2025 INDUCTEE TO THE MANITOBA LACROSSE HALL OF FAME IN THE PLAYER CATEGORY- BILL WICKLOW
| Bill Started playing lacrosse in 1951 missing the boom years of lacrosse (from 1944 to 1949) under the leadership of Tom O"Brien and the Greater Winnipeg Minor Lacrosse Association. During the boom years the GWMLA had over 25 teams in four age divisions. In 1951 all that was left was a loose organization of teams from three areas of the city: Deer Lodge, West End (either Orioles or Isaac Brock) and Kelvin. Records for this period are sketchy, but what is evident is that league games were infrequent and playoffs were usually incomplete.
Fortunately for Bill he lived near Kelvin CC- Winnipeg's lacrosse "hot bed". Living near Kelvin, gave Bill access to the only outdoor paved lacrosse box in Winnipeg, where young lacrosse players gathered daily to hone their skills. Daily practice allowed Bill to overcome the lack of formal practices and games, developing his skills- specifically stick handling and shooting. Between 1951 and 1955 He played Bantam, Midget, and Juvenile for the Kelvin Terriers (most years he played for at least 2 different age groups). As well as playing minor lacrosse during this period of time, he also became a pick up player for Senior teams playing at Kelvin. If any of the senior teams were short a player, Bill would suit up on a moments notice. In 1956 noticing his goal scoring touch with his minor league teams, as well as his strong play with the senior teams, Jim O'Dowda asked the 18-year-old Wicklow to join the Elmwood Drewerys of the Senior league. Wicklow led Elmwood to two championships in three years. In those three years ('56-'58) Bill won the Senior league-scoring race three years in a row (as a junior aged player). Bill also represented Manitoba in Minot Cup play downs in 1956 and 1957. Bill, as a junior aged player was selected to the 1958 Senior all-star team. In 1958, Manitoba ceased entering a team into the Minto Cup Play downs. The Senior league ceased operations from 1959 to 1960, eliminating Wicklow's opportunity to finally play senior lacrosse as a senior aged player. By time the league was re-organized in 1961, Bill had moved south to pursue a career in professional hockey. |
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? 1951-1955- records are incomplete but a search of newspaper archives shows Kelvin teams on which Bill played won a number of minor league championships ? 1956- Senior league champions with Elmwood Drewerys ? 1957- Senior league finalists ? 1958- Senior league champions with Elmwood Drewerys |
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? 1956- League scoring champion (as an 18 year old) ? 1956- Represented Manitoba in Minto Cup (2 goals & 2 assists) ? 1957- League scoring champion (as a junior aged player) ? 1957- Represented Manitoba in Minto Cup (2 goals & 2 assists) ? 1958- League scoring champion (as a Junior aged player) ? 1958- Selected to the Senior All star team |
