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THROUGH THE SPORTS GATE

By JACK GATECLIFF: The St.Catharines Standard

September 28, 1963

CORNWALL -- Defeated, tired, almost broke but far from disgraced, St. Catharines Athletics made the seven-hour motor trip back from Cornwall Friday.

The A’s could be compared with the guest who came for a weekend and simply refused to leave.

Few people (this reporter included) felt that the series would go longer than the minimum four games. In fact even the hard-working Mann Cup committee in Cornwall was so awed by the reputation of the Western Canada Champions that all the signs advertising the senior lacrosse finals listed only the first four dates.

The Mann Cup was polished up and ready for presentation at the fourth game last Sunday. Vancouver, as has been pointed out earlier, had already booked their flight out of Dorval for the following day. The Cornwall arena had even scheduled wrestling matches for Tuesday night. However, the Athletics forced a revision of plans by winning Sunday and Tuesday before finally capitulating to the well-conditioned Vancouver club Thursday.

Although they lost the series 4-2, the Athletics did much for lacrosse, not only in Cornwall, but across the country.

It may sound cornball but this is a team and management which acted like gentlemen not only when they won (which is easy) but when they lost. “It’s a strange thing,” said Wally Cattell of Dundas after hearing the unsavoury comments from the Vancouver club after they lost the Sunday game. “When the Athletics lost the first three games they didn’t complain once about the officiating. One defeat to Vancouver and we’re threatened with their withdrawal from the series.”

And before going on we should point out that any complaints about the officiating were pure, unadulterated nonsense.

Bill (Whitey) Frick of this city who worked all six games, Boyd Bockwell of Orillia who handled the first four and Gord Hammond of Port Credit who moved in for the last two turned in as nearly flawless a job as is humanly possible. They called the game strictly and according to Canadian Lacrosse Association rules. There was absolutely no reason for the tantrums which came out of the Vancouver camp after the fourth and fifth game.

Spectators are usually the first to take exception to the referees. Proof of how well they were received was evidenced when Frick and Hammond ran onto the floor Thursday night they were greeted with spontaneous applause…a rare tribute to an official in any sport.

The controversy over the officials was not without its humorous side. When Hammond was told Vancouver wouldn’t go on the floor if he was refereeing he promptly replied: “I’ll show them. If they come on the floor I won’t referee.”

As things turned out Vancouver did appear, Hammond did referee and what could have been a serious black eye for lacrosse was averted.

It should be pointed out here that the longer the finals continued the more money it cost each member of the St. Catharines team. Thanks to a generous contribution from the City of St. Catharines and several other donations from business firms and private individuals the Athletics had their expenses taken care of during the almost two weeks they were away from home. However almost all the players…and the much maligned referees lost 10 days pay. This can not be taken lightly when you consider that most of those concerned are on hourly rates and supporting young families.