MINTO CUP HISTORY- PART 11-CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
With the Ontario Champions, Brampton Excelsiors, coming to Winnipeg for the 1952 Eastern Canadian Junior lacrosse championships, coach Eric Abbott is hoping to build upon the success of the '51 All Star, convened a weeklong try out camp that attracted over 25 prospects. All twenty-five plus prospects are top-notch competitors having played in the senior league, competing against Manitoba's best lacrosse players. Selecting the squad would not be an easy task for Abbott and team manager Jim O'Dowda, The Winnipeg Tribune stated that "the material at hand is good and Abbott and O'Dowda will have their troubles in naming the team". The bulk of the players at the tryouts developed their skills playing in the Greater Winnipeg Minor Lacrosse Leagues before moving on to play junior or senior lacrosse. Selecting the crew was made a bit easier as a number of talented players withdrew due to commitments to work and other sports.
From the tryouts, Abbott built upon the natural strengths of the remaining prospects by selecting a light fast team hoping to use speed as a weapon to negate the big rugged Brampton team's size advantage. The Ontario champion, Excelsiors, ran rough shod through the league schedule and playoffs with just one loss- garnering the reputation as one of the best teams to represent Ontario in the Minto Cup play downs.
Abbott and O'Dowda announced a line up of 15 players and 5 alternates. The roster include nine hold overs from the surprising '51 team and a handful of juvenile aged players: in goal, Barry Thorncraft and Lorne Gullivan, on defense, Effie Neubauer, Lorne Christianson, Ralph Lyndon, and Dick Paulley, up front on the forward line, Ron Arklie, Don Leitch, Ron McIntosh, Ernie Gaudreau, Gord Horner, Butch Wozniak, Doug Smallwood, Lionel Merrick, and alternates Ted Cade, Holly Stevens, Ross Fargey, and Gordon Chem.
The Brampton lineup, coached by Carl Madgett- a polio survivor, was full of talent, that some consider the best team Ontario has sent to the play downs in the last 10 years. The lineup featured Jack Bionda, the best lacrosse player of his era.
In game one, of the best of three series, the Tobans battled to a 6 to 5 lead at the end of the first half. Manitoba opened up fast, taking advantage of the travel weary Excelsiors (arriving 12 hours prior to the start of game) with crisp offensive attack lead by Ron Arklie, Don Leith, Ernie Goudreau, and Gord Horner. Brampton goalie, Jim Dodds made many brilliant saves in the first half until his teammates could fine their legs. With brilliant passing and some sharp defense Brampton erased the lead to take control of the game. Manitoba staged a brief come back in the third period on 2 quick goals by Doug Smallwood. In the fourth quarter, Manitoba ran into penalty problems, leading to four goals that capped the victory 18 to 8. Manitoba was able to use their speed and rapid passing to overcome the Brampton size advantage, but in the end the talented eastern squad, led by Jack Bionda, was just too much for the All stars.
The second game of the series kept the large pro- Manitoba crowd on the edge of their seats, as each team took turns taking the lead. Toba team led at the end of the first period 4-2. At half time the two team were knotted at seven. The second half was like a heavy weight boxing match with teams exchanging scoring chances- only the goal tending of Brampton's Dodds and Winnipeg' Throndcraft limited the teams to only 1 goal a apiece. The fourth quarter was a nail biter with Manitoba taking the lead 8-7, but with nine minutes left Bionda scored a quick goal to tie the match at eights. The pace of the game took a toll on both teams as they chose to play defensively, letting game be decided in overtime. Manitoba started the overtime quickly pressing the Brampton goal only to come away emptied handed. Brampton with some smooth passing took a 9-8 lead. The lead held up until half way through the overtime with Manitoba responding with a goal by Lionel Merrick to bring the local squad even. With less than five minutes, on a solo effort by Bob Watson that put the eastern team ahead for the last time. Brampton is back on the train to face New Westminster for the Minto cup.
Scorers for Manitoba were Merrick Smallwood, and Horner, each with two, and singles going to Lyndon, Wozniak, and Kirby.
The '52 result was not as exciting as the '51 Western Championship, but it again proved Manitoba was a province not to be taken lightly in Minto Cup play. Manitoba went "toe to toe"- with a perennial powerhouse, taking the Jack Bionda (the Wayne Gretzky of lacrosse) led Excelsiors to overtime.
