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The History of Lacrosse in the Maritimes

In the village of Hampton, on the Intercolonial Railway, about twenty miles from St. John,
derives some distinction from the fact that the lacrosse in the Maritime Provinces was
first played there.

The boys of the Kings County Grammar School organized the Hampton Lacrosse Club
in the month of September, 1873. The team was coach and captained by the late Thos.
G. Ralston, but a first class player and of member of one of the team’s which crossed the
Atlantic several years ago. A photograph of Mr. Ralston may be found in the frontispeace
to Dr. Beers’ book on lacrosse, one of the finest works in the literature of field games.

Between 1875 and eight team 1884 clubs were also formed in Moncton, Newcastle and
St. John, but there being no concerted effort to establish lacrosse on a firm basis, all
these clubs enjoyed a brief existence.

The national game made better headway in Nova Scotia. In that province the town of
Pictou was the first to adopt it. R.W. Oliver, now the Secretary of the Pictou Amateur
athletic association and suggested the organization of the lacrosse club in the Autumn
of 1877, and the idea was received with great favour. The local chronicler says: “the first
game witnessed muster of some 25 or 30 men. Not a man of the lot had ever seen the
game played, or had any but the vaguest ideas concerning it. But at it to the all went, with
the most enthusiastic vigour; where ever the ball was, there was the whole crowd. Pity
the one who was undermost! Experience, however, and reading soon combined to impart
knowledge. In the spring of 1878 came a challenge from the newly formed Halifax club
to a match game.”

The Halifax team here referred to was organized by Robert Burns, who previous
and subsequent to this date played on senior teams in Montreal and Toronto. The
match was played at Truro the on the twenty fourth day of May, and the result was a
tie three goals each. The Haligonians, coached by Burns, far excelled in their opponents
in knowledge of the finer points of play.

The records of the Pictou Club showed two more matches with Halifax in the autumn
in which the former were victorious. These defeats, and the departure of Mr. Burns had
a depressing effect on the Halifax team, but in ‘83 Pictou boys were again encountered.
The latter had kept in practice and were able to defeat the former team, who were mostly
all inexperienced, with great ease. The reverse had the effect of putting a stop to lacrosse
in Halifax for a time.

Clubs had been formed to in new Glasgow and Stellarton, but, owing to the non existence
of competing teams in their vicinity, their lives were short, and for a number of years the
Pictou Club enjoyed a solitary existence.

It goes without saying that lacrosse received no fair trial in these early essays.

How could the finest of field games, when played by a mere novices, win its way in
to popular favour when Fredericton and Halifax could boast of cricketers inferior to
none in America? Baseball clubs were almost countless, and more over, on account
of the proximity to Boston as compared to with Montreal and Toronto, the United States
game as played by the professionals of the league was familiar to hundreds of New
Brunswickers and Nova Scotians, while scarcely any of them had ever seen a good
exposition of Canada’s game. The great achievements of the famous Paris crew had
given rowing a wonderful popularity, and there seemed to be no room for a new past time.

It is not surprising, therefore, that lacrosse should have taken, for a while, a very
subordinate place to the admittedly fascinating, if less athletic, games of cricket
and base ball.

Owing chiefly to the efforts of the writer, lacrosse had been revived and placed on a
comparatively firm footing in the Maritime Provinces, and in this respect the Toronto
Empire said editorially: “lacrosse is our national game, and an attempt to establish it i
n the affections of New Brunswickers ought to meet with encouragement and approval.
Mr. H.H. Allingham of the St. John is trying to introduce the game, and gives as one of his
reasons for so doing his belief with the ‘that it is one of the best means for fostering a
national sentiment, and for bringing the people of the upper and lower provinces together.’
There is sound sense in the bottom of his idea. Lacrosse - healthy, honest lacrosse - is
typically Canadian, is redolent, so to speak, to the land of sunshine and freedom, and
if taken hold of in New Brunswick, would be an addition to the common interests that
unite the east to the west. What makes the scheme practical is the Canadian Pacific
Railway’s new short line, which has removed an obstacle to cooperation in this as in
other weightier concerns. By all means let us widen interprovincial acquaintance and
friendship.”

After persistent agitation in the press, and preparatory canvassing of the athletes of
St. John – who were annoyed at the apparent indifference displayed by the management
of the St John A. A club towards amateur athletics, on account of professional baseball
monopolizing their attention - the union lacrosse club was formed with Mr. A. H.. Bell as
president on the 11th of April, 1889. The Y.M.C.A. of St. John for organized a club within
a week, and the morning of good Friday, April 19th, saw the first lacrosse match ever
played in New Brunswick between rival teams. The sticks and balls had only arrived that
morning, so the majority of the players had never handled a lacrosse before. The Y.M.C.A.’s
were victorious by a score of three games to none. Almost immediately afterwards the
Echo Social Club entered the arena under the name of the Beaver Lacrosse Club. The
later in the season the Unions proposed a league of the three clubs but the Y.M.C.A. fall
in with the idea. A club was started at the University of New Brunswick at Fredericton by
Leonard Tilley (son of Sir Leonard Tilley) and Lee Street, in May of the same year, but has
done very little more than practice.

In Nova Scotia the Truro athletic club adopted the lacrosse, and has since practiced the
game assiduously. Truro club has one of the best grounds in the Maritime Provinces,
and they’re the annual sports of the M.P.A.A.A. were held in 1890.

During St. John’s summer carnival in July 1889, a team of the Caughnawaga Indians
were brought to the city by a syndicate of gentlemen, and played two matches, July 25
and 26, with a picked team of St. John players, aided by five of the Montreal Orients,
Viz Irwin, Watt, Millard, Anderson and Houghton. These games through large crowds
in spite of the many counter attractions, and the play was very even and exciting. The
Indians won the first match by three games to two, and lost the second by the same
 score reversed. The red man caused quite a sensation on their way to the grounds
with their head-dresses of feathers.

In September the Pictou Club was met and defeated at Moncton by a team from the
Unions, assisted by a couple of outsiders. This was quite a surprise as the Pictous
had been in existence for about twelve years.

The season of 1890 opened auspiciously. The St. John teams, highly elated by the
receipt of a handsome trophy presented by H.A. Nelson & Sons of Montreal, formed
an association and played a series of games for the championship of the province.
The Nova Scotia clubs were also included in the contest for the Nelson trophy.

The Unions and Pictous played an exhibition game at Halifax on the Queen’s birthday,
the Union’s winning. The premier athletic club of the lower provinces, the Wanderers,
and also the Crescents, of Halifax, took up lacrosse and played it matches with Truro
and Windsor, which latter club, with one at Spring Hill Mines were also organized about
the same time. The Orients of Montreal visited St. John and Halifax in August and found
little difficulty in defeating the local teams - their stick being the source of wonderment
to our people. The year closed with “the deciding game for the Nelson cup between
Pictou and Union teams, winners are the series in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
The match was played at Moncton and resulted in quite a severe defeat for the former
club. The Unions numbered several old players in their ranks, among them V.G.R.
Vickers, now in Montreal, and J.H. Davis of Toronto. During this season they lost but
one goal to local clubs.

Lacrosse rather languished in St. John During 1891, and the Pictou club went into
temporary retirement, but the year was not without progress. The Unions a game
won the cup and it was now their property. The deciding match was played this time
against Spring Hill, in a downpour of rain well the field was fairly afloat.

The Wanderers, however, the lowered the colour of the crack St. John club in two
hard fought games, the first played at Halifax on May 24th, and the second at St. John
on June 21st. The latter match especially being the best exhibition of the game ever
given in the provinces by local teams.

The promoters of lacrosse in the Maritime Provinces had every reason to feel pleased
with the results of their efforts to establish Canada’s national game during the last
three years. While three years ago the lower provinces could boast of bought one club,
and that one in a very low languishing condition—and in reality the game had hardly
been heard of by the rising generation,--there are now at least a dozen teams ready
to take the field in 1892.

These results have been achieved not only without the aid, but rather in spite of the
opposition, or, at all events, the most dampening indifference, of the principal
athletic clubs.

In St. John the lacrosse clubs have had the use of very inferior fields for practice,
and in the case of matches have been constrained to pay the St. John for shamrock
athletic club are high in rental for the use of their grounds. Injustice to the latter club it
is only fair to say they have been most generous in their terms. The former club also
appears ready to make amends for its errors in the past, and proposes to make
lacrosse the central attraction during the coming season.

The Unions have graciously decided to donate the Nelson cup which they now own,
for competition among city clubs, and should the N. A. I. A. keep its pledge, trophies
will not be wanting. Two flags were voted the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia clubs
at the last meeting of the national amateur lacrosse association, but at the close of
the season were not forthcoming. Although “amateurs content for credit,” such prizes
are a wonderful incentive and the non-appearance of the banners promised has
caused a strong desire for the formation of the “maritime lacrosse association.”
An effort will also been made during the coming season to procure a trophy for
competition among the school boys, a proceeding which is absolutely necessary
if our national game is to gain a permanent footing among us.

The increased interest manifest in athletics, and the vast improvements in amateur
 records in the Maritime Provinces during the past three years, the in part be ascribed
to the organization of the M. P. A. A. A., but particularly in the St. John it has been chiefly
effected by the lacrosse clubs. Proof of this is found in the fact that all athletics in St. John
with but one exception (Mr. Frank white ) take an active part in the game. In this respect
the beavers deserve praise for their indefatigable the efforts to promote lacrosse and
general Atlantics.

No notice of lacrosse in the Maritime Provinces would be complete without personal
reference to some of the players and their records as players and athletes. First and
foremost in the lacrosse ranks is G. K. McLeod, point of the Union’s. He played his
first game in Galt, Ontario., at the Collegiate Institute. In 1882 he went to Cambridge
University, and was one of those mainly instrumental in organizing the Cambridge
University lacrosse club, which has done so much to popularize lacrosse in England.
In the 1884, during the visit of the team from the United States, Mr. MacLeod played four
times against them, and before leaving a new and his name was considered a byword
in the lacrosse circles. He played equally as well on the home, defence or in goal.

Mr. J.S. Esson Is another graduate of the same college, and has played with cross and
football almost continuously since 1876. He was a member of the early Halifax team,
and was on the Wanderers football team of ’82 to ’88. When believing Halifax he was
elected an honorary life member of the Wanderers A.A. Club.

Mr. W. A. Henry, of the Wanderers is another player with an international reputation.
In 1880-’81 he played for Merchisston Castle school and in 1882, 1883-1884 four
Harvard University. He was chosen to accompany the United States team to England
in 1887.

Mr. J. C. Simpson of the Windsor N.S. Collegiate School Also deserves special mention
as a first-hand Defence player. He is from Ontario and has seen some hard playing in
the early years of lacrosse in that province. He is working vigorously to establish lacrosse
at the college, and is turning out some excellent young players.

Mr. A. B. Cameron of Orillia, Ontario., a recent addition to the Unions, is considered one
of the best exponents of the game. He is also well known in amateur rowing circles, he
with his partner, (Curran) having won the double scull championship of America in 1890,
for the Bayside Rowing Club of Toronto.

The following players show good form, considering the amount of practice they have had:
R. M. Bartsch, F. P. McGee, J. R. McFarlane, Unions; A.J. Baxter, C. McNutt, K. Frith, Beavers;
A.J. Tufts, C. H. Milligan, C. H. McLean, but Y.M.C.A.; H. Oxley, F. Grierson, R. Wallace,
T. Middleton, Wanderers; C. E. Tanner, W. E. McClellan, Peter Carroll, Pictou; C. Parsons,
F. Heffernan, Spring Hill; J. P. Phalen, W.R. Racey, Fredericton; Wm. Smaill, Acadia Mines;
A.M. Smith, Wm. McKay, A. McCulloch, Truro;

(Text illegible…) the scope of this article, it is so closely identified with lacrosse that a brief
reference to it will not be out of place. It is the belief of many, that, should an article on the
amateur athletics of the province’s by the sea be written, it would be clearly shown that they
have for years, and do at the present time, rank among the very best in the dominion, and in
some cases the equal of any in America, for an all-round stand-point. Taking Mr. Henry,
of the Wanderers club, for instance. He has been playing lacrosse a occasionally since
1881, football for thirteen consecutive seasons with the Merchiston School, Harvard College,
and Wanderers, and in the season just closed scored eight tries in eight that shows. In 1887
he was chosen to visit inland with the Canadian rugby team. For eleven seasons with
the first elevens of the above named clubs. Was with the gentleman of Canada team
in England in 1887 and returned with the best batting average, and a brilliant fielding
record. Has been selected to play on all Canadian teams (text The illegible ) …exception.
His best performance on the cinder path and turf are as follows 50 yards dash, six seconds.;
100 yards dash, 10 ½ Seconds.; 220 yards dash, 23 1/2 secs.; the 120 yards hurdle,
18 ½ secs,; 440 yards from, 56 ½ secs,; mile run (1881 ) to, 5 minute 3 2-5 secs,; broad jump,
20ft 2 1/2 in. high jump, 5 ft. 1/2 in.; throwing cricket ball, 119 yrds. 1 ft. 7 in.; kicking football
161 ft. 10 in.

The next lacrosse player and athlete with a continental reputation is Mr. George Tracey,
also of the Wanderers. He is probably the possessor of more athletic prizes than any
other amateur in Canada. Space will not permit mentioning his local records, therefore
only his performances away from home need be given. In 1886 he won the 600 yards
run in the games of the Olympic A. C., of New York; in 1887 one the half mile championship
of America at the M.A.C. Grounds, New York, winning it’s the game at Detroit in 1888.
At Travers Island in 1889 Mr. Tracey again ran, but his chance was spoilt by an unlucky
collision with the present world’s champion Walter C. Dohm. His time for the half mile is
within a fraction of a second of two minutes.

The everyone has heard of H. W. McIntosh, of the same club, who ran the mile in Montreal
last autumn in 4.32, and made the celebrated George (closely followed by Orton) do the
mile in 4.27 2-5 at the Canadian championships at Toronto one week later. He is
comparatively a new man, and will no doubt be even more favourably heard from this season.

Dal. Patterson of Pictou, is a good type of the Canadian who seeks rational recreation
in of door games. On the water with a scull in the hand, or with a curling stone, when
the water is too solid for a boat, he is equally at home. He is a good man at several
field games and has run the mile in 4.50.

Frank Grierson, of the Wanderers, has quite a local replication as a runner and walker.
The mile run in 4.40 and the 3mi. walk in 43.45 ½ are among his best records.

A J. Baxter, of the Beavers, son of Dr. Baxter of Toronto, is a young runner of much
promise. His favourite distance is the mile. He got under 4.40 last Summer 4.30 this
year. He is also a good cross-country runner, as well as a good sprinter of some
ability in in-door sports.

R. A. Watson, another beaver, is St. John’s best general athlete. His forte is the 100
yards dash and the high jump, but he is also a good one at the hurdles, as well as
in the hammer and shot contests.

W. Vincent, also of the Beavers, enjoys the distinction of being the best broad jumper
in Canada; he has cleared over 21 feet in actual competition, and can do much better.
He is also a good runner at any distance up to the quarter mile, as well as a hurdler and high jumper.

Chas. E. O‘Reilly is the crack athlete of the Shamrocks. St. John Has never
had a quarter mile runner to cope with him. He can do that quarter on our
slow tracks in better then 53 seconds, and can shave two minutes very close
in the half mile. He also carried off the honours in the 220 race last fall

Charles Lawton, of the Y. M. C. A team, is a good mile runner and the champion
at cross-country work. He did eight miles last autumn on a wet, muddy road,
on a most disagreeable day, in 48 minutes.

Mr. A. W. MacLeod, the Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. is a good all around athlete
and gymnast.

H. H. Allingham.