From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
If someone were to ask you which sport is synonymous with Canada, what would you reply?
If you’re like most people, hockey would be the first sport that comes to mind; justifiably so. However, there could be an argument for lacrosse to be deemed the true sport of Canada.
Hockey may be the game for which we are known around the globe, but as E. Ross Mackay states, lacrosse “is probably the only sport, with the exception of hunting and fishing, which antedates the arrival of the white man”, in his Sault Star column about the origins of the game (Sault Star, December 1928, p. 18).
Despite the sport evolving over time, including the name itself, the ‘bag’gat’iway’ in Ojibway was played by the many nations of Indigenous people before colonization. Oftentimes, the sport was utilized to settle disputes amongst nations in place of a war, as depicted in Colonel Landman’s account of a game that took place on St. Joesph Island in 1799, during the construction of the fort.
Some thirty-six years before Colonel Landman’s experience, one of the most famous games of the region took place in Michilimackinac. Its claim to fame was built upon the use of the game, to utilize a comparison, as a Trojan Horse. The game, with connections to the ‘Conspiracy of Pontiac’, was a tactic to distract the English garrison, and make the Ojibway attack a possibility. As the story goes, it was “the King’s birthday and the garrison planned a celebration” (p.18). Under the guise of entertainment for the celebration, the Ojibway were permitted entrance to the fort.
During the game, the warriors rushed to chase down the ball, only to reveal their surprise. As the ball approached the open gate, the Indigenous contingent revealed their concealed weaponry and “seized and swarmed into the fort before the astonished garrison realized what was happening” (p.18). In the end, a great number of the garrison were taken as prisoners, while sixteen perished, most notably Lieutenant Jemmette.
Lacrosse gained popularity in the Sault area during the early 1900s, when a local squad proved to be competitive and earned some notoriety. It is no wonder why spectators enjoy watching lacrosse either: it is “fast, exciting, [and] full of thrills”, which leaves you wanting more (Sault Star, May 1927, p. 11). In 1901, another celebration took place in Michigan to celebrate July 4th, where Canadians were invited to participate. This celebration did not end the same way as the one that took place in Michilimackinac, however. The result of this occasion was paramount in the formation of the Northern Lacrosse League, which consisted of teams from Copper Cliff, Sudbury, and of course the Canadian Sault. As the league developed, and new rivalries formed, the Sault team was invited to competitions in both the Michigan Sault and Minnesota to prove their ‘mettle’.
Despite their success on these occasions, the Sault team’s claim to notoriety was their contests with a Fergus club that “sauntered through the defense of every other team in the Canadian Lacrosse Association” (p.11). The two clubs were set to play two exhibitions against each other, and in both games the Sault club held their own. Even though they fell in the first match, the Sault was able to hold the usually dominant Fergus club to a 1-1 draw in the second. It is worth mentioning that the games differed in the way they were played.
In the game that they lost, the teams played in accordance with rules of the association Fergus was a part of, which fielded ten aside, whereas in the draw, the game was twelve aside on a larger field. It was stated in the 1927 article that the “excellent combination, fast clever work, and quick thinking by the Sooites, baffled the visitors” (p.11). While the Fergus club played to their standard and were able to limit the chances of the home team, as you can imagine, word got out about the strong Sault team. With the likes of Longie Hogarth, Horace Lewis, and Shorty Bayne, the Sault held the formidable Fergus team to a draw, which led to the team being etched into the local lacrosse history books.
Lacrosse is such an entertaining game to watch and take part in, with a lot of action, physicality, and excitement. It is no wonder there has been a resurgence here in the Sault over the past few years. The Sault Lacrosse Association has promoted the game and increased participation within the community alongside the Soo Spartans, and Ladies Lacross.
Bag’gat’iway anyone? Check out a game or two at the Northern Community Centre or register to take part.
Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.