SIX NATIONS – Six Nations has produced many genuine stars of the game over the past generations and continues to be a source of professional players today.
The Ohsweken Demons of the professional Canadian Lacrosse League (CLax) honoured five past legends during Saturday night’s game, where the Demons took on the Durham Turfdogs.
One by one, the gentlemen were called to centre floor at halftime to receive much deserved recognition from CLax fans.
Doug Hill was an outstanding goaltender that was well respected by his opponents and teammates during his playing career, which stated in the 70’s and ended in the 90’s. He was also known for his strong work ethic and ball moving skills, which led to him averaging an astonishing 35 points a season. He was drafted by the OLA’s Brampton Excelsiors in 1985 and professionally by the Buffalo Renegades in 1991. He was a Presidents Cup Champion and MVP.
Next on the floor was Jackie “Red” Hill. Throughout his career, Hill was known for his strong play at both ends of the floor and was a gifted goal scorer while playing in the 60’s and 70’s. He won a Sr. B championship with the Brantford Supertest Warriors.
Willy Logan is a legendary wooden lacrosse stick maker whose custom-made “Logan Special” stick is still sought after by wooden stick purists. In his younger days, he played for intermediate and senior teams in Kitchener, Hamilton and St. Catharines in the 50’s and 60’s. As part of other winning teams, he won the Can/Am Championship representing Ohsweken, and was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004.
Chuck Martin Jr. had a decorated career spanning from the 70’s to the 90’s. He was a top scorer for five consecutive years from 1979–1984. He was named OLA Sr. B League MVP and leading scorer in 1982 and 1988. He won the Presidents Cup in 1985 and 1993 for the North Shore Indians. Chuck also played with the Six Nations team that participated in the Commonwealth games in 1978.
Ron “Hum” Thomas is another in a long line of great Six Nations goaltenders and played between 1957 and 1978. He was an outstanding goalie in Sr. B for Brantford in 1968. He also won the Presidents Cup in Brantford in 1967 and the Mann Cup with the Brantford Warriors. He was inducted into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1997.
On a personal note, sports reporter Jim Windle considered the tandem of Hum Thomas and Buff McCready with the Brantford Warriors of the late 1960’s the best goaltending pairing he has ever had the pleasure of watching play.
The game has changed since these men played, with segregated offensive and defensive specialists. But the CLax game is a throwback to the two-way game of the past, when a player had to possess both offensive and defensive skills in equal portion and stay on the floor longer each shift.
Other legends that were invited but could not attend included Gilbert Bomberry, Mike Montour, Bill Squires and Richard “Boss” Squires.
