  MATCH  ON  SATURDAY 

THE  BRAND  OF  LACROSSE  BEING  PLAYED  BY  THE  LOCAL  TEAM  DESERVES  BETTER  SUPPORT  FROM  THE  CITIZENS 

The Daily Standard 

Monday June 22, 1908 

Without the slightest apparent difficulty the Athletics on Saturday defeated the fast Toronto lacrosse team to the neat tune of eight goals to two. And at that the visiting team scored their two goals in the first quarter, the balance of the scoring being done by the home boys at various intervals throughout the afternoon, much to the delight of the two thousand spectators who saw the game. It must be said, however, that two thousand persons are not enough for a game like that put up by both teams on Saturday. It is poor encouragement to a home team playing winning lacrosse to find that the patronage is below standard. A team playing for the love of the game and for the glory of the native town should be supported by every class of citizens. The boys get nothing till all expenses are paid and at the end of the season, the receipts – if there are any – are divided among them. There has been some talk of bringing the Shamrocks of Montreal to this city; it will require a big deposit, however, to do so and unless the management and the players receive better encouragement it will be difficult to continue, even as at present. But to return to the game of Saturday. Quite as fast as the game with the Tecumsehs a week ago, it was even better to watch from the grand stand. There were more chances for brilliant plays and there were more brilliant plays. The two teams were about the same size. They appeared to be evenly matched and in the first quarter the visitors appeared to have any advantage that was going. As the game advanced, however, and the locals were warmed up to the contest, their real metal showed itself, they overtook the lead the Torontos had gained, tied the score and proceeded to ultimate victory as if they had not been in the rear at any stage. 

Referee Waghorne was not a bad official; of course he was not pleasing to the whole grand stand at all times but his decisions were fair and his punishments were just. While there was the usual degree of rough playing it was not so rough that it was noticeable; it was only interesting. The passing was fast, the men were well covered at all times and the checking was as a consequence, close and heavy. Had such not been the case the game would not have produced the same favorable impression upon all who saw it. With a few minor exceptions, the game was friendly and a determined rivalry was in evidence from start to finish. While the game opened with a rush on the part of the visitors it closed with a spurt on the part of the locals who appeared fresher then than at the opening.

 The Torontos had made arrangements to go home on the evening boat and in order that they might have a chance to have their supper, the game was shortened to a certain degree. The first was a full quarter but the second was cut to fifteen minutes, the third to thirteen minutes and the last to seven. At that the locals had the best of the argument and they would have had the best of it, probably by a bigger margin, had the game been the usual length. Everyone was satisfied and went away with the impression that the contest was equal to anything ever witnessed on the old Catherine street grounds. The only person who has any kick coming is he or she who did not see the match. It is time that the people of this city were awake to the fact that the Athletics are a team that can hold their own with any dozen. When Jimmy Murphy and Charlie Querrie scour the country for the fastest and best all around players it is a mistake that they would come to this city and suffer a defeat if they could avoid it. Certainly not. The little Athletics are not little when it comes to knowledge of the game and how to apply the knowledge to victory. 

There were no poor men on the field. Both teams were in the best of condition. That victory rests with the Athletics is due to the all-round good work of the team, not to any particular player. It is a fact, nevertheless, that the man who showed up to the greatest degree was Frank Dixon, who had all kinds of work to do in goal for the locals, and who performed his duties in a manner to surpass all expectations. 

When the whistle sounded at 3:25, the teams lined up like this: 

The very opening of the game showed the rivalry. When the ball was faced both men went at it so fiercely so to speak, that neither was able to draw. 

A second face-off went to Torontos, Warwick passing to McDonagh, who handed to Barnett and through him it went to Cameron, who tallies the first in twenty seconds. That was enough to take the heart out of the Athletics and for a time it did too. They were unable to keep the opposing home out from the goal and allowed themselves to be drawn out to a considerable degree, but only for a time. 

(Later) 

Just then Parke and Cameron had a friendly little mix-up on the ground and decorated the fence for ten minutes each for their trouble. In no time they were followed by Rountree and Aubron for a like offence, neither being of a serious nature; the latter pair, however, got but five minutes each. And still the battle went on. Now they began to pass them in to Dixon, he stopped a swift one, passed it out, but again it came, this time it was stopped by Brown, who, in running out nicely passed it to safety, but twisted his knee in so doing and was forced to retire. West went off to even up. No sooner had play been resumed than Cameron sent in a hot one, which Dixon stopped and passed out but McDonagh was right there and rolled it in under Dixon’s feet, scoring the second goal, the time being 13:40. 

Things looked blue for the home team. But the boys were pulling together. They were not to be beaten without a struggle and Fitzgerald, obtaining the ball, passed to Kalls who attempting to score by batting it in. It went to Sullivan, who also passed to Kalls, who was checked too closely to score. Out it went to Richardson, who passed to Ripley, who sent it to O’Gorman and he did the third trick in 1:40 time. 

The opening draw in the second quarter went to the visitors, but the ball got no farther than Tufford, who promptly sent it down to the home end, and with a mighty rush the whole home ran into the nets and deposited the ball. Henshaw picked it out and ran up the field. Umpire Beard, however, shot up his hand and it remained while Murphy had his say, and it stayed until Referee Waghorne said goal four. The time was 1:35. 

The local defence was now altogether; they would not go out and they were right there for all that was coming in. Cameron sent in several swift shots, which were well handled by Dixon and Harris, and were returned by nice combination work to Kalls or Fitzgerald, who made heroic efforts to score. But both were covered all the time and it required their best efforts to keep themselves free from two or three men. Parke was playing all over the field, he was intercepting at centre, he was stopping them on the defence end and he was shooting on the home end, but just as he was making a pretty rush, he was struck by Carmichael, who was given five minutes therefore. 

Jimmy Sullivan took the ball away from two opponents, rushed up the field, dodged several others, passed to Fitzgerald, who sent it on to Kalls, and Georgie scored in 8:25. 

The face off was ours again; the ball went to Aubron, to Kalls, to Sullivan, to O’Gorman and he endeavored to do something but narrowly missed the nets. Again the whole Toronto home came down the field, but every man was covered, and back went the ball to Kalls. Just here Powers gave Fitzgerald a heavy blow over the mouth and received a five minute penalty. One minute after play was resumed half time ended with the score: Athletics 3, Toronto 2. 

In no time after opening the third period the ball was hovering around the home goal, but Dixon and the whole defence were working to perfection, and no score resulted. After almost four minutes’ play Parke secured the ball which he handed to O’ Gorman, who swiftly passed to Sullivan; Jimmy sent it on to Aubron and he passed to Ripley who scored. 

Once more the defence had some hard work to do and they did it as one man. The ball went to Sullivan, who took another chance on the goal. As he shot someone hit Kalls a nasty blow, and play was stopped for a few seconds. Parke and Rountree had a little mix-up and received the usual five minutes. Down went the ball to Dixon, out he passed to Harris, who ran up the field and passed to Aubron, who sent it on to Sullivan who scored in 5:30. 

Just after play was resumed Stagg gave Aubron a nasty crack over the head and received his five minutes. Almost before Stagg reached the fence O’ Gorman scored on a pass from Sullivan. Time 2:15. The quarter closed – Athletics 6, Toronto 2. 

In the opening of the last quarter Fitzgerald displayed some very pretty work, taking the ball away from two men, but in running he either tripped or fell, and the result was some hot ones on the home goal, all of which were well and ably looked after, and the ball went out to Sullivan who made a fast trip up to Ripley, who ran in and scored. Henshaw being busy watching Kalls and unable to aid Alton. That time was 2:05. 

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