1934 - POWER SHIFT TO THE NORTH
Orillia was not the first, nor the last team to win a Mann Cup before
the season had started. Naturally the Terriers had to play and win many
games throughout the summer, however it was their pre-season
acquisitions which virtually guaranteed a championship. They
strengthened themselves by weakening the defending champions. Two of
Hamilton's best players, Ed Downey and Bill Wilson shifted allegiance.
On top of the two St.Catharines natives, Orillia added a pair of
Bramptonites - Bill Mulliss and the diminutive goaltender Pete Anthony.
Frank Carroll's boys were all set.
Orillia headed Group Two and ran away with top spot thanks to a 16-1-1
record. They were followed by Mount Dennis(8-10) Oakwood
Bulldogs(5-12-1) and Malvern Grads(1-7). Group One competition
concluded with a first place tie. Both Hamilton and Mimico finished
with 11 wins and 5 losses. Tigers took the tie break game 13-9 as Peck
O'Malley and Ross Gimblett both scored three goals. Fergus grabbed the
final playoff spot with a 9-7 mark. St.Catharines(5-11) and Brantford
Spaldings(4-12) fell short.
The semi-Finals commenced on August 28th. Mount Dennis defeated Oakwood
10-6 to advance to the division final. The journey was far more
difficult for Fergus. They entered the post season without their
regular goaltender Lorne Smart. Youngster Austin Tott was rushed into
service. They battled Mimico to a 12-12 tie. Eric 'Rusty' White set up
Thistles' final two scores but Jack Campkin saved the Mounties with a
late deuce. Two days later, Mountaineers won 6-4. The match ran late
and was tied 4-4 when darkness fell. The teams kept playing and Mimico
got late goals from Bill Coulter and Donie McCallum to apparently win
the series. Much fussing and fighting followed as to whether it should
count. Consequently the O.L.A. stepped in and ordered it replayed on
September 2nd. Thistles went into the match without their top scored
Rusty White. Yet they doubled the Mounties 12-6 as Barney Richardson
scored three and Jack 'Teamer' Bergin a deuce. The game was played in
ankle deep mud.
Orillia made short work of Mount Dennis up north. First a 9-5 win,
including a Bill Wilson hattrick, then a 14-7 victory. Len Wilkes
scored four points in the losers last game and Fred Hatton counted a
pair of goals. All the series cost Terriers was the services of Tom
Scott. He would miss the rest of the O.L.A. playdowns, plus the East
Canada battles. Fergus tackled the titleholders and were knocked out of
contention early. Hamilton defeated them 12-6. Matt Rohmer scored
four, Peck O'Malley three and Ross Gimblett added three assists. Down
six goals Thistles had slim hope of coming back. They didn't. Tigers
took the second contest 6-4. Rusty White returned to the squad and
scored a brace. Howard Clarke cancelled out that effort with a pair of
his own.
Terriers once again opened their playoff with the Bengals at home. Once
again they won the first game. A convincing seven goal victory of 16-9.
Dunc Littlefair donned his Tiger jersey for the first time all season
and scored a deuce. The question was: would Orillia choke down in
Hamilton again. Terriers responded with an 11-9 victory, their first
O.L.A. Senior championship. Their work was just beginning.
Orillia's perfect playoff record was extended in Cornwall. Cornwall
Island Indians were their first inter-league opponent. Terriers twice
defeated them by scores of 16-9 and 10-4. The next to last test for the
soon to be crowned kings of lacrosse came in Montreal. Verdun nearly
pulled the upset, losing only 10-8. Meanwhile, New Westminster had
started their trek east. They paused in Winnipeg long enough to
eliminate the locals. Alfie Davy scored twelve goals in one of the
games, a Mann Cup record. A controversial record because it was not
achieved in the final series. In Toronto, the shoe was on the other
foot. Three straight embarrassing losses for Salmonbellies. The scores
were: 21-8, 19-6 and 13-6. Bill Wilson was top scorer in the final with
thirteen goals and ten assists. It was an amazing playoff run for
Wilson and Ed Downey. In ten games Wilson scored 34 goals and 15
assists. Downey counted 24 and 18. Bill Wilkes was the other offensive
force with 20 and 15. In goal Pete Anthony sparkled. He held the
opposition to under 10 goals in every game. Naturally turnabout is fair
play. New Westminster may have limped home a beaten club but they took
Anthony with them. The other three above mentioned players would
eventually follow.
The year concluded with the dominion champions clashing with the C.L.A..
Due to the Mann Cup being held in the east, B.C. fans had missed seeing
the great Terriers. The solution was to invite them to Vancouver for an
exhibition series. Orillia could certainly draw 10,000 spectators a
game, making such an idea very profitable. The C.L.A. stepped in to run
it. They offered to pay Terriers' expenses. Not good enough. The
St.Helen's Hotel Club of Vancouver had already offered Orillia $4,000 to
participate. With that offer Terriers stood to make $2,500 profit.
Thus they snubbed the C.L.A. and accepted St.Helen's offer. The C.L.A.
tried to block the deal, failed, then suspended every player who
participated in the games. Trouble was that both the B.C. and Ontario
Associations supported the series. They would reinstate every suspended
player. Faced with that opposition, the C.L.A. backed down.
