St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-05


good place and as healthy for lacrosse to
settle in, as it was for young Canadians
and proposed that club be formed at once.
The other boys there were four or five of
them presently acknowledged the pertinence
of the suggestion, and one of them went
to the newspaper Offices and had
notices inserted requesting all young men
in st. Paul interested in the game of la
crosse to be present in the reception room
OF the Merchants hotel ON the evening of
Thursday, May II, 1888, which was an
swered by about thirty young men who at
tended the meeting. DR.. A. Macdonald
was elected the first president, and the
choice has so well pleased the boys that he
has been retained ever since. George W.
Purdy, Jr., f. Connaughton and r. A. De-
vine were the first secretary, treasurer and
field captain. The first practice game of
lacrosse III st. Paul was played on the prai-
rie out at the end of Laurel avenue on Sat-
urday afternoon, May 26, 1888, and during
favorable weather it has been played pretty
regularly at various points in and about the
city twice week ever since that time.
0 THE FIRST MATCH GAME OF LACROSSE
was played in West st. Paul between play
erS OF the st. Paul and Minneapolis clubs
one Saturday afternoon in the latter part of
June OF first OF July, 1888, and was remark
able more Tor the amount of energy displayed
than for skillful playing. The bows were
lying around on the sand more than half of
the time, and the development of some of
them dating from that time NAV be cred
tied to the rich, sandy soil of West st. Paul,
on which they dined heartily at times as
they were thrown into it, head first, during
the contest of the game. This game was
the corner stone in the clubs subsequent
record, and was won by it, as have been all
other matches played with Minneapolis.
with the exception OF two or three draw
games.
During its first year the club had harp
time OF it trying to coax an audience out to
the grounds to watch a game, few people
knowing what was meant by the name la
crosse, and fewer caring. Most Americans
were prejudiced in favor of base ball, and,
there being no nabobs on the clubs roll, its
finances would not allow of any extensive
output III the way of inviting foreign clubs
here to play, or of going away itself. How
ever at the expense of Individual members,
team was sent to Chicago to play the Cal
umetS, which was then an old club, with an
established record for fine, hard playing,
and were hOnorably defeated by score of
8 to 2.
In 1884 there were several matches played
with Minneapolis and one with team from
Owatonna, all of which were won by ST.
Paul, but the great event of the season oc-
CURED in Chicago on Saturday, Aug 80,
when the home club defeated the Calumets
in three straight games. There were some
clever artists in the local team who did
| some
VIVID VERNIILION PAINTING
after the game was done, and it was with
difficulty that they were brought together
at train time on the homeWard trip. Their
explosion of joy was eXcusabie. They We're
a new club, only little more than a year
old, having lost but one game out of a
dozen or more, and topped the score by de-
feating the champions of the United States
and bringing that title home with them to
ST. Paul. The news of this victory was re-
ceived by the members who stayed at home
with enthusiasm, and was but few min
utes in spreading all over the city, after the
telegram, announcing it, was received by
! DR.. Macdonald.
The club has lost but one game in the
United States, out of the immense number
that it has played, and even in Canada, its
defeat of 3 to 2 by the Montreals and To
rontos are very much to its credit, these
clubs being the strongest in the world the
former being the acknowledged champion.
This year the club was badly handicapped,
financially, through lack of suitable grounds
within the city limits whereon to give exhi-
bitions; and unless something is done
| towards securing such grounds for next sea-
son, it is going to go hard with the club.
4 city Of the size and wealth of st. Paul
could surely afford to support an athletic
grounds, and should not allow itself to re-
main behind so many smaller cities in this
respect.
LACROSSE NOTES.
A very exciting match of lacrosse took
place Sept. 26 on the Wanderers cricket
grounds. between the Chicagos and Calu.
NETS. The ball was faced at 4:3O o'clock,
the first game being secured by Calumet in
% minutes, the second by Calumet in S
minutes, and the third by Chicago in 2e
minutes, including stop of 10 minutes fol-
foul. In the third game Davis, who
played center field for Chicago, was hurt,
but after short delay the game was con-
tinued, Davis still playing, his pluck being
received with applause. Further play was
stopped on account of darkness, the referee
deciding the match draw. For the Chi,
cagos. Duffy. Larkin, Byrnes and Ault may
be partiularly mentioned for brilliant play,
although all did very WELL For the Calu.
NETS, Kelly and Meehan did the playing.
\ challenge is expected from Calumet tc
Chicago at once, as the Chicagos had the
best of the game, and have already chal-
lenged the CalumetS twice.
At Richmond Hill, Canada, match fol
the Western Ontario championship was
played Sept. 12 between the Excelslors o1
Brampton and the Young Canadians o.
Richmond Hill. 1t resulted in favor of the
home team by three games to one, the
Richmond Hill club taking the first, second
and fourth, and the EXcelsiors the thirC
game. During the first game the Young
Canadians had considerably the best of it
during the remainder of the match the play
ing was about evenly divided, the visitor!
probably having the advantage in the
second and third games. The peculiarly
of the grounds was somewhat in favor o.
the home team. Everything passed off very
pleasantly, and the visitors were wei
pleased with their trip.
Paris, Can: A lacrosse match wa.
played here Sept 16, between the Brant
of Paris and Athletics Of ST. Catharines
for the Southern championship and medal,
resulted in a victory for st. Catharines
Paris took the first game, and st. Cathar
ines the second, third and fourth.
Toronto: The Montreals of Montreal
will take tour through the United State
about the beginning of October. They will
likely play in Philadelphia, Boston ant
New York, and if they go as far West a
Chicago, they no doubt will play there
The ST. Catharines club is now in posses
ion of the Southern Ontario champion
hip.
Cornwall, Can: The Brockvilles VS.
Cornwall match for the intermediate cham
pionship was played here Sept. II. Brock
vile took the first game in SO minutes ant
the second in Is seconds. Cornwall tool