By Robert Seltzer, Inquirer Staff Writer
In a game that marked the return of professional box lacrosse to the city, John Grant scored three goals and added an assist to lead the Philadelphia Wings over the New Jersey Saints, 17-11, last night at the Spectrum.
Grant, 35, a member of the Philadelphia franchise that lasted two years with the National Lacrosse League in the mid 1970s, relived his younger days, although he admitted he wished he had his “old legs” back.
“This was great,” Grant said.
Philadelphia (1-2) avenged a 10-3 defeat to the Saints in the season opener on Jan 10. New Jersey dropped to 2-1.
The Wings and the Saints are part of the newly created, four-team Eagle Pro-Box Lacrosse League.
The game represented the first time in more than 10 years that a pro box lacrosse team had called the Spectrum home.
A crowd of 14,189, a healthy figure even by Sixers or Flyers standards, was loud and passionate, cheering and yelling at every shot, goal and check by the Wings.
It was the largest crowd for any game in the fledgling league this year, beating the previous mark of 9,216 for the Washington-Baltimore game on Jan. 10.
“This was the greatest feeling in the world – all those fans,” said Grant, who played with the old Philadelphia Wings in 1974 and 1975.
Complementing Grant for the Wings were Mike French and Pat Hanley, each of whom also scored a hat trick. For the Saints, Kevin Cook scored a hat trick.
(Philadelphia Inquirer, February 1, 1987)