On Saturday, April 2, 2005, referee Scott Boyle, my friend and a friend to all of lacrosse, passed away on a lacrosse field. He was doing the job he loved. He was refereeing a Navy-Georgetown game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium when he suffered a heart attack, breaking most of ours. It was shocking to the lacrosse world and devastation to those in the Maryland Summer League, Scotty’s home league during the summer. He was ever-present for years at Maryland Summer League games. When I think about great games in that league, Scott's a part of every memory. Memories of our pre- and post-game conversations and meals are treasures to me as Scott and I shared a special love for the game, as many of you do.

The following year, Marc Hofmann, the league’s organizer, changed the name to the Scott Boyle Summer Lacrosse League. It was the perfect decision. Scotty needs to be remembered and where better than the league he loved to ref. The league has always featured an assortment of some of the best players in college, club and the older leagues. That’s right, over 35 and over 45-year-old players running with college stars. Think that’s weird? What if I told you that year in and year out, when the championship of this league is on the line, the old dudes school the youngsters?

Old guys winning games is like a tradition in this league. Some of the older Baltimore players like Hofmann, Mark Hahn and others are hard for anyone to beat because they're such class players, creatures of good habits and smart play. Hahn is the best player I have ever had the honor to play with. At age 50 and over he dominated big games.

In fact, the E-Lacrosse team lost to Hahn and the old guys on Hofmann’s Lax World squad for years. In our team’s greatest year, we had a college All-American smorgasbord with Kyle Harrison, Neal Goldman, Walid Hajj, Joe Rosenbaum, Bobby Benson, Benson Irwin, Ryan Floyd, Kevin Boland, Damien Davis, Conor Ford, Spencer Ford, Pat Miller, Rob Scherr, Hunter Lochte, Mike Plantholt, Kyle Bell, Eric Miller and a few others. Even Tommy Ryan was on the roster, but only made a game or two. It was a great team! We did not lose all season and rarely were involved in close games.

We had our best chance ever to win a championship, but Lax World, the perennial champion, was in the way. The final was set and a crowd even showed up. The Hahn-led Lax World squad played perhaps the smartest, slowest, most skilled game I have ever seen. Their teamwork stood tall above the talents displayed on our side of the field. In fact, by halftime, the E-Lacrosse parents that lined the field rooting hard for their kids, finally just gave in and rooted for the old guys. I did too. It was cathartic, watching people our age beat our kids. These guys rejuvenated all those in attendance over 35. It wasn’t a close game. The best players in the college game were beaten by a team with five players over 50! To this day, the kids on that E-Lacrosse squad still claim that Hahn had one of the best midfield performances they have ever witnessed.

Coincidentally, E-Lacrosse now sponsors the old guys that were that Lax World team back then, and the team still wins. The first championship trophy won by an E-Lacrosse team in this league did not occur until we decided to sponsor the old guys who kept crushing us. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

The Scott Boyle Summer Lacrosse League plays on the turf and back fields at Gilman on Northern Parkway and Roland Avenue. They don’t mind spectators at all. The games are usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Visit the Gilman fields at 6:30 p.m. on these days from now until July 24 (weather permitting) and you can watch some pretty good lacrosse in a very casual environment. The playoffs begin July 28 and the championship will be played on August 5.

Photo by John Weaver

Posted by John Weaver at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

For me, the lacrosse season never ends, but just after the NCAA tournament I suffer from lacrosse burnout and usually don’t think about the game for at least two weeks. Something usually kicks me back into gear like a great summer league game or tournament. This year it was a visit to Ocean City, Md.

After a week of catching up on work after the tournament, I headed for the beach. We swam, played golf, flew a kite and did a lot of nothing at all – perfect. One lazy afternoon I sat at a restaurant eating lunch and from my position in the patio seating, through the huge Big Pecker’s sign next door, I could just make out the words on a small theater-like marquis -- "Beach Lax Shak" -- or that's what I thought it read. I did a double take at first, but that is what it said, and I committed myself to checking it out after the meal.

After eating, I walked just past 73rd Street and for the first time, saw the whole marquis -- Beach Lax Shack -- with the brands STX, Gait and Harrow written below. This was a lax retailer at the beach. It was obviously a surf, dive and skate shop too as there was a surf mural painted on the side of the store.

I ventured inside to see what was up and found a pretty good selection of sticks and women’s stuff too. It’s a full service specialty store. They string sticks there and have for years. In fact, the shop has been selling lax gear since 1976. They still have some of the oldest accounts at both Brine and STX, according to owner Dave Quilter, who bought the place in 1992. Quilter admits that the store was selling lacrosse gear before most people at the beach knew what lacrosse was.

But many big Baltimore lacrosse folks spend some time “dyownashore,” so the store enjoys the patronage of a random smattering of lacrosse greats every summer. Quilter told us Kyle Harrison’s family had a condo in the area for many years and he saw Kyle grow up as a regular summer customer.

When I’m not looking for lacrosse or even avoiding it intentionally, it seems to find me. Quilter mentioned that the summer pick-up game was the next day in Berlin, just over the bridge through West Ocean City, where all the good restaurants are anyway (let me add a shout out to Bill’s Breakfast, an amazing breakfast spot in the unlikeliest of strip plazas). I had my video camera in the car so, of course, I was there the next day. It was the first day of the summer pick-up games so only one keeper was available. Fortunately, Hector the Rejecter was on hand to help out (see video).

I used to play in this league (a long time ago), or its predecessor, which had like six fixed teams in a summer league, each sponsored by local bars and surf shops. That was back in the day when a Baltimore teen would actually work at the beach for the summer, stay with like 20 other people in a beach condo and play in the league when it didn’t interfere with their waiting tables at Phillips or some other restaurant. A solid crop of great lacrosse players ended up down in Ocean City each year and the league was quite competitive, with college helmets from everywhere. But the American teen stopped working summer jobs at some point and the numbers died down.

But pick-up is alive at the beach! The O.C. pick-up games mix a good crowd of locals, summer renters and vacationers. Each week a new group of visiting players join the regulars. You never know who will be there. In fact, you too can join in. Just bring your gear to the beach with you. Every Wednesday the action begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Berlin Intermediate School on Franklin Avenue. You can call Bill O’Donnell at 410-250-1490 for more information.

They’d love to have you join them, especially if you are a goalie!

In the second photo above, Beach Lax Shack owner Dave Quilter and two of his children.

Posted by John Weaver at 1:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Are you getting ready for the political season? Here's a way to practice voting while supporting lacrosse! WNST is holding a contest ranking the Baltimore sports celebrities. The only lacrosse player in there is Gary Gait and we need to vote for him or there will be no lacrosse player in the top 32 sports figures in Baltimore, and that is a travesty. I know, Petro should be on there too, but he isn't. You can only vote once so tell all your lacrosse friends.

Step up and support the game in this fun and easy way! Click here to vote.

Posted by John Weaver at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)