Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame facts for kids
Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame logo
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| Established | November 1965 |
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| Location | 777 Columbia Street New Westminster, British Columbia Canada |
The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame is a special place in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It celebrates the sport of lacrosse and the amazing people who have played or helped the game grow. This Hall of Fame was officially started in 1965 by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. The very first group of lacrosse heroes was added to the Hall the next year.
Contents
History of the Hall of Fame
How the Hall Got Started
In 1963, some lacrosse fans in New Westminster thought their city was the perfect spot for a Hall of Fame. New Westminster had a long history with lacrosse, which is Canada's national sport. The city council agreed, and the fans asked the Canadian Lacrosse Association for permission to create the Hall.
After a lot of hard work, their dream came true! The official permission was given in November 1964. Then, in 1965, the Hall of Fame became a registered organization. Special groups were formed in both Eastern and Western Canada to choose the first members. These groups met in Montreal in January 1966. They chose 48 founding members to be the first inducted into the Hall.
Opening and Growth
On May 17, 1967, the Hall of Fame officially opened its doors. It was located in the Centennial Community Centre in New Westminster. Before this, the museum's items were kept at the New Westminster Museum & Archives. The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame became a fully official organization in November 1970. Since then, many cool things have been given to the Hall for display. These include old photos, championship pictures, famous players' lacrosse sticks, sweaters, medals, and trophies.
A Difficult Time and New Security
In early 1980, the Hall of Fame, along with other museums nearby, had a problem. Some valuable items were stolen during break-ins. About 20 very important gold-metal items were taken from the Hall. Sadly, these items were never found. However, the thieves left the famous Mann Cup and Minto Cup trophies untouched.
After this event, the Hall of Fame made big changes. They added better security to protect the displays. They also improved how the items were shown to visitors. Today, the museum is still home to the Minto Cup and the Mann Cup. These are Canada's top lacrosse trophies.
Moving to a New Home
In the spring of 2014, the museum closed its doors to get ready for a big move. It was relocating to the Anvil Centre complex in downtown New Westminster. On September 13, 2014, the new location opened to the public, even though some building work was still happening. The old location was completely empty by October 4, 2014. The official grand opening of the new Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame happened on November 8, 2014. This was during the induction dinner for new members.
How Members Are Chosen
New members are added to the Hall of Fame every year. When it first started in 1965, there were three main groups for inductees:
- Field Players: People who played field lacrosse.
- Box Players: People who played box lacrosse (an indoor version).
- Builders: People who helped grow the sport, like coaches or organizers.
Later, more groups were added. In 1997, a Veteran category was created. This was to remember older stars from the past. In 1988, an Outstanding Team category was also added. This celebrates great lacrosse teams. Since 2016, the Box Player and Field Player categories have been combined into one Player category. This means there is no longer a difference between box and field lacrosse players for induction.
List of Hall of Fame Inductees
Many amazing players, builders, and teams have been inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame since 1965. Each year, new members are added to celebrate their contributions to the sport.
Images for kids
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Dave Gibbons, inducted in 1965.
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Henry Hoobin, inducted in 1965.
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Alex Turnbull, inducted in 1965.
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Angus "Bones" Allen, inducted in 1966.
