Syracuse Stingers

National Lacrosse League (1974)

Background

Love the colors and clean design of this vintage 1970’s program (above) from the all-but-forgotten Syracuse Stingers of the indoor National Lacrosse League (1974-1975).  The NLL was the first effort to establish the sport of box (indoor) lacrosse on a truly professional basis.  Six teams played the inaugural season, primarily in major hockey palaces like the Philadelphia Spectrum, the Montreal Forum, and Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens in the Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada. The two exceptions were in New York, where the Stingers and the Rochester Griffins set up shop in the downtown War Memorial arenas that had long hosted minor league hockey in those small industrial cities.

Today, the sport of box lacrosse is played on a carpeted surface, much like indoor soccer. In the NLL era in the mid-1970’s, the playing surface was an unforgiving wooden floor laid over the cement foundation of a hockey rink. NLL clubs marketed violence, much like the minor league hockey clubs of the Slap Shot era.  Indeed, there was some cross over of players between the two sports. The Rochester Griffins featured Buffalo Sabres left winger Rick Dudley, moonlighting during the NHL off season. At one point during the 1974 campaign, Dudley led the NLL in penalty minutes.  The Maryland Arrows franchise used Attila The Hun as a spokesperson for their radio campaign.  Sports Illustrated described the marketing of the NLL as an effort to sell the sporting public on “the battle of Stalingrad indoors“.

Coaching Carousel

The Stingers were one of the weaker entries in the league, partly due to constant turnover in their coaching ranks.  The original coach of the team was supposed to be Richie Moran, architect of the Cornell University lacrosse dynasty of the 1970’s.  The Stingers introduced Moran at a March 1974 press conference. Moran expected to join the team part way through the club’s 40-game schedule after the NCAA tournament concluded in late May.

In the meantime, players Jim Higgs and Louis Jacques coached the Stingers on a interim basis. But a league rule forbade player-coaches, so Higgs and Jacques had to be de-activated in order to coach. A front office employee even coached one game.  Moran, meanwhile, dropped out of the picture amidst rumors that Cornell threatened to fire him if he took the Stingers gig during summer break.  Finally the team brought on Medo Martinello. A Canadian coach with a long track record, Martinello actually started the season as an NLL referee and officiated several early season Stingers games.

Move to Quebec City

The Stingers played just one season in Syracuse, finishing last place in the 6-team circuit with a 12-27-1 record. Pat Differ was the Stingers’ overall scoring leader (64 goals, 103 assists, 167 points) and tied for 4th in the NLL scoring race. Gaylord Powless (72 goals, 87 assists) was 5th in league scoring and was Syracuse’s leading goal scorer.

The franchise shifted to Quebec City in November 1974 prior to the NLL’s second and final season.  The league itself folded in February 1976 shortly before its third season was due to get under way.

Downloads

5-23-1974 Stingers @ Philadelphia Wings Roster Sheet

Links

National Lacrosse League Programs 1974-1975

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