The game, if it could indeed have been called that, was in fact an invention of the Iroquois nation who looked upon it more as an endurance test and a training course for combat than as a competitive sport, and although injuring opponents is not usually the aim of a modern support (at least in theory) the Iroquois set out to deliberately incapacitate their opponents over a field of play often many miles long with anything up to a thousand or so participants. They used a device similar in shape to a Bishop's crozier, which doubled as an offensive weapon; when the first French settlers arrived they called it 'the cross' or, in French, la crosse, hence the name of the sport.

Europeans began to play the game but they were totally outclassed by the native Americans who are not always seemed to have a natural ability but also had the advantage of many generations of experience, and even today they field some of the strongest teams in the sport. A team from the Caughnawaga visited England is to play some display matches and even performed before Queen Victoria herself! The English were not slow to recognize a good hearty team game when they saw it and it was not long before it was popular throughout the white portion of the British Empire.

naturally changes had to be made! Even in the British Empire it was not considered acce to maim members of the opposing teams, and so a set of rules were formulated. Also, organising teams of many hundreds on each side was not a very practicable proposition for a small garrison or hillside fort to sustain, so the maximum team size was set at 12. Finally, a hair stuffed deerskin ball has never been the easiest of product to get hold of, so a rubber ball was substituted. An improved crosse was agreed upon and the modern game of Lacrosse began to take shape with local and national leagues and even a fairly short lived attempt to make it into an Olympic sport. It is generally recognized that native Americans are still amongst the top lacrosse players in the world, as well as many of the most enthusiastic!

Copyright 2007 Pat Boyle