by Mark Kram, Daily News Sports Writer
One of the cornerstones of the Philadelphia Wings has decided to hang up his shoes.
Because of recurring injuries and the birth of his third child, 32-year-old Gary Martin will close out his eighth year with the Wings at the end of the season. He hopes to leave with a fourth Major League Indoor Lacrosse League championship.
“It would be a perfect ending if we could do that,” said Martin, who will be honored in a pregame ceremony tomorrow night when the Wings face the Baltimore Thunder at the CoreStates Spectrum (8 o’clock). “I have a feeling nothing can stop us this season.”
Called by Wings coach Tony Resch “the backbone of our team,” Martin has been one of the top defensive players in the MILL. He began his career in 1988 by scoring three goals on his initial four shots against the Washington Wave, and had appeared in 61 consecutive games until he sat out a game last February with a separated right shoulder. He has since hurt his hip, sprained an ankle and reinjured his lower back.
“I am beginning to feel like an old 32,” said Martin, who recorded his 100th career point with two assists against New York last month. “I just decided it was time to let a younger player come in and enjoy what I have enjoyed with this team.”
Martin also found himself stretched thin by the demands of his growing family.
“Only one other player on the team even has a child (Gary Gait), and I have three,” said Martin, who is an account executive for Unisys Corporation. ”I am up every day at 6 a.m., go to work, and then practice. It just got to be too heavy of a load.”
Resch anticipated that Martin will be “hard to replace.”
“It will be some big shoes to fill,” Resch said. “He may not always be in the highlights, but someone has to do the dirty work.”
Martin hopes to remain a part of the organization in some fashion, if only as a volunteer.
“I know I will miss the comraderie,” he said. “Being a member of this team has been great fun.”
WINGS NOTES
The Wings will hold a lacrosse clinic for males between the ages of 10 and 18 on Sunday at St. Joseph’s University, from noon until 4 p.m. The cost is $25, which includes instruction, T-shirt and awards. For additional information, contact Gary Gait at (410) 664-1230.
(Philadelphia Daily News, March 10, 1995)