New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-04
LACROSSE IN CANADA.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE DoMrvrov

THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE DOMINTOr
GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND SMALL FULFuNvx-
MATCH GAME AT MONTREAL BETWEEN Tn,
TORONTO AND THE SHAMROCK CUBAN r,sv
VICTORY FOR THR HoMR CLUB.
MONTREAL Sept. 3-For the last week everNj,ol
in Montreal, interested in Lacrosse, has been Il,
state of highly pleasurable excitement on soco,,.
of the match for the championship of Canada y.
tween the Toronto Lacrosse Club of Toronto ana
the Shamrock Club. of this city. which tool
place the grounds of the latter club this after
noon. To say thisis to say that nearly everybody in
Montreal and for the matter of that. in Toronto a.
well, has been less concerned abone
the result of this match; for the interest
felt bv Canadians In their national game is as
universal and intense was the interest felt
in baseball in the United States during the he,gbt
of the baseball fever few years ago, aud the two
clubs which PLAYED for the championship are he
yond any question, the strongest in the Dominion.
Never has there been such an excitement over.
contest of skill. Never has anticipation risen :,
high about this match. The Shamrock Clubs
grounds, where the match was pla cd were
crowded long before the hour set for beginning tha
game. and the approach to the gates was matter
OF great difficulty and, for ladies, Of some danger
No such crowd has ever been seen here at Lacrosse
match before, and il will be a long while before
such another is
The grand stand packed; the fences were
filed that there fringe of legs all about the
ground, and even the roof of the club house was
covered greatly to the danger of those in.
side. Yet, will sometimes happen
with the best game the match was
far from being what expected. and what IL
onght to have been. Somehow other it seemed
TO be off day" for the Torontos, and the match
sided that il hardly possessed even or
binary interest. From the beginning to the
end the Shamrocks had everything their
own way; and not only that but
neither club showed the style that was expected of
1t, and much of the match degenerated into an ig-
nominious scuffle which was 10 say the least by no
means creditable to the leading towns of the Domn-
ion.
There was no fighting, as there Is
apt be, nor any discussion more
than attends most games but the whole match was
marked by an absence of clean. sharp play, which
was altogether surprising Here and there there
was bit of clever individual play, and both sides
were thoroughly in earnest; but neither team
played strongly together. the TorontOs being
notably deficient in this respect. Men were
often left uncovered at critical points of the game
and the victory of the Shsmrocks was due as much
To the loose play of their opponents To any good
work of their own. The Toronto men were certainly
in no such form they were when they won the
championship last year. as they were when
they played their last match with the Shamrocks in
July. and this comparison of the scores-three
straight games to-day against three 10 two in
July-would Of itself show. How TO account for
such falling off is not clear Perhaps IL WAS
partly the effect of the immense crowd. which was
very partisan and EXPRESSED its feelings strongly
enough; but such exhibition of "muffingp and
of loose play the eX-champions do not often indulge
in.
CHARACTER OF THE GAME.
Lacrosse is SO well known in the United States
now that it would b. hardly worth while to give
any extended description of the game As most Of
Trr- Kris a ;t Sc
paved nv twent, -four players-twelve on each side
the object of the game being 10 drive the ball
through goal formed by two upright posts. six
feet in height and six feet apart. There are two Of
these goals facing each other 400 feet apart each
Of which is defended by one of the sides and the
side through whose goal the ball Is driven loses the
ga or goal" Generally the side winning the
best three games OF goals in five wins the match;
though special CONDITIONS are sometimes made, as
for instance, that the match shall only last a
given length of time, and that the side win
nlng the Creates number of games in that time
shall win the match The implements Of the game
are rubber ball, about three inches in diameter
and the stick. or crosse" This Latter is formed
10y stick about five feet long curved at the end
like an O ld-fashon' shiny" stick, from the ex-
tremity of the curved en- of which a loose network
extends TO about two-thirds way NJ the handle.
Tho appearance of the " crosse " is something ike
that of an exaggerated tonns-racouet. cut in half
All the play is done with the crosse the hall beng
never touched with the hand, but being picked NJ
caught car ried and thrown bv the crosse from the
moment il is faced at the beginning of the
game, till il flies through the goal AZ it, end
Like Snow-shoeing the most fascinating If their
winter sports. the Canadians obtained the game os
lacrosse from the Indians Somebody has SUI
gested that the latter having nothing To do with
their snow IN summer took 10 playing ball
with them, aud that In this way the game hegan-a
suggestion which has the merit of originality n no
other. At any rate. whatever the origin of the
game, the whites, after they had adopted it.
came the equals Of their red teachers and now any
hrSt-ciass team of Canadians is match for the best
Neive the Indians can turn out. The popularity of
the game Is extraordinary. As nearly every
Canadian is, OF has been. a snow-shoer -
nearly every one here plays. has played Ia
crosse. This is natural enough for there is prci-
u W dan Slaela hin
qualities IN the pave and which attractive 10
the spectator. To the latter IL affords constant mo-
ton, variety and an action in which not two or
three, but generally dozen or more men TAX ng
ness of foot, GOODNESS promptness of decision and
manual teN'erity scarcely less than that required IN
handling the willow" at cricket or I'm the use of
the bat at tennis. And hard is the work, and
great as are The players eXertions he Is more
than repaid for them by The interest and
element of the game. Such a game could
not have taken strong foofhold-
II certainly could not have gained the popularity
which IT enjoys lcTC-cNCep IN a countrywhose
young men are unusually strong and active for the
demands which it makes the PLAYERS phySiaus
are excessive. But thanks TO the -shoeing aud
kindred outdoor sports which are universally
INDUCED IN, Canadians come out of the
winter in superb condition. and iii for any kind of
exercise, even the most exhausting aud lacrosse de-
mands precisely The activity and endurance they arc
we'll able TO supply.
4 few years ago lacrosse would have been impos-
sible III the States hut now, thanks TO the IN.
crasng interest felt in athletic exercises and the con
sequent general Improvement in the ply steal devcl-
opment OF Young America, the game has gained A
popularity which. If limited yet. is rapidly incneas-
ing If il does gain firm footing as II now seems
likely 10 do. II will be cause for real satisfaction
for there can be no question of the beauty of the
game, or of the Improvement in wind. legs and