1942 - BRAMPTON AND MIMICO
GANG UP ON ST.CATHARINES
The Athletics four year run as champions finally came to an end. It
took a combined effort by the Excelsiors and Mountaineers to dislodge
St.Catharines from top spot. With the war raging and less players
available the Mimico-Brampton Combines were formed. They finished the
regular season in first place, with an undaunting 13-9-2 record. It was
the most competitive Senior League ever. The defending champs placed a
close second(13-10-1). Intermediate champs Owen Sound made the jump to
Senior and finished third(11-10-1). Hamilton grabbed the last playoff
spot at 10-12. Etobicoke Indians were a distant fifth.
A record setting year for Bill Isaacs. The Hamilton sniper won his
fifth consecutive scoring title and his sixth career. Two records which
would last over fifty years. It was a close call in '42. Jack Gair
tied Isaacs with 83 points but trailed in goals 52-37. Newcomer Ken
Dixon was only 5 points behind and led the league with 60 goals. This
was his first of many appearances in the Top Ten. Rusty White made his
final appearance. The former Thistle led Owen Sound with 68 points to
grab fourth spot.
Both Semi Final series were over three straight, as the Combines and
Double Blues prepared for the big showdown. St.Catharines hosted Games
1, 3 and 5. Mimico Games 2 and 6. Brampton Game 4. The seventh
contest was scheduled for Maple Leaf Gardens, a neutral site as
stipulated by OLA rules.
Bert Large had come out of retirement for the playoffs and he replaced
Pete Anthony as the Combines #1 goalie. Bill Wilson led the
titleholders and entered the final with an extra feather in his cap. He
had been named Niagara Peninsula Athlete of the year. In Game 1 Large
held St.Catharines to 6 goals as his team took the opener 10-6. A
tighter contest followed at the lakeshore. It was deadlocked 5-5 at
halftime. Then Mush Thompson cut down Vern Whitely. The A's power play
went to work as Roy Morton and Bill Mackie scored. The visitors never
looked back as they romped to an 11-6 victory. Back in the Garden City
on a Friday night, referee Bucko MacDonald was given a hard time by the
fans. He had to dodge programs, pieces of sandwiches, even vegetables!
They finally got him in the third quarter when a fan's fist gave him a
black eye. The Combines played from behind much of the night until a
string of five goals brought them into contention. Williams, Dixon,
Dixon, Hayes and Masters as the vistors closed to 9-8 after 45 minutes.
In the final period the Mann Cup Holders jumped ahead 12-8, then hung on
for the 13-11 win. After taking the weekend off the series resumed in
the Rose Bowl. Mimico-Brampton roared to a 16-7 romp. Both Dixons, Ken
and Archie, plus George Masters blitzed the A's early. It was 8-2 by
halftime and never in doubt. There was more controversy back in
St.Catharines. The scheduled referee from Orillia couldn't make the
match because of the fuel shortage. Max Peart was on hand, however the
Combines refused to let the former Athletic call the game. The visitors
were already at a disadvantage because Archie Dixon and Jack Williams
had to miss the contest due to military service. Most of the night was
a constant parade to Large's doorstep. The defending champs led 8-3
after three quarters and 11-3 in the fourth. Ross Gimblett sparked a
late Combine rally. They still lost 12-8.
Mimico-Brampton returned to Drummond Bowl on Friday night down 3-2 and
facing elimination. They responded by playing like champions. They
began with 8 goals in 8 minutes, chasing Bill Whitaker from the net for
youngster Doug Favell. The goaltending switch made no difference. The
home team recorded a stunning 30-8 victory! The most goals ever scored
in the League Final. The Double Blues had only two off days to recover.
George Coles returned from a back injury and coach Art Brown was behind
the bench for the first time in the series. Over 5,000 fans came to see
if the Athletic dynasty would be extended. It looked very possible for
most of the evening. A tight game entered the latter stages with
St.Catharines holding a 7-6 lead. Then the tide turned. Ken Dixon won
a draw and beat Whittaker with a 20 footer. Gimblett next scored on
consecutive breakaways to put the Combines in the lead. Three goals in
less than one minute. The soon to be former champions had no reply.
Two more late goals made the final 11-7.
This was the year Mann Cup rules were changed. In Junior, all star
teams were formed around the league champions but Senior Lacrosse had
always maintained a true club championship. that changed in 1942 as the
league winners were allowed to pick up three outsiders. The Combines
added Carl "Ali Baba Gus" Madsen, the great two way player from
St.Catharines, Arnold "Onions" Smith and Bill Isaacs from Hamilton.
Only Madsen would appear in all four Mann Cup games.
Travelling from the west were the Inter City League champion New
Westminster Salmonbellies. After winning their league title the Bellies
had defeated Victoria United Services, then a team from Lachine, Quebec.
They were led by scoring champion Bill Wilkes and picked up John
Douglas.
The series commenced in front of 5,000 spectators on October 7th. It
was a deliberately played opener, with spectacular goaltending from Bert
Large and Bill Scuby. The contest went to the fourth quarter tied 7-7.
An Ed Downey slashing penalty was the turning point. George Masters
scored on the power play. The eastern champs next added another man
advantage goal, then went on to win 10-7.
Game 2 featured great work from Masters and Al 'Flash' McLean. The pair
stole the show, roaring up and down the floor like a pair of baby jeeps.
Ken Dixon also got into the act. His Syl Apps like rushes continually
brought the crowd to its feet. And the Ali Baba, Gus Madsen,
entertained with fancy moves on defence and attack. 19 year old Bill
Scuby was once again superb. He held the Combines to a pair of first
quarter goals. Still the home side kept coming and dominated the middle
two quarters. They didn't let up until the last 15 minutes as they took
home a 15-9 victory.
The Salmonbellies now needed to win three straight if they were to
become the first western team to win the Mann Cup in Ontario.
Mimico-Brampton started a rusty Pete Anthony in this one and soon
regretted it. Three shots and three goals as the Belly snipers had the
little guys' number. Bill Tyler had arrived over the weekend and he
scored in 71 seconds. By the 15 minute mark it was 6-3 New West. They
went on to a convincing 14-8 triumph. John Douglas and Art Pruden both
counted hattricks. The Dixon brothers scored 7 of the Combines' goals.
Ken had three, whil Archie potted four, his only goals of the entire
series!
The last game of the series would be the best. The westerners were
looking very dangerous. They were leading 7-6 after three quarter time
and bounced in a couple of more to begin the final session. But 35 year
old Bert Large was having his best game of the series and would
surrender no more goals. Bill 'Whoopie' Arthurs began the comeback by
dashing the length of the floor to score. Carl Madsen next set up Ross
Gimblett to close the gap to 9-8. Then a controversial call against New
Westminster. Referees Max Peart and Hal Wallace had been fair much of
the night. Salmonbellies would take the majority of penalties by a 10-7
count. But it was one call in particular which infuriated them. With 4
1/2 minutes left Ed Downey was sent to the box. Gus Madsen went down
groaning and drew the two minutes. Asked after the game, Downey's
response was: "You don't mind losing but you hate to see it decided on a
cheap penalty. You've got to hand it to Madsen though, he really staged
a good act." The Ali Baba followed his Academy Award performance by
scoring on the ensuing free throw. 9-9 and the westerners desperately
trying to stay alive. Madsen also sparked the winning goal. He hit
Bill Isaacs with a long pass and Isaacs slipped the ball to George
Masters. Masters' underhand drive beat Scuby. 10-9 Combines.
