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The eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of each year is a time to pause and remember the sacrifices the youth of earlier generations made for the freedoms we enjoy and all too often take for granted today. To commemorate the approaching Remembrance Day, the tricolour zone will feature a series of wartime lacrosse articles of the St. Catharines Standard.

1943 was a watershed year for Canada. Many Canadians were fighting and dying in Italy while others were hurriedly preparing for an assault on fortress Europe that was to come in northern France in a year’s time. Practically everyone was involved or impacted by the war effort in some way.

The senior ranks of the O.L.A. had some hard decisions in even attempting to operate in 1943. Lacrosse players in growing numbers were leaving for the military, there were travel restrictions due to the urgent needs for petroleum and even the high demand for rubber placed the supply of lacrosse balls in serious jeopardy.

But the league decided to go ahead and would even have a team from the armed forces, the “Army Bullets”. Many of these players of 1943 would soon be involved in greater battles in 1944.

The St.Catharines Standard

Thursday May 13, 1943

ST.CATHARINES -- St.Catharines Athletics propose to make another try at the senior O.L.A. championship this summer. It will doubtless be the last for some of the double-blues, but the practically unanimous decision of the players will take that opinion to Friday night’s senior lacrosse caucus at Toronto, even though that situation may be regarded as “quite up in the air.” On the outcome of the discussion of Pres. Dan Millar, Secy. Gene Dopp and their colleagues, will hinge the prospects for the 1943 season. If Etobicoke drops out, as has been rumoured, Gene Dopp says Brampton-Mimico Combines, Brampton Army (Basic Training Group) and the Garden City A’s will be the three banner bearers.

President-elect E. H. Lancaster, K.C., handled his first caucus of the association last night at the Welland House, when he voiced the thanks of his elevation to the presidency. The night’s agenda centred largely around prospects for 1943 and Gene Dopp wrote that the senior O.L.A. would attempt a 24-game schedule. There will be a four-team league at the Pacific coast and insofar as C.L.A. Pres. Dopp could say, also a Mann Cup series next fall. That was the “nectar” in the Athletics’ cup of good cheer…they scent a possible trip to the west. However, they must first win the O.L.A. and eastern Canada titles and the box public will be vitally interested to discern whether veteran legs can respond to youthful ambition and make such possible.

Cool On Industrial

There are a couple of flies in the lacrosse ointment. If the proposed 26 – 30 year old draft of married men goes through by the military authorities, it was revealed that only two of the present Athletics would miss that category. The other “if” is the O.L.A. set-up. If clubs figure they cannot see the proposed travelling hardship, Athletics will consider the suggested industrial senior league here at home. But, just the same, the player personnel were not highly enthused over that prospect. Most of them figure it a drop in prestige to revert back to a city loop and are doubtful of its popular appeal. It also might deter the efforts of the city minors and such could not eventuate. In truth, the parent body was much up in the air and not one single thing can be done officially, until the solons convene tomorrow night in the Queen City.

Minors Come First

Personally, he was more vitally concerned about developing and sponsoring the city minors, he stated. The present uncertainty of senior continuation was a factor and he also voiced expressions of the lacrosse public that it must be remembered that the Athletics’ personnel was one year older than 1942 – with all due respect to their individual ability.

The whole future of lacrosse here hinged upon the sponsorship and development of minors and the future senior challengers of 1945-6 must be considered. Just as was the case of 1935-6 when the former Athletic champions grew up. President Lancaster stressed that success in minors hinged on just what efforts the city senior executive dispensed in the youngsters’ behalf.

There was but one senior player attending the parent session last night. But senior O.L.A. or not, industrial or not, the city minors will carry on and bear the lacrosse torch.

By CLAYTON BROWNE: The St.Catharines Standard

Thursday May 20, 1943

Here, Pres. Dan Millar, is a suggestion (absolutely free) for the coming 1943 season. In fact on second and third thoughts, it might be a doggone good idea for you and Secy. Gene Dopp to “liven up” the game. Reports from Montreal and Baz O’Meara of their Daily Star say the Quebec boxla brethren will inaugurate six-man lacrosse this summer. This scheme is to sharpen the sport, make it faster and more attractive.

Teams just eliminate the rover position; the same as they did in major hockey way back when. The west takes credit for six-man hockey style, but it was George Kennedy of Canadiens who started it during the last world war. Then, it was figured the idea was put across to save the salary of an extra puckchaser. It was also wartime and players were scarce, but the west coast kept seven-man in vogue until 1922, when they also switched over to the present roster of six.

This agent thinks the six-man boxla team is sound. No guessing about it, the manpower shortage is felt already and by the first of June or July it is definitely certain to be a lot tougher when the call goes out for married men in the 26-30 class. We are looking at it from a strictly St. Catharines Athletic standpoint where it will be found every effort will have to be strained and constrained to round up box warriors. There’s also the angle that two less men will prevent cluttering up of smaller bowls and while it puts a premium on agility, there is no denial that it would open up the game from the fan’s viewpoint. In short anything or everything that will tend to make lacrosse more attractive in 1943 and then hope and pray the war will be over and back to normalcy in 1944.

By CLAYTON BROWNE: The St.Catharines Standard

Tuesday June 8, 1943

So far, Secy. Jay MacDonald has not been advised that the 1943 O.L.A. will operate with six men or seven. The homester twin blues feel that six may place a premium on stamina in Haig Bowl, which is the largest set-up in the senior circuit. At Mimico and Brampton, the six-man team would be ideal, since quarters are badly cramped. This agent may have the wrong slant on the six-or-seven, but what advantage there is certainly favours Athletics, since it is their home crease. Still, it cannot be seven men a side here and six elsewhere, so make up your minds boys.

The St.Catharines Standard

Friday June 11, 1943

It’s Canada’s national sport tonight at Haig Bowl—the official opening of the senior O.L.A. season for St. Catharines Athletics and their host of backers. Toronto Lakeshores are the visiting team, with active hostilities to begin at 8:45 and preceeded by the usual colourful ceremonial. It will have a decided military tinge, since President E.H. Lancaster, K.C., of Athletics is also O.C. of the 10th Battery, with which unit the majority of the double-blues have enlisted. The battery, accompanied by their pipe band, will parade from the Armories to Haig Bowl and add their vocal support to the pulling out a win for A’s.

Apparently the O.L.A. proposes to operate as before, with a seven-man team and inclusion of the rover position, although Quebec is functioning with the new idea of six-man boxla to marked success. That item, plus the fact that president Dan Millar and Secretary Gene Dopp have instructed game officials to curtail period rest times to straight five minutes during 1943, are the lone innovations. Athletics announced yesterday that Billy Wilson had accepted the position of playing-coach for his second successive season and “Silent” Billy will be in charge of the team in their debut tonight. The personnel of Athletics will not be known until game time, but the boys have prepared most intently and should give a good account of themselves.

By CLAYTON BROWNE: The St.Catharines Standard

Friday June 11, 1943

Publication of the senior O.L.A. schedule, elsewhere on this page reveals that Athletics are “taking a vacation” from the loop for the two weeks from July 18th to 30th . Reason for that is that the 10th Battery goes to Petawawa Camp for intensive training and since half the double-blue roster are gunners in Pres. Lancaster’s reserve unit, they could not possibly fill league engagements. However, a scrutiny of the schedule shows that they’ll pay up for this holiday, “Right off the bat,” so to speak. A’s are forced to tangle in no less than five games in nine nights, which is quite some pressure. At the same time, there’s no better tonic than those same five starts to bring the twin blues into box shape, if they know it.

By CLAYTON BROWNE: The St.Catharines Standard

Tuesday June 15, 1943 Billy Fitzgerald, fleet winger of Athletics boxlas, joins the army tomorrow and may play against his old twin blues for Brampton Bullets that evening. He categorized from 1A (R) to active call, which means the army medicos are elected to try to operate on the trick knee that kept him out of two previous tries to enlist.