By NEIL ANDERSEN
Journal Sports Writer
Lacrosse is not an Indian word for “ouch.”
It just sounds that way.
And that’s the way Ivan Stewart and Bill Bradley play the game.
Stewart and Bradley are key figures in the Portland Adanac lineup tonight when the city’s newest professional franchise tangles with the Victoria Shamrocks in Memorial Coliseum at 8:30.
“You cross-check him, push him aside, slash him—a little—maybe,” said Bradley, who plays defense. “You just make sure an opposing forward doesn’t get around you to score.”
Stewart, a forward, says, “You just try to fake a defensive player, deke him once or twice, cut from side-to-side, like hockey or basketball.
“When you get in close, you try to pick your spot against the goalie and make sure it goes where you want it to. Some guys try the fancy Dan stuff, like backhanders, but I’m not too accurate that way.”
“In close, you try to outwit the goalie,” added Bradley.
“You’ll see more breakaways in lacrosse than in hockey, about 20-to-1,” interjected Stewart.
What can Portland fans expect to see tonight?
“The speed of the game, the accuracy of the players, the body checking,” said Stewart, rated as one of the fastest men to ever play the game.
“If you keep running,” claimed the 33-year old, “you won’t take too much abuse. If you hang onto the ball, they’ll lay the wood on you to get it.”
Bradley rates Victoria’s Billy Gray as one of the toughest forwards in the league to defense.
“He’s big and strong. In fact, I think he’s the strongest of any forward in the league. He’ll just try to brush you aside when he’s going for a goal.”
The future?
“No problems,” fired Bradley. “If we get 50 fans for the first game, it’ll double for the second, and the third will double the second. Eventually, 5,000 fans a game will show up.”
They’ll get a chance to start tonight.
(Oregon Journal, May 15, 1968)