MILESTONES IN HISTORY

The GAME of the STICK TODAY’S FAST MOVING SPORT WAS FIRST PLAYED BY NATIVE TRIBESMEN TO RESOLVE CON - FLICTS AND STAY FIT FOR BATTLE.

BY EUGENE FINERMAN

26 BOSS ᔢ SPRING 2011 George Catlin's 1846-1859 painting, An Indian Ball-Play , depicts Plains Indians playing .

e know lacrosse as the other nation knew it as baggataway, mean - WCanadian sport, played when it is too warm ing “they bump hips.” for hockey. Yet, history has a much higher Like today’s players, the tribesmen wield - regard for the game. Lacrosse was the ed a stick to catch, carry or hurl the ball. In national sport of America—before there general appearance, the stick has not greatly was an America. changed in seven centuries. It resembled a Before the European colonization, the shepherd’s crook, with a net at the curled end continent was populated by hundreds of of the stick. The ball varied, though, and nations and tribes. The Chinook of the could be a stone, wood or hair-stuffed deer - Pacific Northwest and the Choctaw along the skin. However, the greatest difference was the southeastern Atlantic were unaware of each dimension of the original game. Whereas other and spoke distinctly different lan - today we pit teams of 10 players against each guages. Yet both played lacrosse. So did most other, the competing tribes would have as of the native peoples. The same game was many as 1,000 players on each side. The game known by different names. Some tribes would last from sunrise to sunset, and might referred to it as “stick ball.” Others called it continue for several days. Using the sticks to “Little Brother of War.” One tribe among the flail as well as catch, the winning tribe was

WWW . DIXONVALVE . COM SPRING 2011 ᔢ BOSS 27 determined by the fewest casualties as Revolutionary War ensued and the Catlin had visited the Choctaws in well as the most goals. The game was of America was born. the early 1830s when they still lived indeed the “Little Brother of War,” But Britain held on to and it in the Southeastern United States. and often used to resolve conflicts. became a haven for those who had Sadly, shortly after his visit, the Even without the threat of a war, supported the Crown during the many tribes used the game for mar - American Revolution. Among the tial training. Yet, for all its rowdy vio - dispossessed allies of Britain was the lence, the game was regarded with Mohawk tribe. Wanting a reliable and reverence. Some tribal lore attributed tough supporter in a strategically the game’s origins as a gift from the important region, Britain granted the Gods. Shamans would schedule and Mohawks land in Southern Quebec referee the matches. and Eastern Ontario. There, they Ironically, the first European to could be a useful bulwark against describe the game deplored it for future American aggression and a both the violence and paganism. He damper on French unrest. La Crosse was Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1649), a kept the Mohawks fit and martial, French missionary to the Hurons. and indeed they protected Canada Writing in his journal, the Jesuit during the War of 1812. referred to “le jeu de la crosse”—the As the years passed and so did the game of the stick. The French word American threat, the Mohawks lost for stick became our name for the their military purpose. Now they sport: La Crosse. Brebeuf would played La Crosse to retain their cul - become a saint, but not the patron of tural identity against the diluting and sports fans. La Crosse became quite assimilating encroachments of mod - popular among the colonists of New ern society. Their Canadian neigh - , as Canada was then known. bors may not have realized the game’s By the mid-18th century, New France sociological role but they did appreci - also included the region we know as ate it as an engaging sport. People William George Beers, above, is the Midwest (where today’s states were willing to pay to see La Crosse. considered "The Father of Modern derived from L’Illinois and In 1834, a Mohawk team had an exhi - Lacrosse." The Montreal Lacrosse Club, 1867, top right. Now a popular IRONICALLY, THE FIRST EUROPEAN TO collegiate sport, lacrosse has caught on with women—including Stanford DESCRIBE THE GAME DEPLORED IT FOR University's Lauren Schmidt.

BOTH THE VIOLENCE AND PAGANISM. tribe was expelled from their ances - tral homes and forcibly relocated to Ouiconsin) and the entire Mississippi bition match in Montreal. Of course, the Oklahoma territory. The Valley, all the way to Louisiana. Yet, some spectators wanted to be players. Americans tended to regard the in this vast region, France had only By 1842, they had established in “Indian” as an obstacle and enemy, 100,000 colonists. Its rival Britain Montreal the first Lacrosse Club. and they dismissed lacrosse as just a commanded a smaller empire, 13 Since most native tribes played game for “savages.” By the time that colonies constricted between the lacrosse, Americans also were some - lacrosse was reinvented as a refined, Atlantic and the Appalachian what familiar with the sport. In civilized sport, the American public Mountains, but those colonies had a 1805, while surveying the Great was already passionately distracted population of 2 million—restless to Lakes region, an Army expedition by a radically altered version of expand into French territory. saw Winnebago tribesmen playing. cricket: baseball. War was inevitable, and with the Zebulon Pike, the expedition’s com - In the 1870s, lacrosse had become advantages in numbers and the mander, named the site for the game; a gentlemen’s game, reflecting the world’s best navy, Britain won a new and it is still known as La Crosse, highest standards of Victorian sports - empire. That victory, however, proved Wisconsin. Today, we have George manship. This remarkable transfor - costly. Those 13 British colonies so Catlin’s pictures and sketches of the mation was the work and crusade of eager for French territory resented Choctaw tribe playing lacrosse. In William George Beers, “The Father of the taxes for that war. The his studies of the Native American, Modern Lacrosse.” As a Montreal

28 BOSS ᔢ SPRING 2011 Beers established the Canadian Canada, with its New World vigor National Lacrosse Foundation in refined by European civilization. He 1867. It—meaning Beers—would set promoted lacrosse as “the unifying the standards for the game. Lacrosse symbol for the emerging Canadian would be played with uniform nationality.” In 1869, he published equipment. Sticks would be the same his manifesto and codification in, length and a rubber ball would Lacrosse, The National Game of replace the stuffed deerskin. There Canada. (The Canadian Parliament would be a limited number of play - would eventually concur in 1994.) ers on a team. Games now had time Beers also served as lacrosse’s limits. The playing field had to meet ambassador to the world. In 1876, exact standards for length and width; he organized a team of Canadian and the size and placement of the goal Native Americans to play exhibition nets was specific. Finally, players had matches in the major cities of Great to observe a far more confining con - Britain. Of course, the highest meas - duct. Lacrosse was no longer a little ure of Victorian respectability was war or a big brawl: no more slug - the presence of Queen Victoria her - ging, butting or kicking—and the self. She expressed her enjoyment stick was not a weapon. Lacrosse (“the game was pretty to watch”), would still be a fast-paced, rugged and so conferred on lacrosse its suit - sport, but now it would be ability for genteel women as well as respectable. men. In 1928 and 1932, the game In hindsight, Beers might seem earned a berth at the Olympics as a demonstration sport. In the United States, playoffs were held to deter - mine which team would compete; both times, the Blue Jays of Johns Hopkins University earned the covet - ed spot. (The U.S. earned a three-way tie with Canada and Great Britain in 1928, and bested Canada two games to one in 1932.) Today, the sport that had its origins in North America is rapidly gaining popularity around the world. The 2010 World Lacrosse Championship, sponsored by the Federation of International Lacrosse and held in Manchester, , drew teams from 29 nations. Lacrosse has also caught on with the ladies. According to the NCAA, there are teenager, Beers (1843-1900) had like a Victorian prig but he chiefly currently 349 women’s collegiate played lacrosse when it was still the was motivated by patriotism. The teams. If, as Beers promised, that rowdy melee of the native tribes. That same year—1867—Canada had lacrosse taught a young gentleman game had no set rules; prior to each achieved the status of a British “confidence and pluck,” then it obvi - match the teams would agree to Dominion. While its foreign policy ously offers the same benefits to whatever rules they wanted. The was still decided in London, Canada coeds. And the shamans and braves young Beers evidently enjoyed the now determined and administered who originated lacrosse might well anarchy and the ensuing injuries may its own domestic policies. For all have attested to the same virtues of well have inspired him to be a dentist; practical purposes, Canadians were the game. Whether for tribe, nation however, he also believed that the no longer British subjects but citi - or alumni association, lacrosse con - game should be elevated by a civiliz - zens of their own Canada. Beers saw tinues to instill a rousing sense of ing code of conduct. lacrosse as the quintessence of pride and identity.

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