Lacrosse Cool Then and Now, the 1970s

Photo: 1976, Cornell Hall of Famer Eamon McEneaney against an unknown Hopkins defender

The other day I started sharing about the purchase of my first lacrosse stick in 1976 and the conundrum of traditional pockets when you know nothing about stringing and adjusting them. In 1976 mesh pockets did exist, but they were nothing like the one I used my senior year at Syracuse or what players today are using. In 76 a mesh pocket was hard to break in and soft mesh, as far I remember, did not exist. Only goalies used them. In addition mesh did not give you the “cool styling and profiling points” that a traditional pocket gave you back then. Almost all the studs I followed growing up on Army lacrosse played with traditional. That was also the case for one of my favorite players back then, Hall of Famer Eamon McEneaney (Sewanhaka, Cornell). I first saw this All-American attackman score a punch of goals in route to a championship victory over John Hopkins on ABC’s wide world of sports. The game came on TV a week after the actual had been played. Today the definition of cool as changed and mesh is in and traditional is out—accept for in the women’s game. Can someone school me on why mesh is not used in the women’s game?

Lacrosse Pockets Then and Now: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/search?q=Pocket

My First Lacrosse Stick Part 2



The old STX 73, which was much like my first stick My first lacrosse was a STX 76 with a traditional pocket which ordered the summer I entered 9th grade in 1976. I was so excited that it seemed like it took forever for my first stick to come in. I kept bugging Coach Nick Padula every time I would seem up at the high school gym asking if my stick arrived yet. When it finally arrived, man talk about a happy camper; I was in nirvana looking at it and touching it; but I also I had no clue how to string a traditional stick and neither did any of my peers. Christ Weber, who graduated ahead of me at Croton, ordered a “STX 73 from coach Padula.” Chris read my post and wrote me on facebook about is on first stick stringing dilemma; every player goes through this. It’s learning how to tie your first bowtie. Speaking of 1973, Chris wrote, that is stick “came unstrung from Bacharach-Rasin and cost $15.00. Not only was it my first stick but also the first stick I strung” and neither Chris nor anybody he knew in Croton could explain to him how to string the pocket.

Custom Sticks and Cuse Lacrosse Culture

That's Tim Nelson's 1983 season custom head with a classic Yorktown, most likely little brother Tom strung, Brine Superlight II with wide strong  traditional pocket.

Organized lacrosse head dying sessions using a white plastic head, Rit fabric dye, and downing dozens of hot Buffalo chicken wings in the process represented a part of lacrosse experience in the 1980s. There was definitely an unspoken competition over both who could eat the most wings and who could come up with the most aesthetic multi-colored design with your name, number, and somehow fit it all fit on a small surface. A Syracuse 80% of the team loved traditional pockets. The difference was over the size of the holes. Yorktown guys like big holes maybe 5 and West Genee players always used small holes say 8 or more. The island guys at SU, and we didn’t have a lot in those days, were right in the middle. Upstate players used Brine superlight II; about four of us however used STX. 

I grew up on Army lacrosse and coach Dick Edell. As an attackman in high school I patterned a lot of my game and gear after All American attackmen Frank Giordano (Port Washington, Army), Greg Tarbell (LaFayette, Cobleskill, Syracuse) and Mike O’Neill (Massapequa, Hopkins) In fact I wore # 7 after seeing both Tarbell and O’Neill play at West Point. I purchased a STX Barney with a traditional pocket and the same funky gold shaft that O’Neill used in game I saw at the point. I often wondered how many young players emulated my gear and game as they watched me play.

Yorktown Lacrosse Stories: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/2010/09/college-lacrosse-recruiting-series-part_18.html

Mike O’Neil http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/2012/07/john-hopkins-all-american-attackman.html

Army Lacrosse Stories: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/search?q=army

How To Get Better on And off the Field/Court

Hall of Famer Pat McCabe (Elmont, SU) covering Hall of Famer Tim Goldstein (Ward Melville, Cornell). Notice how shallow Goldstein’s pocket is? The quick release it provided is one reason why he was such a great feeder. That's SU All American Matt Palumb in the goal. 

For me the U. S. National team tryouts represented the pinnacle of my lacrosse experience. It’s was like being at a summer lacrosse camp with the best players in the country. One would go to the announcement board and see who was playing with and against each session. You’d look at your goalies, defense, middies, and attack and say wow, I cannot believe I am playing with these guys! These were players who were legends to me people like Jeff Long (Irondiquot, Navy): 1st team All-Americans,  players of the year at their positions, and former USA players. Wow what an adrenalin rush! As a professor and author, I get the same rush. Working with the best makes you better on and off the field. 

How to Improve Your Stick Skills: [Watch 4 min 2 sec] http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-i-developed-my-lacrosse-stick.html

My First Stick

The STX Barney which was similar my first stick, the STX 76er 

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Like your first kiss, any fanatical lacrosse player remembers his or her first stick. Mine was a red STX 76er with a traditional pocket, and by today’s standard, a heavy round white shaft. The head was the size and shape of STX barney accept it had three wide stripes at the top of the head similar to the 1978 STX Sam-which by the way made a lot of money for STX. I ordered the 76er through Varsity Lacrosse Coach Nick Padula. This was the summer of 1976. Pack in those days, coaches in small villages in places like Croton-on-Hudson served as the middle men between local players and the three lacrosse companies of that time: Brine, STX, and Warrior. Truth be told, the Warrior Company of that era is a shadow of the company on steroids today which is sponsoring the U. S. Men’s National team. Coach would put the word out that he would be putting in a mail order for sticks in hope of getting enough orders to merit a discount on the entire order. That’s how it was in those days. My town, which always had thriving youth sports, never had a sporting goods store. In fact, I dad had to take me to nearby Peekskill to purchase me first baseball glove and rubber spikes to play minor league. Lacrosse sticks in those days were like really high quality imported olives—most stores not only did not carry them—they never heard of them before; more on lacrosse commerce in the 1970s tomorrow.

Lacrosse Stick Stories: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/search?q=stick

Lacrosse Pockets Stories: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/search?q=Pocket

Championships You Remember

Maryland's Frank Urso (left) taking a shot against Hopkins during a regular season game at Byrd Stadium in the  1970s

I saw my first live national championship game about 1978. Clay Johnson from my hometown played for Maryland and he was my hero. As a freshmen Clay had been talented enough to run second midfield for the Terps as they faced off against their across the beltway rival Johns Hopkins.  Both teams were loaded with All Americans.  Among them, Mark Greenberg on defense, Jeff Cook on attack, Dave Huntley at midfield; Dave played with day glow green Brine head, traditional pocket, and wooden shaft. I want a stick like that and later played with one.  Marilyn had Barry Mitchell on midfield, and many others that I just don’t remember. The game was played at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Maryland.  It was filled to capacity.  I remember walking into the stadium and making my way to my seats in the midst of an electric atmosphere.  I had recently started playing the game in eighth grade and watching a home town boy like Clay compete at that level made an indelible mark on my consciousness.  I think it was then that I decided that I wanted to be a Division I lacrosse player, as though that was a career; it sounds funny to me in retrospect.  What championship lacrosse game sticks out the most in your mind and why?  

Brad Kotz

Brad Kotz and Tim Nelson, a dynamic duo from the class of 1985

You know your good when you have a Wiki page! Brad Kotz aka “Kotzy” has one.  Brad is a West Genesse product who would go on to be a 4 x All-American midfielder at Syracuse, the 1983 college player of the year, and two time National team player in 86 and 90. I roomed with Brad my first semester at SU in the fall of 1983.  We also played together on Maryland Lacrosse Club, and the 1990 US National team.  He had great speed and strength (The guy worked hard in the weight room), and he almost never caused turnovers. Brad had tremendous eye hand coordination; he would joggle a ball on the top of the head of his Brine superlight II; a trick akin to what Tiger Woods does with a golf ball and an iron (Brad, we need you to video tape that for my blog and YouTube channel!). For me, Brad's shooting accuracy represented his greatest attribute. For example, I saw him shoot an amazing 4 for 6 in a World Cup game in Australia when he played virtually on one leg to do a knee injury.  Kotzy played with a pocket no deeper than a women's stick which allowed for his quick release. Players today should learn from him and get rid of all those grapefruit holders! The guy consistently shot hip high opposite the goal’s stick which is the toughest shot in the game to stop. Perhaps most heart warming to me was witnessing Brad's anger and disappointment the year Todd Curry was inducted, that Tim Nelson had not been inducted yet.  

The Nelsons of Yorktown Lacrosse: http://lacrossememoir.blogspot.com/2010/09/college-lacrosse-recruiting-series-part_18.html

Brad Kotz:

http://www.foodasalens.com/2009/10/syracuse-lacrosse-memories-and-eating.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Kotz

http://www.fanbase.com/Bradley-Kotz

http://apps.uslacrosse.org/museum/halloffame/list_by_school.php?school=Syracuse%20University

Tiger Woods Golf Ball Dribbling Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpHdrpwA9Ag