1973, a memorable year for lacrosse

For the four seasons after that, there was no senior level of the sport in Peterborough

Fifty years ago this summer, in 1973, Peterborough lacrosse fans experienced one of the strangest seasons ever.

The year 1973 saw the United States going through the Watergate debacle, the hockey Petes losing the Ontario championship on a questionable penalty-shot call in Maple Leaf Gardens and the Peterborough junior PCOs lacrosse team going for their second straight Minto Cup title, featuring one of the Petes players, future National Hockey Leaguer Stan Jonathan.

Early in the season, the Lakers had trouble dressing a full lineup with a number of players from previous years retiring. Brooklin started the season minus a number of their top players, who had joined Jim Bishop’s Windsor senior-B team that folded soon after.

The PCO juniors, after losing their opening game, went through the next nine contests undefeated. In an unprecedented move, the OLA suspended the PCOs’ Paul Evans for six games for receiving a game misconduct.

Peterborough threatened to pull out of the league, supported by other junior teams, due to the ruling. The OLA reduced the ban to one game and fined the PCOs $10.

The Lakers’ chief rival was Brantford, coached by Morley Kells. After a series of disappointing crowds, on July 4, 1973, more than 1,900 fans watched the two teams battle each other at the Memorial Centre. After the game, Lakers coach Bob Allan predicted, “I think tonight could be the turning point for us.”

It was.

The season ended with Brantford in first place 12 points ahead of the Lakers. After the Lakers beat the Toronto Shooting Stars in the first playoff round, the Warriors of Brantford and the Lakers matched up for the provincial title.

Earlier in the season, the Canadian Lacrosse Association decided to have a one-game Mann Cup final and surprisingly selected Brantford as the site. The CLA was expecting the CBC to televise the game live. A big deal in those days.

Kells, always the innovator, had his Warriors play a tight defensive zone against the high-scoring Lakers. Lakers coach Bob Allan countered the move with a basketballtype screening offence. The series became a prototype of innovative lacrosse and the Lakers prevailed.

The PCO juniors finished first, defeated St. Catharines in the opening round, then received a bye into the OLA finals. They defeated Bramalea in the final and earned their second trip to the Canadian final.

For the Mann Cup, the Vancouver Burrards were the visitors. More than 900 Peterborough fans made the trip to Brantford, essentially doubling the local crowd. Not surprisingly, the CBC reneged on its plan of a live telecast and tape-delayed the broadcast until after midnight that night.

Lakers goalie Pat Baker announced he was retiring after the game. He led the Lakers to the Canadian title with a 9-5 victory and was named the MVP of the game.

Out in Vancouver, the PCOs faced the Richmond Roadrunners for the second straight year, playing in the famous Queen’s Park Arena in New Westminster. Before crowds of more than 3,000, the Peterborough boys won their second consecutive Minto Cup in seven games.

One game was delayed for 20 minutes after someone threw an octopus onto the area of play and an inebriated fan dragged it across the wood floor, requiring a cleanup.

That Mann Cup game in Brantford ended senior lacrosse for four years in Peterborough as the professional National Lacrosse League started operations in 1974, drawing away nearly all the Lakers.

They returned in 1978 as the Red Oaks, winning the city another Mann Cup. In 1974, the PCOs won their third Minto Cup in Vancouver, putting together a 46-game undefeated season, something that will never be duplicated because of shorter schedules.

One game was delayed for 20 minutes after someone threw an octopus onto the area of play and an inebriated fan dragged it across the wood floor, requiring a cleanup