The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-15
ON THEIR NATIVE HEATH
ST. PAUL LACROSSE TEAM WILL
GO TO WINNIPEG To MEET
CANADIANS
WESTERN CANADA TROPHY
Americans VIII Try to Wrest 1t
From the ManitObans, Who
Have 1t I'm Their
Charge.

The spectacle of q team of American
athletes going into foreign country to
play that country's champions at their
own national game Is unique in the world
Of sport, but that Is what will be pre-
scented next month when the st. Paul La
crosse players go to Winnipeg to compete
for the Drewry cup. This cup is emhlc-
NAUTICAL of the championship of the West
ern Canada Lacrosse association. And 1t
is said by those who have seen the best
Northern teams play that the ST. Paul
men have more than fighting chance
The progress of the st. Paul Lacrosse
club since It's inception year ago last
May Is remarkable. At that time a call
was issued and about dozen lovers Of
the game met at the Windsor hotel
They organized a club, selected uniforms
and arranged a series of games with the
Minneapolis club, which had sprung into
being short time previous. OF those
who were active in getting the club start
ed, the majority had passed the lacrosse
playing age. but new blood was enlisted,
the young athletes of the city were in
duced to come out to the park and try
their hand, with the result, that, of to-
days club, over half the members are
natives as well as citizens OF st. Paul;
men who never saw the game played until
last summer The older members have
coached the beginners and the youth of
St. Paul have taken kindly to the sport
They have attended practices faithfully
and have attained remarkable proficiency
in the game. The organizers of the club
have narveled at the rapidity with which
the youngsters learned to handle the
stick, They can catch, throw and dodge
with as much ease and accuracy as tho
veterans and this year several Of the new
men forced their way into the regular
team to the exclusion of some OF the
older players. If anybody thinks 1t Is no
trick to catch. run and throw a ball
with a lacrosse stick let him come out
on the green and try 1t. 1t takes time
and incessant practice to become familiar
with the use of the stick. To be great
lacrosse player, one must have perfect
control of the stick, he must be keen Of
perception. quick of thought and action,
speedy on his feet and of good wind In
this game there Is very little breathing
space. There are no waits while the
pitcher poses before delivering the ball.
From the word play" until the goal IS
scored, every one is on the alert. In
Canadian championship games the actual
playing time is ninety minutes. During
that time there is not a moment when
two Or more Of the players are not exert
ing themselves to obtain, or retain, pos
session Of the coveted sphere. 1t can be
readily seen that one must be in almost
perfect physical condition to be q sue
cessful player.
There is one thing about lacrosse that
must commend itself to every lover of
clean sport That is, it's freedom from
professionalism 1t Is strictly an anna
teur sport. The professional lacrosse
player does not exist There is not room
for him in the lacrosse world. In tho
large cities of Eastern Canada where
the attendance is limited only by the ca
pacity of the grounds; in Western Can
ada and in the Eastern states, the
slightest faint Of professionalism is suf1-
cient to bar player from ti1, associa-
ton. Every club of any standing is a
member of some association, and the
rules, as regards professionalism, are
practically the same in all of them. &c.
to a lacrosse player out of the associa-
ton, means out Of the world. In Eastern
Canada, some years ago, the intense riv-
airy between some of the competing
clubs resulted in the employment of lille
gal methods to obtain players, but in
every case the offending clubs and play
ers were summarily expelled from the
association
The team that will represent ST. Paul
In the coming tournament Is without q
doubt the peer of any in the United
States. There Is snap and vim in their
work which betokens their love for the
game and q determination to win. EVERY
man is an enthusiast. and everything
goes with a rush. 1t Is this spirit which
wins games, and their admirers are con-
fldent that 1t will land them victors over
their skilled Canadian opponents If
they arc successful it will be the first
time In history that a Canadian lacrosse
trophy will winter on American soil.
The clubs of the Eastern cities and col
IeSes have never been able to do much
against the Canucks, and they are
watching st. PauPs effort with interest.
The secretary has already received let
ters congratulating the club on its pluck,
and 1t is evident that If the Saints win
the trophy they will have their hands full
next season defending it from the East
erners.
The officers and members of the club
are entitled to the highest praise from
the citizens of st. Paul for their efforts
to place the name of the city high in the
annals Of clean sport.
At Lexington park this afternoon, at
ESQ, the lacrosse club will lineup against
the Minneapolis contingent as follows:
ST. Paul. Minneapolis.