Lacrosse and how to play it

Chap. XIII.— Hints to Players . . . . . .132

Chap. XIV. — How to act as Referee or Umpire . . .141 Laws OF Lacrosse . . . , ... . ]o6 j^EY TO JlLUSTJE^ATIONS.

NAME.

R. McKenzie . . . .

J. Hoobin J. Fraser J. Burns

J. 'R. Flannery.

T. McQuillan . .

H. W. Becket ..

^ W. Aird

.F. H. Walker..

CLUB.

Toronto

Shamrock

Dominion

Dominion

Athletic

Wellington . . . .

Montreal

Montreal

Orillia

LOCALITY.

Toronto . .

Montreal Toronto .

Toronto .

New York Toronto .

Montreal Montreal Orillia . . . ,

REPRESENTA-

Long Throwing.

Over Shot.

I Facing.

Dodging.

Checking.

Goal-keeping.

Home.

Point.

]PREfACE.

HIS little volume has been published at the solicitation of many of my Lacrosse friends throughout Canada and the United States, who were of the opinion that if I would undertake to write the subject up to date, it wculd exercise a beneficial influence upon the Game.

In compliance with their wishes, I have briefly endeavoured to place before the Lacrosse public what I know about the game, although I am well aware that there are many points of play that might with advantage be more fully enlarged upon. ■ This production makes no pretensions whatever to any literary excellence, all that I have aimed to do has been to put before my readers, in a simple conversational form, the result of my fifteen years' experience. The preparation of this little volume has occupied what would otherwise have been my . idle hours during the past few weeks, and if its publication will, in any degree, aid in making the game of Lacrosse more scientifi.c, gentlemanly, or popular, I shall feel that I have not laboured in vain, and that my aim -vi^ill have been accomplished.

I have received valuable assistance and encouragement in my work from Messrs. W. L. Maltby and H. W. Becket, of the Montreal Club, of Montreal, and from Mr. J. E. Flannery, of New York, Secretary of the National Amateur Lacrosse Association of the United States. I am also under deep obligation to the gentlemen players whose portraits appear in this book as illusft

VI

Preface, trating the various parts of the game. In this connection I have also to make grateful acknowledgment of the kindness of Mr. J. Bruce, of the firm of J. Bruce & Co., Photographers, Toronto, who generously placed his studio and services at my disposal in order that the points of play might be properly illustrated.

But above all I am indebted to Dr. W. George Beers, of Montreal, for the kindly interest he has manifested in the prepara-. tion of this little work, and his generosity in allowing me the use of such extracts from his valuable work Lacrosse, the National Game of Canada," as might suit my purpose. Of this work which is not only an exhaustive treatise on the history of the game, but also a manual on the standard points of play, I have freely availed myself, and I take this opportunity of thanking its author for his kind permission.

The game of Lacrosse owes much to Dr. Beers outside of his well-known contributions to its literature. In the spring of 1859, Dr. Beers first conceived the idea of systematising the old Indian game, and reducing it to a science. At that time it was entirely without laws, and the goal-keeper was the only player on the field with a definite name and position. Dr. Beers drew up rules and regulations for the government of the piay, gave positions and names to players, and brought the game pretty much into the shape it at present occupies. The laws of Lacrosse, as thus compiled, were first adopted by the Beaver Club, of Montreal, of which Dr. Beers was at that time a member. Subsequently this club amalgamated with the Montreal Lacrosse Club, who were instrumental in forming the National Lacrosse Association of Canada, and getting these laws adopted as the standard of play for all clubs in the Dominion.

In the year 1866, Dr. Beers conceived the idea of organizing

Preface,

Vll a Lacrosse trip to England, for the purpose of introducing the game into that country, and had expended several hundreds of dollars in arranging the preliminaries, when a gentleman of means, thinking it would prove a profitable speculation, forestalled him by taking over two teams of Caughnawaga Indians. They played exhibition matches in England and France, but as it was evident to everybody that it was merely a speculation, the games were but poorly patronized, and the tour e^ded in failure, netting the promoter a loss of nearly $4,000.

In 1875, Dr. Beers went to England at his own expense for the purpose of organizing another Lacrosse Tour. Owing to the want of knowledge of the game amongst the people, and the prejudice of cricket and football clubs, who apparently did not care to see any such new fangled game introduced into the country, the prospects for some time looked very dark indeed. Aided however by the strong support of Sir John Rose, and his son, Mr. Chas. Rose, as well as by the few old Lacrosse players scattered throughout the Kingdom, Dr. Beers pushed the scheme forward, and his labours were at length crowned with success.

The result of these efforts was the visit to England of the " Canadian Lacrosse Team " of 1876, during which they played matches (with the team of Caughnawaga Indians who accompanied them) in many of the leading cities of England, Ireland, and Scotland. One of the principal objects of their visit was to play before Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, but from a variety of causes over which they had no control, it soon became apparent that this was a consummation that they could scarcely hope to realize. Although the rest of the party had given up all hope of playing before Royalty, Dr. Beers never despaired, but by sheer tenacity of purpose and a faculty of turning circumstances to his advantage, managed to secure the desired

Vlll

Preface

object, and the teams not only had the distinguished honour of playing before Her Majesty at Windsor Castle, but at the close of the game each player was personally presented to Her Majesty, and received from her hands, as a souvenir of the occasion, a portrait of herself.

This tour, although not a brilliant financial success, was the means of doing a great deal for the game in Great Britain, and gave it an impetus which must ultimately make it a strong favourite there. It made it popular amongst the very best class of people, and did not a little to let them see what kind of men we raise in this " Canada of oiirs." Besides this it was productive of good in many other ways ; it brought this coufitry, for a time at least, prominently before the English people, and the team which was before all things else, thoroughly " Canadian," not only talked Lacrosse, but every man of them acted as a kind of amateur emigration agent. Under the circumstances the Government ought almost to have subsidized the team in recognition of their services, as it was about as inexpensive an emigration bureau as they could have organized.

The history of this tour, if written by Dr. Beers, would make a very interesting book, and it is to be hoped that, some day in the near future, he may be induced to get it ready for publication. It would be a very valuable addition to the literature of Lacrosse, and there is no doubt but that the venture would be a financial success.

In conclusion, I have only to ask the kind forbearance of my readers to any defects which a work so hastily written as this has been must necessarily contain, and to ask their assistance in making the game of Lacrosse what I trust it will always be, " The National Game of Canada.''

The ■Author,

AC ROSSE.

AND

ow To Play

Chapter 1. Introductory

HE game of Lacrosse has, perhaps, attracted more attention amongst young men than any other field sport that has ever been introduced to their notice. That this game, comparatively unknown until within the past few years, should have so suddenly become popular, seems almost a wonder. If ever any game has been persecuted, abused, or belied by envious rivals, that game has certainly been Lacrosse j and yet, in spite of all the opposition and ridicule it

has received from the adherents of older established sports

in spite of its being declared unscientific, and not at all gentlemanly, by those whose notions were rather prudish — this game has, on account of its own intrinsic merits, not only been adopted by Young Canada as the National Game of the Dominion, but has also won its way high into the favour of athletes, both in England and the United States.

It is affirmed by its opponents that there is no science in the game, it is all hard work, and is injurious to the constitution,

Lacrosse, and How to Play it.

A good player seldom hurts himself ; it is only the novice who does the hard work, and gets no return for it. Lacrosse is yet in its infancy ; the fine points in the game are only now becoming apparent. But the day will come when the public verdict on it, even as a scientific game, will be materially changed, and its opponents be obliged to confess that, measured only by their scientific standards, it will take its place as king of out-door sports.

Lacrosse has so many advantages over other games that, perhaps, it will not be out of place to mention a few of them. It is the cheapest of all games. It requires no pads, gauntlets, or other expensive equipments. A single lacrosse stick, and simple running gear is all that is required for action. It develops the muscles better than any sport we know of. The muscular action is confined to no particular part, as in rowing, skating, or football — it exercises equally the arms, legs and body, and at the same time there is sufficient excitement about it to make it the most fascinating of games. It develops self-reliance, and awakens the energies of all who would excel in it. It is conducive to temperance and sobriety, for no young man can belong to a ''first twelve,'' ov he a. ''crack'' player, who does not attend to his way of living, and shun entirely the flowing bowl, or other vices of a more questionable character. It is so simple to look at that anyone can readily master its first principles in a few minutes, but to excel at it requires careful and steady practice, which not only acts healthfully on the body, but exercises an exhilarating eff'ect upon the mind.

The game is always alive, and no player need ever complain that he has not had innings enough. As a matter of fact, it is nearly all innings, if a player only chooses to make it so.

Introductory.

THE ORIGINAL GAME.

Lacrosse, or Bagataway, as it was originally called, is an Indian game, and was used by them not only as a recreation, but also as a training school in which to quicken and strengthen the body, and accustom their young warriors to close combat so as to fit them for the sterner realities of the war path. It was a sport emphatically suited to the nature and development of the young Indian warriors, and it is not surprising, as an old writer tells us, that amongst some of the tribes it became ^Hhe chief object of their lives.''

The original game had no fixed or definite rules by which it was governed : each tribe laid down laws of its own, but in all cases it was mind which was made subservient to matter, in stead of vice versa.

As far back as we can trace, we find the original Crosse to have been of a very diff'erent shape to that in present use. Those of the Choctaws, Chippewas, Cherokees and Creeks were about three feet long, bent into an oblong hoop, at one end large enough to hold the ball. Those of | the Sacs, Sioux, Objiways, Dacotahs, Six Nations^ Poutawatamies, and most other tribes, were about the same length, but the hoop was circular. None of the original sticks were over four feet long. The net-work of the oblong hoop was generally three inches long and two wide ; that of the round hoops twelve inches in circumference. The former was literally net-work, but the latter was simply two strings tied in the centre and fastened in four places to the hoop; and both were sufficiently bagged to catch and hold the ball. The net-work or strings were originally of wattup (the small roots of the spruce tree used for sewing bark canoes) ; afterwards they were made of deerskin. Among the Ohocktaws.

Lacrosse, and How to Play it.

Cherokees, Creeks, &c., each player carried two sticks, one in each hand. The ball was caught and carried between them. There was considerable difference in the play with one stick and two— the former by far the most difficult. The manner of picking up was peculiar, owing to its shape. As the ball lay on the ground, it was almost covered with the hoop, and by a peculiar twist of the wrist and arm from left to right, scooped up in one motion. The ball was thrown from it by a jerk, and could not be pitched so far as with the present stick, as it received but little impetus. The Indians dodged very little, except when the ball was caught or picked up in a crowd, and dodging was necessary. This seems the more remarkable when we consider the shape of the stick, and the peculiar facilities for dodging afforded by the concavity of the netting, and the smallness of the hoop which retained the ball.

The original Ball was about the size of a tennis ball, though differing among the tribes, and was first made of deerskin or rawhide, stuffed with hair, and sewed with sinews. Some of the tribes used a heavy wooden ball — generally a knot — while others improvised balls of the bark of the pine-tree.

The earliest Goal was any marked rock or tree that happened to be convenient. At grand matches, however, they were more particular, and used for each goal a single pole or stake, eight feet high and two inches in diameter, or two poles as at present. The distance between the goals varied in proportion to the number of players, from five hundred yards to a mile and a half and more. Where only one flag pole was used, it was counted game by merely putting the ball past the line of the pole, although in some tribes the pole was required to be struck with the ball before it could be counted game.

Introductory.

The Umpires were generally the old medicine men of the tribe, whose decision was in all cases final.

The Dress of the players was generally as primitive as can be imagined— wearing only a light breech-cloth, and on grand occasions painting their faces and bodies, and decorating themselves with fantastic bead-work and feathers of various colours. Some tribes wore a curious kind of tail fastened to the small of the back, made of white horse-hair, or dyed porcupine quills, and a mane or neck of horse-hair dyed various colours.

Their r}iatches were not decided like ours by the winning of three games out of five, but sometimes lasted for days together. They were really trials of strength and endurance as well as of skill.

THE PRESENT GAME.

Lacrosse was first introduced, or rather adopted by the whites, by the organization of a club in Montreal some thirty: seven years ago. At that time it did not seem to flourish, and the game did not make any actual progress, until about twenty years ago, when it began to attract considerable attention. From the year 1860 may be dated the rise of the game. Young men began to see its good points, and the result was that, in Montreal at least, it became the popular game. In the year 1867, the Montreal club, which must be accorded the honour of being the pioneer white club of Canada, and the ''Alma Mater " of the game framed the first laws of Lacrosse ; and shortly afterwards a convention of clubs was held in Montreal, to organize an association for the government of clubs and guidance of the game.

The result of this convention was the formation of the " Natlonal Lacrosse Association of Canada,'" which organization has ever since done good work in popularizing the game by eliminating the rougher elements and encouraging its more scientific practice.

The game owes very much of its present success to the indomitable pluck and untiring efforts of Dr. W. Geo. Beers, of Montreal, the founder and first Secretary of the Association. Dr. Beers was ably assisted by Mr. W. 0. Maltby, one of the crack players of the old Montreal team, and the Association's first President, and the amount of work they performed in compiling rules and regulations, and making improvements in the game so as to make it suitable for white players, can hardly be estimated except by those who know what the game was years ago.

Dr. Beers stands pretty much in the same relation to the game of Lacrosse as did General Wade to the roads he constructed in the Highlands of Scotland for military purposes. The contrast between the old road that was noty and the new that was, being not inaptly described by a local poet on one of the sign boards in this wise : — ■

"If you had seen these roads before they were made, Yo,u'd hold up your hand and bless General Wade."

Very few of our readers would ever dream that our favourite field-game of to-day could claim any very close relationship to the original game of the aborigines ; that it can, is largely due to the labours of Dr. Beers, who may be justly regarded as the "Father of Lacrosse.''

To Mr. Beers also belongs the honour of first proposing the adoption of Lacrosse as the national game of Canada. A short time before the confederation of the Provinces, he published an article in the Montreal JJaily News entitled " Lacrosse our

Introchictory.

National Field Game." This was reprinted and distributed throughout the whole Dominion, and also copied into many local papers, and had a very marked effect in bringing the game prominently into notice.

His work, '^Lacrosse the National Game of Canada,'' published in 1869, will always be regarded as an authority on the historic and practical features of the game, and beyond doubt its circulation at that time aided in no small degree in popularizing Lacrosse in Canada.

The present game differs very materially from that originally played by the red men of the forest primeval

The Crosse is different both in shape and construction (see Chap. III). The goals are plainlj^ designated by ornamental flags and poles, the size of the field has been greatly curtailed, while in everything pertaining to the rules of the game or the style of playing, the difference is equally marked.

In fact, Lacrosse as originally played by the red men simply gave the white players an idea which has since been developed by them into a game suited to the physical conditions and sursoundings of its present votaries.

Although yet in its infancy, Lacrosse has done much to develop a popular feeling in favour of physical exercise, and probably no game has ever taken such a strong hold on the spectators.

The thousands of people who gather together to witness any of the great matches, and the cheers with which they greet any successful exhibition of scientific play, tell plainly that the game has for the onlooker a fascination evoked by no other field sport of a kindred nature. Of late years the game has been introduced into England, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, and wherever it has been played, has speedily won its way into the popular favour, and it requires no very great stretch of imagination to look forward to the time when International Lacrosse matches will become as common as International Cricket or Eifle matches now are.

CHAPTEE II.

HOW TO ORGANIZE CLUBS, OFFICERS, GROUND, PRACTICE, ETC.

NE of the chief beauties of the game of Lacrosse is the rapidity with which the sympathies of the spectator are enlisted, and from being simply an onlooker, he finds that shortly he has a strong inclination to become an actual player. How to do this is the question? They cannot (although they may amuse themselves alone) form a team of themselves, they hardly know how to start about forming a club, or fail to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise, because they are afraid they cannot carry their idea out, and it may prove a failure. For the guidance of any such, the following hints on the formation of clubs may not be amiss. The first thing is to canvas the young men of your town who are in any way likely to take up the scheme. When the general enthusiasm is aroused to a sufiicient pitch, call a public meeting of those interested, for election of Officers, drafting of Constitution, and By-laws of the club. In the selection of officers care should be taken that they are all working and playing members. A great many young clubs are almost ruined at the start, by electing to the most important offices men of good standing in the place, not because they take any great interest in the game, but because they have influence, and it sounds well to have them on the list of officers — knowing little about the game— - caring less— because not thoroughly active members, they neglect the interests of the club, and entire demoralization is often the result. Be sure when organizing to elect 'playing members to all the offices — men that will come to practice every morning, and thus shew that they have the best interests of their club at heart. If the officers stay away from practice, or attend so irregularly as to make it practically the same, how can they expect the rest of the members to take more interest in it than they do themselves, and where this is the case, as a rule, they do not. It is not fair to the playing members of a" club, nor likely to promote their interest in it, to see the principal offices taken up by outsiders, who have no claim to them whatever. If they are to bear the burthen of keeping up the club, they should also be sharers in the honours of office.

If a club wants any celebrities on its staff of officers, to impart lustre to it or add to its influence, by all means let it make them Honorary Patrons, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, or some other title of a similar character, but keep them out of any office with which there is any serious responsibility connected.

OFFICERS.

As a general rule, the officers of a club are a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer (or generally the two in one, a Secretary-Treasurer) j a Field Captain, and four (4) members of Council, the whole forming a committee for the purpose of directing the affairs of the club.

Although all the officers should be good, practical, playing members, the most important of them are the Secretary -Treasurer and the Field Captain. It is highly desirable that the Secretary, the representative of the club, should be a man of some talent and education. A great deal of the influence of a club depends upon its Secretary. Having to do all the correspondence, it is necessary that he should be a good writer, and able to compose a good letter. Nothing is so humiliating to a

How to Organize Clubs, etc, 19

club as to possess a Secretary whose letters are objects of ridicule for every club with whom they happen to correspond, and who possesses the unhappy faculty of doing everything just exactly at the wrong time, or neglects doing it altogether. The Secretary should also be possessed of good address, for in the negotiations and business transactions he has to do on behalf of the club, he will find this faculty of great assistance. If such a man can be got to fill this important position, by all means secure him, and your club will be the gainer by it.

The most important ofiicer in the whole club, although in a different sphere from the Secretary, is the Field Captain. This ofiice is no sinecure, as on him rests the responsibility of what standing the club shall take when forced into competition with other clubs. He ought, if not the best player in the club, to be, at least, able to play well, and to thoroughly understand the game. He ought to possess the confidence of the entire club, so that if, unfortunately, any dispute should arise, he may be able to settle it quietly and at once, and that whatever may be his decision the whole club shall unanimously siipport him. His aim should not be so much to play himself as to direct the playing of the rest, and see that every one plays properly, to prevent shinny ing, fouling, rough play, &c. He should take particular notice of the dispositions and capabilities of each player, and place them on the field where their play will be most effective. He should be so thoroughly conversant with the science and practice of the game as to be able to direct the style of play, and to so harmonize the different players thst unity instead of individuality will be the chief source of their strength. The Captain should make the peculiarities and style of each player his particular study ; and as he has to arrange the positions of the players in the team for matches, so he ought to make each one know his place beforehand, and practice so as to accustom himself to it. Although he ought to possess a good sound pair of lungs, and a voice that can be distinctly heard in any part of the field, there is no necessity for his using it all the time ; as a general rule the best Field Captains do not make the most noise on the field. If a Club possesses a good Field Captain, such as we have endeavoured to describe, there is but little danger of their not turning out well, provided they accord him the confidence he deserves, and endeavour to profit by his instructions.

The President of the club, as well as being a playing member, should also be a man of good social standing in the place. His duties are to preside at all meetings of the club and committee of management j he should endorse all orders for disbursements of money, etc., and if he attends properly to his duties, he will be found one of the most useful officers that the club possesses.

A club should have at least Twenty-Four (24) playing members, although it can get along with less ; and can do with as many more as can be got together; " the more the merrier." The game is not exclusive— every player, be there ever so many, has his innings, so to speak, at the same time, in fact the great beauty of Lacrosse is, that it is all innings, and no one monopolizes the best part of the game, because he happens to be an extra good player. Although a very bad habit, there is nothing missed by being a little late at practice ; the game is always alivoy and there is always an opening for late comers.

GROUND.

In choosing a ground, the principal things to look for are size and levelness. It is not absolutely necessary that there should

How to Organize Clubs, etc. 21

be no fall whatever to the field ; the main point should be to have the surface as level and free from small hillocks and inequalities as possible ; the older and more elastic the turf upon It the better. It should not be less than 200 yards long by 150 yards wide ; if larger it is an advantage, but any smaller would cramp the game too much, as the ball could be easily thrown from one end to the other with but little exertion. If a fenced field can be obtained, so much the better ; and it is also desirable to have a comfortable dressing room, in which the club can hold its meetings, and conveniently put away their spare clothing while at practice. A very good plan, where lacrosse clubs cannot afford to do this, is to unite with a cricket club, and lease the ground and erect dressing rooms in partnership. The two games " hardly ever " interfere with one another, as lacrosse practice is generally held in the morning before the ground is fit for playing cricket. In this way, at very little expense to either club, good grounds and buildings might be obtained.

Having elected officers, compiled constitution and by-laws, and secured a suitable ground, the next thing is to commence practice.

PRACTICE.

The first practices of a newly organi2ied club should be confined exclusively to learning the rudiments of the game. To this end the club should provide at least half a dozen balls, and all the members should for the first morning practice « picking up " exclusively ; that mastered, let them try " carrying," then in turn " throwing " and catching/' After a few preliminary practices of this kind, they are ready to commence regular work, which is best done by choosing up sides and playing the same as if in a match.