Recent sojourns by your writer saw attendance at two quite different sports events in different parts of the country. What was striking was the overall similarity of the audiences, which gave the perception that regular folks are the same in most parts of Canada. One sport was lacrosse, a uniquely Indigenous/Canadian field game. Its origins lie in the eastern parts of the continent, although versions were played by Indigenous peoples elsewhere in North America. The Indigenous version involved 100 to 1,000 players and had spiritual and cultural aspects. The arrival of Europeans saw them adopt the game, adding rules and structure. Interestingly, colonial Canada established lacrosse as the country’s national game in 1859. That was later changed in 1994 to Canada’s national summer sport, with hockey declared Canada’s winter sport. Its heyday was between 1880 and 1920, with hundreds of teams across the country. By the 1920s, ice hockey began its climb to national prominence.
Until the 1920s, lacrosse was played outdoors and known as field lacrosse. By the 30s, it had almost completely changed into an indoor game called box lacrosse, which is the situation today. Being a long-established game in Canada and the USA, it has undergone numerous changes. There has also been a bewildering flow of changing governing bodies that have seen competing leagues come and go. At its peak, vigorous disagreements surrounded amateur and professional player issues. Today, there are competitions for the Mann And Minto Cups, the national championships for some semi-professional teams. However, a parallel professional league exists called the National Lacrosse League, in which Calgary has a team. Lacrosse might have been a more prominent game if it had been organized like our national hockey league structure. But I digress.
I attended a game between the Victoria Shamrocks and New Westminster Salmonbellies lacrosse clubs the latter was established in 1888. I suspect the name Salmonbellies had some fearsome relevance back when it was established; if nothing else, it is truly unique. Both clubs play in a BC league and play eastern teams for the Mann Cup, which is historically the symbol of the national champion. The game venue appeared to have a capacity attendance of 2,000 very enthusiastic fans. The game is very fast and allows what seems like unrestricted cross-checking between the shoulder and thighs. Referees occasionally blow whistles for baffling infractions.
It’s the audience that seems to be part of the game – they are passionately involved in the game and appear to be primarily regular middle-class working folks. Part of it may be the price of attendance ($20) and its long historical connection to the community. I was told populist former NDP BC Premier Horgan was a regular attendee at Shamrock’s games. Beer and junk food are fan favourites at this event; I suspect snobby lattes and organic snacks would be hard to find.
The other sports event was a baseball game between the Okotoks Dawgs and the Fort McMurray Giants. They play in an Alberta League, with most players being US university students, presumably with sports scholarships. The Giants’ name seems rather uninspired. Instead, how about Oil Sandbellies – a more memorable moniker like the New Westminster lacrosse team. Baseball has a checkered history around Calgary, with several teams coming and going in different leagues. I recall the Calgary Cannons playing in a pro league several years ago but such baseball left Calgary years ago but continues in Edmonton. Like with the Victoria lacrosse game, Dawgs fans were enthusiastic but not at the intensity level of a lacrosse game; after all, baseball is a more relaxed game. For me, that’s okay, as the lightning speed of lacrosse is difficult to follow – goals happen in a split second. Baseball, in comparison, operates at a snail’s pace; heck, the team mascot and the announcers are needed just to boost fan attention to the game.
Baseball fans seem similar to lacrosse fans – primarily working and middle-class families. Although the junk food was similar, the beer selection was better at the Okotoks game – a good thing since it was 30 plus at the game. Although the working middle-class crowd may be the same as in the Victoria lacrosse game, the political perspectives of the two crowds are radically different. I can’t imagine Alberta NDP leader Nenshi attending an Okotoks Dawgs game. The Okotoks crowd would definitely be more favourable to having Premier Danielle Smith in the audience. Some political scientist should research this curious political peculiarity.
Will Verboven is an ag opinion writer.
