1907 - FROM LAST TO FIRST
The C.L.A. Senior League returned and went international. Buffalo
Bisons joined Brantford, Hamilton and St.Catharines. It was a bad
idea. Even with veteran Athletic Tod Downey leading them the Bisons
only won two games. Hamilton and Brantford also had losing records.
St.Catharines was a perfect 12-0. There were several low points in the
poor season. On June 8th, a brawl at the Hamilton-Brantford game sent
Isaacs, Henhawk, George Walsh and Ed Campbell to court. All were found
guilty of disturbing the peace and fined $2 each. The August 5th
Brantford-Hamilton match was postponed because Brantford forget its
equipment. A week later a Brantford mob attacked referee Hall, from
Oshawa, after he had allowed a St.Catharines goal to count. Could any
lacrosse fan honestly say they had missed the senior league in 1906?
The N.L.U. defending champions struggled to a 3-8 record. The team had
hardly changed from the previous season but everyone was a year older.
Ottawa had six starters who had been in the league since the last
century. Experience was fine, however lacrosse was a young man's game.
For too long Capitals had relied on importing talent, mainly from
Cornwall. The time had come to pay the price.
Ottawa barely avoided the basement. The dishonour of last place went
to Montreal A.A.A.. They only won two contests. Early against
Cornwall the Winged Wheels prevailed 9-4 as Albert Dade scored 5. Two
months later they slipped past Capitals 5-4.
Things were only marginally better for Nationals and Toronto. Both won
four but in different fashion. The frenchmen were very competitive.
They scored 72 goals and gave up 73. A 1-5 start doomed their cause.
The turnaround game came on July 27th versus Toronto. 20-5 was the
score! Dare Devil Gauthier and Didier Pitre humiliated the Queen City
boys. Dare Devil scored seven with one assist. Pitre was three and
five. The normally competitive N.L.U. suffered a number of lopsided
results. The chief culprit was Toronto. James Murphy's side took some
terrific beatings. Besides the Nationals' game, Shamrocks routed them
14-1. Even worse was Tecumsehs record score, 21-7!
The indians had an offensive powerhouse. They scored a record 116
goals in 12 games and placed five players among the top ten scorers.
Harry Murton was scoring champ with 29 goals, another record. Right
behind him was Charles Querrie with 15 goals and 28 points, Neil Felker
scored 13 along with 14 assists, Archie Adamson fired home 23 markers
and Dolly Durkin scored 14.
Offence alone does not win championships. That was something the
Toronto side discovered in late summer. The irish were back, from last
place to first as they reclaimed the Minto Cup. It did not come easily
though. They were challenged, not just by Tecumsehs, but also by
opportunistic Cornwall.
On August 31st Colts handed Shamrocks their second loss. In the 6-3
win Bob Degan counted a trio while John White helped out with three
points. The green shirts had entered the day hoping to clinch the
pennant. They needed help from Nationals, which they got. The
frenchmen shocked Tecumsehs 11-3. Yet Shamrocks failed to take
advantage due to Cornwall. At the end of the day they were even with
Colts at two losses each, plus the indians were still lurking nearby
with an 8-3 record. Though mathematically alive, Tecumsehs hopes had
realistically been smashed. Cornwall they could take care of because
they were scheduled to meet on Labour Day, however they needed the
irish to lose their finale to Ottawa. Indeed the indians did take care
of Colts - 14-0! Now both clubs had to wait and hope Shamrocks
faltered.
Unlike Ottawa, the irish were continually bringing young talent onto
the team. The old warriors were still on hand, Jack and Paddy Brennan,
Ed Robinson, Jim Hogan, Shaun O'Reilly, Jim Kavanaugh and Spike
Hennessy, however it was the new blood which allowed them to surge back
to the top. Playmaker Jimmy Munday picked up 21 points in his debut
season, George Roberts scored 9 goals in four games and Frank Tierney
ended their goaltending concerns. A fine combination. Good enough for
a 10-2 record.
Shamrocks did defeat Ottawa to clinch the title. 8-2 was the score as
Jack Brennan scored three and Munday added a pair, plus three helpers.
Seven championships in nine years for the Montreal squad. Yet this was
to be the green shirts last great moment. The next time they would
take the pennant the N.L.U. would be a much different league. The
golden era was slowly winding down and this was Shamrocks last time at
the top.
