TRACES LACROSSE HISTORY FROM VIKINGS TO PRESENT

After putting his lacrosse men through an hour of stick-practice yesterday afternoon in spite of the discouraging drizzle, Coach Harry Herbert retired to the locker room and there proceeded to instruct his hearers in the history of lacrosse.

"The game originated with the Vikings," he said, "and was brought by them to the shores of Canada. The Indian natives took up the sport and developed it to the highest glory it has ever attained. The Vikings had batted a wooden ball around with a small board. The Indians made their balls of hair and feathers, with a stone or wood knot to give weight, and the whole covered with a leather casing. They first padded the boards, and then substituted the net of leather thongs supported on a wooden frame, very similar to the present stick.

"'Bagataway', as they called the game, continued Coach Herbert, "became an important ceremonial rite. A match was proceeded by a solemn dance. Then the teams, each, consisting of the complete fighting force of a tribe prepared to slaughter each other. There were often as many as 800 or 1000 warriors on a side. The squaws aided by switching the braves to make them fight more vigorously."

Coach Herbert went on to explain how the Candians gradually adopted the game, name it "Lacrosse" because of the resemblance which the sticks bore to a bishop's crosse, refined it, reduced the number of players to 25, and played on a field 200 instead of 2000 yards square. Dr. W. G. Beers of Quebee earned his title of "the originator of modern lacrosse" by formulating a set of rules in 1867, when also lacrosse was adopted as Canada's national game.

Johns Hopkins was the first of American universities to take up lacrosse. But the first intercollegiate match was played between Harvard and Yale at a date which has remained hidden in spite of all efforts to discover it.

"There are at present," said Coach Herbert in conclusion, "a Northern and Southern Intercollegiate League. National championship is decided in a match played at Crescent Field, in Brooklyn, by the winners in their respective leagues."