1959 - RETURN OF THE PETES 


With Ed Blair gone as Senior Commissioner, the past wrong inflicted upon
Peterborough lacrosse was corrected.  The five year suspensions were
dropped and all members of the '57 Trailermen were allowed back into the
game.  The CLA quietly accepted this decision and lacrosse returned to
normal.  Which naturally meant another Senior championship for
Peterborough!

Bob Allan came back to win yet another scoring championship - his fourth
straight!  Bob Curtis and Lou Nickle were also top ten scorers, along
with second year star Larry Ferguson.  Lloyd Wotton returned to goal but
had to share the duty with Pat Baker.  Wotton started 15 games, winning
11 and surrendering 113 goals, for a goals against average of 7.5.
Baker saw action in 8 contests, winning 6 and giving up 83 goals, for an
average of 10.38.  It was a unique situation to have the great Moon
sharing work with the soon to be great Pat Baker.  It was a moment when
two eras overlapped and Peterborough fans had the opportunity to watch
two of the best netminders all time in action.

Other returnees from exile included: Bob Batley, Carl Brioux, Frank
Farley, Jack Mason and Jerry O'Reilly.  The club was now known as the
Mercurys.  After splitting their opening two games against Brampton,
Peterborough ran off a 10 game winning streak.  They coasted to first
place with a 17-6 record, the only team with a winning record in the
league.

The defending champions spent their second and final season in Welland.
Ron Roy had another great year.  He led the league with 52 goals and
finished runner up for scoring honours.  Newcomer Dave Hall also
impressed as he placed tenth in the scoring race.  Doug Smith did not.
Four games into the season he battled with both referees during a match
against Long Branch.  Smith was suspended for the remainder of the year.
Without their perennial leading scorer the Switsons struggled through an
11-11 season.

Long Branch and Brampton made up the bottom half of the league.  The
Monarchs finished 10-14, while the Excelsiors ended up last with 8 wins
and 15 losses.  Florie Tomchishen led the lakeshore crew in scoring with
33 goals and 52 points.  Brampton had three top ten scorers: Clarke
Pulford, Bert Russell and Jack Madgett.

The Mercurys saved their best for last.  They did lose one Semi Final
game to Long Branch.  The Monarchs scored 14 goals in that one victory
but only 17 in four defeats.  Brampton upset Welland in six games to
reach the Final.  Peterborough swept them four straight, outscoring them
48-19.  Lloyd Wotton played every playoff game.  His post season goals
against average was 5.56!