TWO PEAS IN A POD.....

Pat Differ and Duffy McCarthy

Where do you start writing about two friends, who’ve done it all?

One grew up in the boxes and rinks of Long Branch….the other was raised in the boxes and rinks of Marlton. Both played hockey. Both played lacrosse.

Both of them coached and mentored.

Both became teammates on the PCO’s of Mississauga. One went on to referee in the WLA after his playing days…one went on to serve his community for twenty-five years as a fireman.

One was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall Of Fame…..the other was inducted to the Mississauga Sports Hall Of Fame.

They both helped on our documentary, “Two For The Show”, introducing us to their stories of days gone by and their memories and knowledge of a time we’ve grown to admire and treasure.

Their names are Pat Differ and Duffy McCarthy, and they’re like two peas in a pod…..

On the one side…..there’s Pat Differ.

Pat Differ has been a good friend of mine for almost thirty years……and to this day….we’ve never met. True story!

Our friendship began on a lacrosse message board back in 1998, when the pre-cursor to Crossecheck, “NLLLacrosse”, was being birthed. Pat popped up in a conversation I having with a few other people and chimed in.

I was flattered that a player from the 70’s league would even hold an interest in what I was putting together.

That started a near 30-year relationship that has endured….and to this day, I’m still honored that he would give me the time of day.

It’s just like that with me….

Differ is recognized as a significant figure in Canadian lacrosse history, particularly for his performance in box lacrosse during the 1970s. He was inducted to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall Of Fame in November of 2025.

Pat played five years of Junior A for Mississauga PCO, and in 1972 he finished second in scoring with an incredible 121 points. Pat played for the Toronto Shooting Stars in 1972, played out west with the Vancouver Burrards in 1973,76,78,79,81, and 1973 won the WLA Championships and lost in Mann Cup against Peterborough.

He was drafted in the fourth round by the Syracuse Stingers in the National Lacrosse League, back in 1974. He also played for the world champion Quebec Caribous in 1975.

He scored 122 goals and recorded 194 assists in his 85-game career with the Syracuse and Quebec, scoring on 25% of his shots that he took. He is fifth in NLL all-time scoring.

He was also a member of the 1978 Canadian World field lacrosse championship team in 1978. The team was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall Of Fame in 2001.

His hockey prowess led him to play professionally in the Netherlands and in the Canadian Juniors in the early 70’s, playing notably for the Dixie Beehives from 1969 to 1970, where he scored 35 goals and 46 assists in 47 games, along the side of his good friend, Duffy McCarthy.

Besides a stellar playing career, Pat was the General Manager and Coach of the Vancouver Burrards and was WLA Coach of the Year in 1982.

From 1983-92 he was one of the top Referees in WLA, Junior A, Senior B lacrosse in BC and throughout Canada. He refereed Mann Cups, Minto Cups, and Presidents Cup games.

Recently, as of 2019, Pat, along with Chris Rudge, Johnny Mouradian, and Dave Evans, helped create and coached the Costa Rica world box lacrosse team. Pat was also named Referee-In-Chief for the 2025 Mann Cup.

On the flip side…..there’s Duffy McCarthy. Our kinship started back, when Crossecheck came to fruition in late 2018.

Almost ten years later, I’m still taken aback. I’ve been to his cottage in Muskoka, back in 2022, having a beer with the likes of Jim Higgs, Paul Cioci and J.J. Johnston, having a bottle of wine with Al Gordaneer, sharing laughs with the likes of John Davis, Jimmy Wasson, and John Grant, and sharing a meal and good times with Carm Collins, and the Evans clan……..truly an inspiration…..truly admired for his contributions for his work, memories and storytelling on our documentary.

His kindness and caring rallied other former players to be in the corner of my daughter, when she was diagnosed with epilepsy, back in 2019. He was always the inspiration to her, always in her corner.

It was reflected in his duty to service with the Port Credit Fire Dept., where he served his community for 25 years, after his playing career was over, in 1977.

Born and raised in the town of Marlton, Ontario, Duffy lived in the box lacrosse rinks of Marlton in the summer, and in the hockey arenas in the winter.

He played Junior “A” hockey in 1968/1969, with the Dixie BeeHives, along side his great boyhood friend, Pat Differ.

At 15, his first Junior “B” season commenced the Mississauga “PCO’s” of the OLA, along with Pat.

He signed with the 1970 Kitchner Rangers of the OHL, playing with the likes of former Flyers great Bill Barber and former Montreal Canadiens great, Larry Robinson, both NHL Hall of Famers.

In 1972, Duffy was called up to play for the Brampton Excelsiors. They won the Canadian Sr. “B” Championship against New Westminister.

In 1973, Duffy played for the Canadian Senior “B” champion, Windsor Warlocks.

In 1974, He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings and signed a two-way contract with them. Duffy played with their farm team in Europe, the London Lions. In his time between playing in the Ontario Hockey Association, the IHL and overseas, Duffy accumulated a total of 55 goals and 61 assists for 126 points scored over seven seasons.

Also in 1974, Duffy was drafted by the NLL’s Toronto Tomahawks, playing in the summer. In 1975, Toronto’s franchise rights shifted to Boston, and the Tommies became the Boston Bolts, who finished third in the league standings that year, losing to the Montreal Quebecois in six games, in the Nation’s Trophy Playoffs.

In those two seasons combined, Duffy scored 79 goals and recorded 156 assists in his 75-game career with the Toronto and Boston.

In December of 2025, Duffy was inducted into the Mississauga Sports Hall Of Fame.